Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In Rainer Maria Rilke's "Buddha in Glory," the German-language poet crafts an evocative and mystic vision of Buddha as the cosmic axis upon which the universe turns. Through vivid imagery and transcendent language, Rilke aims to encapsulate the essence of spiritual enlightenment and the oneness of all things. The poem provides a glimpse into the ineffable, asking readers to consider the spiritual dimensions of existence beyond the material world.

The opening lines, "Center of all centers, core of cores, almond self-enclosed, and growing sweet," depict Buddha as an all-encompassing force that is both immanent and transcendent. The almond, a traditional symbol of divine wisdom, here encapsulates the essence of Buddha as "self-enclosed," an entity unto itself yet boundless. "Growing sweet" suggests that this wisdom is not static; it is a dynamic, ever-expanding truth. This is not an external wisdom, but something intrinsic, growing from the "core" of existence itself.

"All this universe, to the furthest stars all beyond them, is your flesh, your fruit" suggests a pantheistic or perhaps panentheistic view, where the divine permeates all of existence. The mention of "flesh" and "fruit" renders the spiritual palpable and tangible; Rilke is saying that this essence is not removed from the world we know but is the very fabric of it. There is an intimate relationship between the earthly and the divine; one is the manifestation of the other.

"Now you feel how nothing clings to you; your vast shell reaches into endless space, and there the rich, thick fluids rise and flow." These lines express the Buddhist notion of non-attachment. Buddha's "vast shell" implies an encompassing but non-grasping presence, capturing the idea of an individual who is wholly part of the world yet not entangled in its suffering or illusions. The "rich, thick fluids" allude to the life force or energy that courses through the universe, again emphasizing the oneness of all existence.

In the next stanzas, Rilke moves from the core to the periphery, the "billion stars go spinning through the night, blazing high above your head." The constant movement of the stars serves as a metaphor for the ceaseless change and impermanence that characterize the physical universe. However, "in you is the presence that will be, when all the stars are dead," posits Buddha as a timeless, immutable presence, a constant amid the ephemeral. Here, Rilke connects the Buddhist notion of impermanence with an eternal essence, offering a resolution to the paradox of change within constancy.

Overall, "Buddha in Glory" presents a dense, almost mystical, cosmic portrait of Buddha as both the finite and the infinite. The poem traverses vast metaphysical landscapes yet remains intensely personal, inviting the reader to reflect on the interconnectedness of all things and the eternal within the ephemeral. In doing so, Rilke engages deeply with Buddhist philosophy, using it as a lens to explore broader existential questions.

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