BardicTranslationRoughs/KillingYourMother

Mountainous China, Jiangxi monastery, 853 years since the birth of Christ.
Someone asks [Lin Chi]: what is mother?
"Greed and passion is mother", - the master replied. - "When, our conscience concentrated, we enter the world of feelings, the world of passions and desires, and try to find these passions, but can only see the emptiness behind them, when we are not attached to anything, that is termed 'killing one's mother'.."

Some thoughts, probably irrelevant: Should "Greed and passion" indicate possessiveness and/or emotional ties?

: Emotional, certainly; but "[passion]" includes that, I think. The Russian [word] I translated as "greed" means more than just "greed", but I amn't sure how to get it across.. Ideally, of course, I'd find the whole quote in English somewhere, but there doesn't seem to be a complete copy of the renzai roku online. - MoonShadow

That would seem to match the general meaning and some of the stuff on the Lin Chi page. I keep trying to find a different word for "passion" in the rest of the speach but I'm having real trouble trying to work out exactly what I mean. I believe the general gist is along the lines of "enjoy the sunset because it is beautiful, not because you know that a sunset is beautiful", "love someone because you love them, not because you know you love them", but I could be talking rubbish, and confusing rubbish at that. I hope that helps rather than hinders :) --Kazuhiko

Maybe instead of translating it as 'passion', try 'obsession', as in 'Enjoy the sunset while it's there, but not trying too hard to pursue it.' -ColinLeung

I was dubious, I admit
That it would happen to him
That he could pull himself out of the well
And remain alive
But he turned out to be firmer in actions
Than others are in words.
In short, it was a bright morning,
I didn't want to get up
But that bastard woke me at 6:35
And, half-asleep, I realised only one thing:
I was not touched by fear.

As I leapt out of the bathroom,
Towel in hands,
He was boiling the kettle, washing the plates,
Rattling them in his haste
Something rang, spun, grew
And began to shine
Suddenly I caught his eyes -
They were full of sparks
And I became more than I had been
Or I would be again
I calmed and sat down
It became clear to me:
He'd killed his mother!

And I watched his eyes -
They were full of sparks
And I became more than I had been
Or I would be again
And I told myself again:
"Incredible!
He's killed his mother!.."

And time stopped for all time
Because time does not move,
While he told me that on Monday
The boss was going to Crete
And, in short, that before he left
We'd have to drop in,
Pick up some work.
He brewed up some tea,
And cut the processed cheese
Meanwhile, I'd almost remembered
Who created this world
I laughed out loud, and said
"How could you?
After all, she is mother!"

And he tortured the processed cheese
On the windowsill
As I almost remembered
Who created this world
And I said to him,
"Murderer, how could you?
After all, she is mother!"

And he sat there and smiled
And I was with him
And he said, "But you also
have become yourself!"
I replied, "To find is not hard,
But it is tens of times harder
Not to lose.
And, if you would, cease
Your cheerful chatter!
You see light inside me,
But that is your own reflected light.
Your responsibility is now limitless -
You have killed your mother!"

Please stop right now
Your cheerful chatter
Although you see light within me,
It is but your own reflected light
Your responsibility is limitless -
Because you are free,
You have killed your mother!"

On a distant building-site
A lifting-crane woke up and started to move
The glass in my hand
Was nothing else but a glass
And for the first time in eight years I relaxed
Blessing bloomed inside me
We held each other, and went out to wander
Under the grey sky
And this Sky was us
And we were one
It is always nice to spend a while with one
Who has killed their mother.

The author requests that the lyrics not be reproduced separate from the explanatory quote, to prevent misunderstandings.