Rarer than a blind turtle
In samsara's infinite circle
Finding such a precious birth
Rising through ocean's surf
Every hundred or so years
We seem to hold no fears
When this time will come
In Samsara's twisted fun
Head thro' tossed yoke
The buddha has spoke
Taking Dharma to heart
We're not so very smart
Rarer than daylight stars
To break ego's prison bars
© Peter Dorey 2012
"Imagine a blind turtle, roaming the depths of an ocean the size of
the universe. Up above floats a wooden ring, tossed to and fro on the
waves. Every hundred years the turtle comes, once, to the surface. To be
born a human being is said by Buddhists to be more difficult than for
that turtle to surface accidentally with its head poking through the
wooden ring. And even among those who have a human birth, it is said,
those who have the great good fortune to make a connection with the
teachers are rare; and those who really take them to heart and embody
them in their actions even rarer, as rare, in fact, "as stars in broad
daylight." (114)
