The "Five Rememberances" are from the Upajjhatthana Sutta (part of the Pali Canon [Buddhist scriptures])
I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
All that is dear to me and everyone I love, Are of the nature to change.
There is no way to escape, Being separated from them.
My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape, The consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand.
The word "actions" in this translation is kamma (karma) in the original. I much prefer thinking of karma as "action" rather than as destiny or fate. Karma is simply the things you do that have consequences.
Here's a picture I took last fall, of 법륜사, looking up under the eaves of a temple building.
Desirat ai, enquer desir E voil ades mais desirar Que tener ma dona e baisar E luec on m'en pogues jausir ! Qu'eu l'am e dic ço que dir déi. E dels cinc non m'entendon tréi, Anz diran "Ben vos es esprés". Si mon joi non avia, Als bons fa piez. – Pèire Cardenal (poem written maybe 1201 AD).
Cardenal was poet and troubador of the middle ages from what is in modern times the south of France, but at that time was called Pays d'Oc (the land of people who say "yes" by using the word "oc", roughly). In contemporary times, their language is called Occitan and is still spoken by several millions. It's closely related to Catalan.
J'ai désiré ma dame, je la désire encore et je veux la désirer toujours et davantage plutôt que d'obtenir de la serrer, de l'embrasser, en un lieu où d'elle je tirerais grand plaisir. Car je l'aime et je dis ce que je dois dire. Trois sur cinq ne me comprennent pas mais diront " Vous êtes bien épris !" Et si d'elle je n'avais pas une vraie joie d'amour, c'est qu'aux meilleurs elle réserve ses rigueurs…
So I attempted my own translation – it's a tossup whether I find the Occitan original or the French translation easier – my work with medival Spanish actually makes the Occitan pretty easy to sort out.
Couplet V
I wanted my lady, I wanted her more And I want to want even more Holding my lady and kissing her Where I would give her pleasure! Because I love her and I say what I have to say. Three out of five do not understand me But say "You are just infatuated" If I did not have joy, At best she'd take it easy on me…
If anyone harbored any doubts, this blog post should be clear evidence of my genuine eccentricity: on some days, this is my hobby.
What I'm listening to right now.
Claude Marti, "Pèire Cardenal – Razos es qu'ieu m'esbaudei." The poetry is 13th century (another work by Cardenal), but I suspect the musical setting is modern.
Lyrics.
Razos es qu'ieu m'esbaudei E sia jauzens e gais E diga cansos e lais E un sirventes desplei, Quar leialtatz a vencut Falsetat, e non a gaire Quez ieu ai auzit retraire Qu'us fortz trachers a perdut Son poder e sa vertut.
Dieus fa, e fara e fei, Aissi com es Dieus verais, Drech als pros e als savais E merce, segon lur lei. Quar a la paia van tut, L'enganat e l'enganaire, Si com Abels a son fraire. Que-l trachor seran destrut E li trait ben vengut.
Dieu prec que trachors barrei E los degol e los abais Aissi con fes los Algais, Quar son de peior trafei. Quez aisso es ben sauput: Pieger es trachers que laire, Qu'atressi com hom pot faire De convers monge tondut, Fai hom de trachor pendut.
De lops e de fedas vei Que de las fedas son mais, E per un austor que nais Son mil perditz, fe qu'ie'us dei. Az aisso es conogut Que hom murtriers ni raubaire Non plas tant a Dieu lo paire Ni tant non ama son frut Com fai del pobol menut.
Assatz pot aver arnei E cavals ferrans e bais E tors e murs e palais Rics hom, sol que Dieu renei. Doncs ben a lo sen perdut Aquel acui es veiaire Que tollen l'autrui repaire Deia venir a salut, Ni-l dons Dieus quar a tolgut.
Quar Dieus ten son arc tendut, E trai aqui on deu traire E fai lo colp que deu faire: A quecs si com a mergut, Segon vizi o vertut.
