When The Birds Stop Singing
By Dao Van Binh
(Translated by Nguyên Giác)
When the birds stop singing
When the butterflies and the bees disappear
When the mountains and forests became barren
When the lakes and ponds dry up
When the dead fish float about
When the air blackens the lungs
you will see you are sitting in a hell
despite you are sitting next to piles of dollars
in a golden palace or a jewel castle
Hence I ask you
to give some dollars to help clean the earth
When the birds stop singing
When the husband and wife bicker at each other
with abusive words, not sweet words.
When the friends start seeing at one another
through the political eyes, not with brotherly kindness
and when the people gather
and have to guard against other political views
the world becomes a battleground.
When you defend Trump
you would lose your job and be called a racist.
When you support Clinton and Obama
You would be called a traitor or a leftist.
Oh, the political division of people is so weird and terrible.
When the birds stop singing
people begin to compete to win the power
that will give them happiness
and lots and lots of money.
When the birds stop singing
then the kids hate to run after dragonflies and butterflies
Instead, they will addict to play the games
whose scenes are full of innocent killings
where they could wear suicide-bomb vests.
When the birds stop singing
and the deer have no water to drink
the small creek turns sad
its life is going to end.
When the birds stop singing
the world still has only the Rock music, Football and Sex.
With skimpy clothing and sexy bodies
the girls are worshipped as the ancient “holy ladies.”
Millions of people are hungry for their images.
That is the religion in the electronic age,
a kind of religion that makes lots of money.
Becoming unneeded goods
morality and spirituality will be exhibited only in museums.
When the birds stop singing
the software will be the smart brains
and humans will be lifeless corpses
- just like the machines that will move when the buttons are pressed.
When the birds stop singing
all weapons have to be invisible
and the robots will replaces the pilots
- thus, nobody would see the dropping bombs
Then you and I will die
just like dying in a dream, very abruptly.
When the birds stop singing
the roses will wither soon
the sunflowers won’t bother to cry
the trucks will become the killing machine.
When the birds stop singing
people live for themselves, care not for others
and become the machines
- the machines that fulfill their sexual fantasies and kill enemies.
When the birds stop singing
you will want to be silent
Beware that you will be called a hypocrite
if you say moral words.
When the birds stop singing
prayers are useless
After the praying sessions, people get drunk
and will be more aggressive for the next killing action.
When the birds stop singing
half of the Mekong River will disappear
many cities will dip in the ocean water
- Jakarta, New Delhi, parts of Florida, and many others.
Moving to a safe place
the billionaires will buy mansions in Mars
The poor have to live here, waiting for death.
When the birds stop singing
despite billions of humans pray intensely
and even if the Savior comes here
the Earth will be just a hell.
(Excerpt from ‘The Discourse of Happiness’ to be published soon.)
Vietnamese version
Gửi ý kiến của bạn
29/11/2015(Xem: 7081)
Thousands of Tasmanians who travelled from all corners of the State rallied in Hobart for climate action in the lead up to this week’s Climate Summit in Paris.
This should be a wake up call for the Hodgman government which has ripped up Tasmania’s ClimateSmart strategy and continues to subsidise the emissions-intensive native forest logging industry.
The science tells us that protecting the vast stores of carbon in Tasmania’s forests must be part of our response to climate disruption.
Tasmania is uniquely placed to be a world leader in responding to global warming, but the state government seems happy to keep its head in the sand and ignore the enormous opportunities that exist to create jobs and prosperity in low carbon industries.
Every responsible government has a climate plan. Even war-torn South Sudan has acknowledged its civil responsibility and prepared a comprehensive climate plan.
22/11/2015(Xem: 8240)
Thiền tập .b ở trường Trung học Phật giáo Pal, Sydney
The Mindfulness in Schools được biết đến rộng rãi trên thế giới có tên gọi .b (dot bee), và theo khảo nghiệm của đại học Cambridge và Oxford thì .b mang đến những tác động tích cực cho các em học sinh luyện tập đúng cách.
Trinh Nguyễn tìm hiểu chương trình này trong cuộc phỏng vấn với Giáo viên hướng dẫn
Bodhidasa Caldwell của trường Pal, và phiên dịch viên Thu Vân.
Muốn tìm hiểu thêm về hoạt động 'Mindfulness in Schools', chương trình 'Teach 4 Peace', và buổi dạ tiệc gây quỹ 'Little Buddha', liên lạc với trường Trung học Phật giáo Pal
Phone: +612 9755 7778
Email: info@pal.nsw.edu.au
Web: http://pal.nsw.edu.au/
17/11/2015(Xem: 4330)
Thank you to a very dedicated Buddhist scholar Dion Peoples, our paper with the Most Venerable Thich-Nguyen-Sieu and Dr. Bureau on The Art of Living according to Spiritual Leaders was published on the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Universities JIABU, Volume V, 2015: 90-94. To read the whole journal, please click here. Here are the words of the editor, Dr. Dion Peoples about our article.
24/09/2015(Xem: 3547)
Infinities Video Launch on Wednesday 23 September 2015
01/09/2015(Xem: 4230)
This is a letter from the young Vietnamese man I met when another member of Buddhist Contemplative Care Tasmania I were going out to Pontville in 2013. We have written to each other for over two years now. I have encouraged him in his practice and to remain calm and strong. He has and look how well he is doing. He has practised strong determination, what the Buddha called Adhiṭṭhāna which is one of the Paramis. Already he is practising to be a Buddha.
21/07/2015(Xem: 13794)
Tôi sửng sốt khi nhận được giấy mời từ văn phòng Liên hiệp quốc tại Geneva, Thụy Sỹ - Invitation for releasing “T. T. Weapon book at UN Geneve”. Tôi giật thót mình và sợ rằng bị bom thư hay bị bọn khủng bố gửi gì đó vì thấy có từ weapon, tức là vũ khí. Tôi không mở 2 file đi kèm vì tin rằng loại thư này đến hòm thư của mỗi chúng ta rất nhiều mỗi ngày.
14/05/2015(Xem: 15425)
Amitabha Buddha’s name chanting is an easy method of cultivation in which beliefs are difficult to have, especially in this age of information technology when people care more about material comfort than the spiritual life. However, as in the Buddha’s teachings: Buddhahood is a nature of mind and it’s the mind that possesses the Buddhahood, ringing about enlightenment. Therefore, as Buddhists, we have to believe in Buddha’s teachings. The Flower Adornment Sutra stated: “Beliefs are the mother of all the good merits.”. No other merits are greater than making a vow to be reborn in the Pure Land and to become a Buddha. On the occasion of this year’s retreat, we would like to briefly tell you about an old lady having a belief in Amitabha Buddha’s name chanting
21/03/2015(Xem: 7538)
Hội nghị thượng đỉnh toàn cầu về Từ Bi nhằm tôn vinh Đức Đạt Lai Lạt Ma, người đã cống hiến suốt đời mình truyền bá thông điệp hòa bình, lòng nhân ái và từ bi phổ quát trên toàn thế giới.
Hòa thượng Lama Tenzin Dhonden, Sứ giả Hòa bình của Đức Đạt Lai Lạt Ma 14 và người sáng lập tổ chứcNhững Người bạn của Đức Đạt Lai Lạt Ma, phối hợp cùng với trường đại học Univeristy of California, Irvine vàTrung tâm Sống Hòa bình sẽ tổ chức Hội nghị Thượng đỉnh Toàn cầu về Từ bi và lễ kỷ niệm sinh nhật Đức Đạt Lai Lạt Ma 14 lần thứ 80.
Nguyện đem công đức này, trang nghiêm Phật Tịnh Độ, trên đền bốn ơn nặng, dưới cứu khổ ba đường,
nếu có người thấy nghe, đều phát lòng Bồ Đề, hết một báo thân này, sinh qua cõi Cực Lạc.
May the Merit and virtue,accrued from this work, adorn the Buddhas pureland,
Repay the four great kindnesses above, andrelieve the suffering of those on the three paths below,
may those who see or hear of these efforts generates Bodhi Mind, spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma,
the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Quang Duc Buddhist Welfare Association of Victoria
Tu Viện Quảng Đức | Quang Duc Monastery
Senior Venerable Thich Tam Phuong | Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang
Address: Quang Duc Monastery, 105 Lynch Road, Fawkner, Vic.3060 Australia
Tel: 61.03.9357 3544 ; Fax: 61.03.9357 3600
Website: http://www.quangduc.com ; http://www.tuvienquangduc.com.au (old)
Xin gửi Xin gửi bài mới và ý kiến đóng góp đến Ban Biên Tập qua địa chỉ:
quangduc@quangduc.com , tvquangduc@bigpond.com
nếu có người thấy nghe, đều phát lòng Bồ Đề, hết một báo thân này, sinh qua cõi Cực Lạc.
May the Merit and virtue,accrued from this work, adorn the Buddhas pureland,
Repay the four great kindnesses above, andrelieve the suffering of those on the three paths below,
may those who see or hear of these efforts generates Bodhi Mind, spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma,
the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Quang Duc Buddhist Welfare Association of Victoria
Tu Viện Quảng Đức | Quang Duc Monastery
Senior Venerable Thich Tam Phuong | Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang
Address: Quang Duc Monastery, 105 Lynch Road, Fawkner, Vic.3060 Australia
Tel: 61.03.9357 3544 ; Fax: 61.03.9357 3600
Website: http://www.quangduc.com ; http://www.tuvienquangduc.com.au (old)
Xin gửi Xin gửi bài mới và ý kiến đóng góp đến Ban Biên Tập qua địa chỉ:
quangduc@quangduc.com , tvquangduc@bigpond.com
Copyright © 2023 quangduc.com All rights reserved 
&utmac=UA-45371836-1&utmcc=__utma%3D256535669.1031542417.1679345766844.1679345766844.1679345766844.2%3B%2B__utmb%3D256535669%3B%2B__utmc%3D256535669%3B%2B__utmz%3D256535669.1679345766844.2.2.utmccn%3D(direct)%7Cutmcsr%3D(direct)%7Cutmcmd%3D(none)%3B%2B__utmv%3D256535669.-%3B)