Upon the earth is where life is lived.
Upon the earth is where creations live.
Upon the earth is where many images exist independently.
Upon the earth is where many memories exist.
Upon the earth is where life cries.
Upon the earth is where man enjoys himself.
Upon the earth is where joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure exist,
but man lives in sorrow.
Upon the earth is where many an unexpected thing occurs.
Upon the earth is where fantasies and dreams exist.
Upon the earth is where man is born and where he dies.
Upon the earth is where creations are born and where they die.
Creations exist in the world because the earth exists,
but humans know neither what the earth is
nor what it does.
Though it is without an image,
upon the earth is where there is
the divine ‘dō (Truth, or the Way)’
that gives life to all things.
Anything and everything is brought forth by the earth.
People do not know that the earth is
the mother of all creations.
People do not appreciate the earth.
People do not know, but the earth knows everything.
People very rarely know that
Heaven is earth,
earth is man,
earth is Heaven,
Heaven is man,
man is earth,
and earth is Heaven.
Those of you living a sad life,
I beseech you:
be as virtuous as me.
Pitiable beings,
I beseech you:
be as virtuous as me.
I live having let go of all wishes or expectations,
but you live wanting everything.
Such is the difference between you and me.