Most of us have seen the Moon – a traveling companion of the Earth. What I want is to show you is a poem from Ryonen. The Buddhist nun known as Ryonen was born in 1797. She was a granddaughter of the famous Japanese warrior Shingen. Her poetical genius and alluring beauty were such that at seventeen she was serving the empress as one of the ladies of the court. Even at such a youthful age fame awaited her. The beloved empress died suddenly and Ryonen’s hopeful dreams vanished. She became acutely aware of the impermanency of life in this world. It was then that she desired to study Zen. When Ryonen was about to pass from this world, she wrote a poem: Sixty-six times have these eyes beheld the changing scene of autumn. | I have said enough about moonlight, | Ask no more. | Only listen to the voice of pines and cedars when no wind stirs.