304 Q&A Under the Pine Tree

Sheng-Yen Lu Q&A Under the Pine Tree

Author：Sheng-Yen Lu

Publisher：True Buddha Prajna Treasury

Publication Date：2025/04/14

Language：Traditional Chinese

Suitable for ages ：All

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Summary：

Preface
South Mountain Retreat, my home in Seattle, is surrounded by pines. This means I write articles under pine trees, for I can see straight giant pines from the window of my study room.
I am deeply drawn to the following two poems:
Beneath pines, I inquired of a youth
Was told master’s out collecting herbs
Although only in this mountain
Deep clouds set me wondering where
(The above poetry makes me feel ethereal.)
Here is the other poem:
I own a hermitage named Pine Moon
For I love the cold season and revere the pure moonlight
I care not for north or south, east or west
So long as there are pines and a moon, I feel rest
Caress the pine and ask it, but it responds with nothing.
Looking up and asking the moon, it continuously hangs in the sky.
Collecting dead wood and boiling water, I invite the Moon
My heart, like the Moon, is solitary and full
(I’ve lived in South Mountain Retreat for many years, and often watch the pine trees and the moon. As the days go by I get older, and it’s no longer possible for me to move somewhere else. Therefore, my days in the future will be solitary and full, like pines and the moon.)
I could say it like this~
I’m an old pine tree.
Not afraid of frost, but with verdant leaves.
Seeing the falling maple leaves
Hearing the roar of the north wind.
Verdant leaves remained to be seen
Only me, the old pine
(Adopted from a nursery song)
I found myself becoming like an old pine tree, fearing nothing.
I hope to do a few meaningful things each day, write a few meaningful articles, and perform some meaningful cultivation. Thus, my heart is content.
“Q&A Under the Pine Tree” means I answer the questions from disciples and hope to
bring them the right view.
As for the 37 Factors of Enlightenment, I think the Eightfold Noble Path is most important:
Right View, Right Intention、Right Speech、Right Action、Right Livelihood、Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
Such is the way my answer must be.
Apart from that, I admire Master Hongyi’s:
Physical eye - nothing but fame and fortune
Heavenly eye - nothing but the cycle of rebirth
Dharma eye - nothing but cause and effect
Wisdom eye - nothing but emptiness and illusion.
Buddha eye - nothing but compassion
May this book, Q&A Under the Pine Tree, awaken sentient beings with affinity to the truth, liberate them, and lead them out of the sea of suffering.
I hope to benefit all by providing answers to everyone’s questions, and help readers realize the true significance of life.
May this book enrich your mind.

Living Buddha Lian-sheng
Sheng-Yen Lu
17102 NE 40th Ct.,
Redmond, WA 98052
U.S.A.
Oct. 2024


Translated by TBTTs
Translator: Kerry Cheng
Editors: Henry Wolf and DJ Chang

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