The Tong Tree at Yunju Temple

Inside the courtyard of Yunju Temple there stands an ancient Tong tree, 

tall and green, in many leaves shining brilliantly; 

already fifty feet high, 

it continues to grow;

in the temple there lives a monk ninety years old who shows not his age;

when he first planted the tree,

it was a tiny seed; 

it then grew into a tender shoot as fine as a hair;

with nothing to protect it, 

and independent of all things, 

it grew up straight and tall;

you who live in this world should be this way, 

raising yourselves as straight and true as this tree.