Whirling Currents Gatha (漩澓偈)

About 漩澓偈

by 杜順法師造

451 · about 2 min

The "Whirling Currents Gatha" was composed by the Tang dynasty eminent monk Master Dushun. Dushun was the founding patriarch of the Huayan school, whose thought laid the foundation for Huayan doctrine. This gatha uses the metaphor of swirling water currents to illustrate the dependent arising of the Dharma Realm, revealing the truth that all phenomena are mutually inclusive, interpenetrating, and perfectly harmonious without obstruction. At its core, it expounds the Huayan realm of "one is all, all is one," emphasizing a worldview in which all things are unobstructed. As a poetic expression of the fundamental tenets of the Huayan school, it encapsulates the profound philosophy of Indra's net and is revered as the essence of Huayan contemplation. Using poetry to convey the profound and simplicity to encompass the vast, this gatha holds a foundational and clarifying position in the history of Chinese Buddhist philosophy and serves as a vital key to studying Huayan doctrine and contemplation.