The whole poem is as follows:
"Early Discrimination of the Way of Cultivation" - Master Yuanyin of the Northern Song Dynasty.
It is better to destroy the world by greedy for fame and profit.
The caged chickens have food close to the soup pot, but the wild cranes have no food and the world is wide.
Wealth is difficult to preserve for a hundred years, and the six paths of reincarnation are easy to cycle.
I advise you to identify the path of cultivation early, and you will live forever if you lose your life.
"The chicken in the cage is close to the soup pot with food, but the wild crane has no food and the world is wide" means: The chicken in the cage will be fed regularly and does not need to find food by itself. It is happy. But it is close to death, because the owner feeds it to eat it. There is no one to feed the wild cranes, so they need to rely on their own abilities to find food. The future of the wild cranes is boundless and free.
Appreciation:
The original meaning of this poem is to persuade people to practice spiritual practice, and to warn people not to blindly pursue wealth and honor. It is better to practice spiritual practice than to pursue wealth and fame. Wealth and glory are just a passing cloud. Become a monk who has no worries, no desires, and no desires, and you will finally gain tranquility and freedom.
"A caged chicken has food close to the soup pot, but a wild crane has no food and the world is wide." This sentence is very chewy and often appears in the writings of literati. The meaning of the word is that chickens raised in cages do not have to worry about food, but they are easy to be stewed when they are growing strong and fattened. The crane, which was born in distant mountains and roosts in wild forests, has no fixed food and shelter all day long, but it has a vast world where it can fly freely.