Be A Guest On The Earth Poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar

Zen Master Bank ie founded no school,
Left no scripture and made no disciples.
Like a flight of a bird across the sky,
He wanted to exit, leaving no trace of him.

The burning desire is to make one's presence
Felt where one lives and to be remembered
When one leaves; be it anyplace or the earth.
Prophets and messiahs aren't exempted.

‘Man knows not that once he leaves,
He will be lost in the ocean of oblivion.'
No image however big you leave behind
Will last nor do you know that it lasts.

We all encumber the earth
By our very existence.
Who dies as if he hadn't lived
Is the noblest of all men..
03.06.2019