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Asian Poetry:
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Just make sure you are following stroke order when you write. Also, consider getting a notebook that has individual boxes instead of lines (like this) to help with proportions. Also, I would practice writing the individual radicles a lot. It can really help with handwriting especially with characters you see for the first time. Here is a website for the radicals. Just keep practicing, that's the only way you'll improve! 加油！
Classical Chinese Primer is supposed to be good, but I’ve never looked at it. I’ve never heard of Classical Chinese: A Functional Approach, but I do know some of Prof. Dew’s other work, and it’s good stuff, so I’m sure that book is also of high quality.
While looking at those, I also noticed Classical Chinese for Everyone by Dr. Bryan W. Van Norden, which I’m embarrassed to say I wasn’t even aware of. But on reading the reviews (and having followed Dr. Van Norden for several years), I’m sure it’s also excellent.
There really is a ton of good stuff out there!
Bryan van Norden's <em>Classical Chinese for Everyone</em> is written to be a beginner resource for someone with no knowledge of Mandarin. Note that as you get into more advances resources about Literary Chinese, many of them are only available in modern Chinese. It's not to say that you can't study without knowledge of a modern variety, but be aware it will eventually be a hamper.
Bryan van Norden's <em>Classical Chinese for Everyone</em> is intended for someone with no understanding of modern chinese. Most other textbooks you find will usually assume you're at an intermediate level in a modern variety, and to get the most out of classical chinese, from what I understand you will likely need access to resources that are only in modern chinese sooner or later.
You might check out Dao De Jing (The Illustrated Library of Chinese Classics). It's basically a comic (graphic novel if you prefer), but don't dismiss it.
You know, if you're learning Japanese, you could skip the modern Chinese language and go directly to 文言文 Wenyanwen or Literary Chinese (a.k.a. 'Classical Chinese'). You'll have to learn plenty of kanji, anyway! Many people working in East Asian Studies have done this, as you probably already know!
Two books I'd recommend are Bryan W. Van Norden's wonderful and very easy-to-use Classical Chinese for Everyone: A Guide for Absolute Beginners (here), and Kai Vogelsang's amazing (and somewhat daunting for beginners) Introduction to Classical Chinese, which will probably be the gold standard for a while (available here.)
Best of luck with your Japanese and Sanskrit studies!
There is a book by David Hinton:
https://www.amazon.com/Classical-Chinese-Poetry-David-Hinton/dp/0374531900
From the earliest of times to the 13th century, after which basically there was very little in terms of stylistic innovation, and before which time almost all major great Chinese poets lived.
After the 13th century the focus of literary innovation transformed from classical poems, lyrics and essays to vernacular literature, such as plays, novels, novellas and such.
Here is a notebook one of my students bought. He likes it.
Dazhu Huihai, Hongzhi, Dahui all teach meditation.
http://terebess.hu/zen/huihai-eng2.html
http://www.amazon.com/Cultivating-Empty-Field-Illumination-Hongzhi/dp/0804832404
/r/chan/wiki/swamplandflowers
>Only if you are enlightened. Otherwise you are just pretending.
There experiences closer to Enlightenment or the Infinite.
>What is the paradox?
In how words can sometimes be of the Absolute whereas sometimes they are not because they are about the Absolute.
>This is bullshit. LOL.
Read the poetry of someone like Shiwu in solitude in natural scenery. Let the Infinite soak over you as you take a break each time you read one poem. Just clear the mind and maintain a crisp awareness that does not define after each poem. Take a pause, and you will understand how no-one ever wrote such poems!
>I like the metaphor, but they are just normal people, like you and I. They are not talking from any kind of mystical endeavour, they are just speaking as their mind is. If you want to attach some kind of enlightened perspective to that, then feel free to do so. They were not that fond of it, though.
Sometimes no mind speaks! This is true mind! Without any division of you or I, I write this! Who wrote what?
"Mindfulness..." is a great introduction to practice.
At this point I'd change gears a little and find inspiration in some sublime Zen poetry from Ryokan:
> Too lazy to be ambitious,
> I let the world take care of itself.
> Ten days' worth of rice in my bag;
> a bundle of twigs by the fireplace.
> Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment?
> Listening to the night rain on my roof,
> I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out.
> -- Ryokan