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Title: Smokey the Bear Sutra
Author: Gary Snyder
Date: 1970
Language: en
Topics: buddhism, environment, Environmentalism, environmental restoration, poetry
Notes: Reproduced from the Summer 1970 issue of Wind Bell, where it appeared with the note, “May be reproduced free forever.”

Gary Snyder

Smokey the Bear Sutra

Once in the Jurassic, about 150 million years ago, the Great Sun Buddha

in this corner of the Infinite Void gave a great Discourse to all the

assembled elements and energies: to the standing beings, the walking

beings, the flying beings, and the sitting beings—even grasses, to the

number of thirteen billion, each one born from a seed, were assembled

there: a Discourse concerning Enlightenment on the planet Earth.

“In some future time, there will be a continent called America. It will

have great centers of power called such as Pyramid Lake, Walden Pond,

Mt. Rainier, Big Sur, Everglades, and so forth; and powerful nerves and

channels such as Columbia River, Mississippi River, and Grand Canyon.

The human race in that era will get into troubles all over its head, and

practically wreck everything in spite of its own strong intelligent

Buddha-nature.”

“The twisting strata of the great mountains and the pulsings of great

volcanoes are my love burning deep in the earth. My obstinate compassion

is schist and basalt and granite, to be mountains, to bring down the

rain. In that future American Era I shall enter a new form: to cure the

world of loveless knowledge that seeks with blind hunger; and mindless

rage eating food that will not fill it.”

And he showed himself in his true form of

SMOKEY THE BEAR.

A handsome smokey-colored brown bear standing on his hind legs, showing

that he is aroused and watchful.

Bearing in his right paw the Shovel that digs to the truth beneath

appearances; cuts the roots of useless attachments, and flings damp sand

on the fires of greed and war;

His left paw in the Mudra of Comradely Display—indicating that all

creatures have the full right to live to their limits and that deer,

rabbits, chipmunks, snakes, dandelions, and lizards all grow in the

realm of the Dharma;

Wearing the blue work overalls symbolic of slaves and laborers, the

countless men oppressed by a civilization that claims to save but only

destroys;

Wearing the broad-brimmed hat of the West, symbolic of the forces that

guard the Wilderness, which is the Natural State of the Dharrna and the

True Path of man on earth: all true paths lead through mountains—

With a halo of smoke and flame behind, the forest fires of the

Mali-yoga, fires caused by the stupidity of those who think things can

be gained and lost whereas in truth all is contained vast and free in

the Blue Sky and Green Earth of One Mind;

Round-bellied to show his kind nature and that the great earth has food

enough for everyone who loves her and trusts her;

Trampling underfoot wasteful freeways and needless suburbs; smashing the

worms of capitalism and totalitarianism;

Indicating the Task: his followers, becoming free of cars, houses,

canned food, universities, and shoes, master the Three Mysteries of

their own Body, Speech, and Mind; and fearlessly chop down the rotten

trees and prune out the sick limbs of this country America and then burn

the leftover trash.

Wrathful but Calm, Austere but Comic, Smokey the Bear will Illuminate

those who would help him; but for those who would hinder or slander him,

HE WILL PUT THEM OUT.

Thus his great Mantra:

Namah samanta vajranam chanda maharoshana Sphataya hum traka ham mam

“I DEDICATE MYSELF TO THE UNIVERSAL DIAMOND BE THIS RAGING FURY

DESTROYED”

And he will protect those who love woods and rivers, Gods and animals,

hobos and madmen, prisoners and sick people, musicians, playful women,

and hopeful children;

And if anyone is threatened by advertising, air pollution, or the

police, they should chant SMOKEY THE BEAR’S WAR SPELL

DROWN THEIR BUTTS

CRUSH THEIR BUTTS

DROWN THEIR BUTTS

CRUSH THEIR BUTTS

And SMOKEY THE BEAR will surely appear to put the enemy out with his

vajra-shovel,

Now those who recite this Sutra and then try to put it in practice will

accumulate merit as countless as the sands of Arizona and Nevada,

Will help save the planet Earth from total oil slick,

Will enter the age of harmony of man and nature,

Will win the tender love and caresses of men, women, and beasts

Will always have ripe blackberries to eat and a sunny spot under a pine

to sit at,

AND IN THE END WILL WIN HIGHEST PERFECT ENLIGHTENMENT.

thus have we heard.