Buddha in the Mandorla, Rilke Translation by Susan McLean

Buddha Amida, seated on lotus pedestal, with mandorla. Dairen-ji Temple, Osaka, Japan. Mid-18th Century.

Buddha in the Mandorla

Centre of all centres, core of cores,
almond self-enclosed and ever-sweetening--
all of this, from here to all the stars,
is your fruit’s flesh: we bid you greeting.

Look, you feel how nothing any longer
clings to you; your shell is infinite,
and the strong juice extends there, pressing it.
A radiance from outside makes it stronger,

for up above, ablaze and full, your suns 
have turned around to face you. Yet 
in you already something that 
endures beyond them has begun.

Susan McLean (translation)

Buddha in der Glorie

Mitte aller Mitten, Kern der Kerne, 
Mandel, die sich einschließt und versüßt, - 
dieses Alles bis an alle Sterne 
ist dein Fruchtfleisch: Sei gegrüßt. 

Sieh, du fühlst, wie nichts mehr an dir hängt; 
im Unendlichen ist deine Schale, 
und dort steht der starke Saft und drängt. 
Und von außen hilft ihm ein Gestrahle, 

denn ganz oben werden deine Sonnen 
voll und glühend umgedreht. 
Doch in dir ist schon begonnen, 
was die Sonnen übersteht.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1908)

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was one of the leading modernist poets in German.  He was born in Prague, but traveled all over Europe.  He served for a while as Rodin's secretary and was deeply interested in the visual arts.

Susan McLean is a retired professor of English from Southwest Minnesota State University. She has published two books of her own poetry and a book of translations of Martial's Latin epigrams.  She also translates poetry from French and German.