By Jade Solan on
A poem from a lay friend written during a retreat at Deer Park Monastery describing her encounter with Thích Nhất Hạnh in the dish line.
Enter the scene: Noble silence Dish line After breakfast Zen retreat The Venerable Zen Master Senior monk Ordination teacher Steps behind me In the line To hand rinse Morning’s used Plates, cups and spoons I am a simple beginner A laywoman,
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By Jade Solan on
A poem from a lay friend written during a retreat at Deer Park Monastery describing her encounter with Thích Nhất Hạnh in the dish line.
Enter the scene: Noble silence Dish line After breakfast Zen retreat The Venerable Zen Master Senior monk Ordination teacher Steps behind me In the line To hand rinse Morning’s used Plates, cups and spoons I am a simple beginner A laywoman, and I know who he is: a Zen master Even though he wears the plain brown robes of any ordinary monk I am alert The thought passes, The Venerable is behind me Holding his dish I should offer to wash his dishes for him. In the silence, shyness comes I wait in the space uncertain. My offer unextended, stuck, hanging between thought and behavior Suddenly a junior monk appears. He has been working, making breakfast. He has his blue work apron tied over his brown robes. He sees the Venerable Waiting in the dish line. He bows to the Venerable and extends his palms, open up. The Venerable slowly transfers His plate, cup and spoon to the junior monk’s open hands Then smiles politely The Venerable gently walks away with powerful firm steps. He has been relieved of the dishline. The junior monk wants to Go back to his kitchen duties. He solicits the junior nun Now appeared standing behind me in the dish line Eye contact. Smiles. Bows. In noble silence, The Venerable’s dishes transfer gently from the junior monk’s hands to those of the junior nun. The junior monk returns to the kitchen. The junior nun is in the dish line Behind me Holding her plate, cup and spoon. I am amused. I turn and bow to her. Eye contact. Smiles. I say quietly, “I will wash them.” She gently transfers the Venerable monk’s plate, cup and spoon to my care. I am in the dish line Handwashing the instruments of the Venerable Zen Master’s breakfast I smile and observe He has eaten grapefruit. I scrape the empty peels into the compost bin.
