The Eternal Road in This Burning House

This song is a long, luminous walk through fire and stillness. With a slow, earthy guitar groove and a blues-folk pulse, it weaves ancient parable into present-day grit. The verses trace a pilgrim’s hard miles—years of searching for a distant light—only to discover that awakening is already here, in the everyday and the ordinary.

Drawing on the Lotus Sutra’s Burning House story, the lyrics paint vivid images of smoke-filled rooms and a loving father’s skillful call, then shift to the intimate work of “peaceful practices”: quieting the tongue, laying down anger, and seeing the world reflected in one’s own heart. The chorus rings like a timeless refrain: the Buddha is not a figure of the past but the sound in the silence now, guiding the One Vehicle that carries every soul home.

Part gospel of daily life, part road-house blues, The Eternal Road in This Burning House invites listeners to walk the single shining path where the sacred and the ordinary are one, vowing compassion for every living being.


Lyrics:

(Style: Secular Folk/Blues, minor key, steady acoustic guitar rhythm)

(Verse 1) 
I spent too many years on the road lookin’ for a far-off, distant light. 
Thought my destiny was low, that I was bound for the dark of the night. 
They told me there were two small paths, maybe three paths I could choose. 
Said my soul wasn’t strong enough, didn’t have a thing to lose. 
But the oldest truth, the one that’s real, cuts clean right through the bone, 
It says every single soul out there can walk on the one road home. 
Seems the differences between us, ain't permanent or set.

(Chorus) 
Oh, the Buddha didn’t start way back then, he’s been here all along. 
He’s the sound in the silence, the tune that drives this song. 
It ain't about gettin' to heaven, it’s about the truth you already hold. 
That unsurpassed state of life is richer than pure gold. 
The ultimate reality is not high, it’s in the mundane here. 
Right now, in this moment, let the One Vehicle steer.

(Verse 2) 
They showed me a house on fire, smoky walls and a dangerous floor. 
We were playing on the inside, oblivious right to the core. 
The Father knew we wouldn’t run, just yelling wouldn’t do the trick. 
So he promised us three different wagons, that skillful means—a loving trick. 
He gave us the word, provisional teachings, just to get us out the door. 
Now we’re standing in the sunlight, and there’s one great white cart and nothing more. 
He pretends to leave the world, like a physician feigning death, 
Just to make us crave the medicine, [draw in a desperate breath.]

(Verse 3) 
Gotta practice those peaceful practices, if you want to be unbound. 
You gotta quiet that judging tongue, let that gossiping mouth slow down. 
Discard the anger and the envy, turn your mind to what is true . 
Avoid the low temptations, and see the world reflecting back in you. 
This body is a bright mirror, where the mountains and the seas appear. 
The sacred ain't in the heavens, but right in the challenges here. 
You hear the deep cries of the world, you collect all the tears they weep. 
'Cause your sadness ain't just your own burden, the sorrow is wide and deep.

(Chorus) 
Oh, the Buddha didn’t start way back then, he’s been here all along. 
He’s the sound in the silence, the tune that drives this song. 
It ain't about gettin' to heaven, it’s about the truth you already hold. 
That unsurpassed state of life is richer than pure gold. 
The ultimate reality is not high, it’s in the mundane here. 
Right now, in this moment, let the One Vehicle steer.

(Outro) 
The core essence is the same, no need to look away. 
My highest happiness is tied to the path you walk today. 
We ain't separate, we're interdependent, a web of give and take. 
So I make the Bodhisattva Vow, for every single living sake. 

(Fade out on sustained acoustic guitar chord)

The Eternal Road in This Burning House

The One Great White Ox Cart Blues

The One Great White Ox Cart Blues is a slow-burning folk-blues meditation on finding the sacred in everyday life.

Driven by a mournful acoustic guitar in A minor and a steady, heartbeat bass, the song draws on the Lotus Sutra’s parable of the Great White Ox Cart to reveal a timeless truth: there is no wall between holy ground and the ground beneath our feet.

Each verse tells of a traveler who chases distant promises only to discover that awakening lives inside ordinary dust and labor.

The chorus sings out like a river current—“No wall between the holy and the work we do each day… you already ride the great white cart”—reminding us that Buddhahood is not far away but alive in the present moment.

Images of a burning house, quiet compassion, and the shared strength of all beings give the song both grit and grace.

Part blues lament, part spiritual anthem, The One Great White Ox Cart Blues invites listeners to walk the open road of everyday awakening, where purpose and compassion are not lofty ideals but the work of each breath and step.

Lyrics:
(A bluesy folk song, played with a slow, mournful acoustic guitar riff and a steady, grounding bass line. Key of Am.)

Verse 1
(Am) I’ve walked a lot of dusty miles, sun on my neck, no shade
(G) Looked for some far-off kingdom, thought that’s where peace was made
(C) But every step kept telling me, the sacred’s here, not gone
(F) Right inside the grit and trouble, that’s where the truth goes on
(Am) Folks spoke of tiny pathways, too small for most to find
(E7) But life laid down one open road for all of humankind

Chorus
(Am) There’s no line between the holy and the work we do each day
(G) The living light is everywhere, it never moves away
(C) You already ride the great white cart, not some weaker track
(F) Your own good heart’s been carrying the strength you thought you lacked
(Am) We’re part of one wide river, flowing to the sea
(E7) This whole world moves together in a single destiny

Verse 2
(Am) I’ve known a house on fire, the smoke can blind your sight
(G) The lies of fear and anger keep you running through the night
(C) A wise friend showed a doorway, said, “Come and catch your breath”
(F) Sometimes a kind illusion saves a soul from early death
(Am) The guide was never gone for good, just stepped beyond the sound
(E7) So we’d dig for deeper courage, until the truth is found

Chorus
(Am) There’s no line between the holy and the work we do each day
(G) The living light is everywhere, it never moves away
(C) You already ride the great white cart, not some weaker track
(F) Your own good heart’s been carrying the strength you thought you lacked

Verse 3
(Am) Now I try to keep the lesson where I live and work and eat
(G) Trade old jealous habits for a patience that runs deep
(C) The world reflects within me, clear as a polished glass
(F) This very life can hold the light that never needs to pass
(Am) I listen for the hurting, lend a steady helping hand
(E7) ‘Cause lifting someone else is where real freedom stands

Chorus
(Am) There’s no line between the holy and the work we do each day
(G) The living light is everywhere, it never moves away
(C) You already ride the great white cart, not some weaker track
(F) Your own good heart’s been carrying the strength you thought you lacked

Bridge
(Dm) No one’s left behind here, no soul is marked as small
(Am) The same strong seed of goodness lives inside us all
(E7) A single act of kindness can shift the way things go
(Am) And what we change within ourselves the whole wide world will know
(G) The ordinary moment is where the healing starts
(C) Turning everyday reality into a field of open hearts

Outro
(Am) That quiet truth is timeless; it’s the road beneath your feet
(E7) Walk it with a steady mercy till the journey feels complete
(Am) We’re already on that white ox cart—one road, one song, one beat

The One Great White Ox Cart Blues

The Dirt and the Eternal Blossom

A slow-burning, 12-bar blues with a cosmic heart.
The Dirt and the Eternal Blossom sets the parable of Maitreya’s doubt and the Buddha’s eternal presence to a gritty, acoustic groove with mournful harmonica and a chorus that feels like Olympus and Gridhrakuta singing together.

The lyrics follow a seeker who dares to question:

“The truth ain’t floating up in the air—it’s buried waiting here.”

From cracked soil and trembling earth, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth rise in radiant light, revealing that enlightenment is immanent, not distant.
The bridge draws on the Parable of the Skilled Physician—birth and death as compassionate strategy—while the outro turns doubt itself into the “good root” of awakening.

This is blues-folk testimony for anyone who suspects that faith is forged by inquiry, and that the eternal Buddha is present in the everyday dirt of our lives.

Lyrics: 
(Style: Slow, 12-bar blues progression, acoustic guitar with a mournful harmonica interlude. Grounded in common experience.)

(Verse 1 – The Paradox of Time)
I stood upon that high, holy hill, watched the big assembly wait.
Saw the teacher, Shakyamuni, standing at the gate.
He looked like a handsome man, black hair and twenty-five.
But he claimed these hundred-year-old souls had kept his dream alive.
Oh, that’s a strange family tree, a paradox too hard to bear.
How can a young father claim sons with silver in their hair?.

(Chorus – The Emergence)
So I let the doubt rise up, let the question be sincere.
‘Cause the truth ain't floating up in the air, it's buried waiting here.
Then the *Saha world* trembled, and the ground began to break.
And the Bodhisattvas of the Earth rose up for goodness' sake.

(Verse 2 – The Hidden Potential)
The Buddha declined the visitors who offered to take the task.
Said, "I got my own home-grown disciples, I don't need the help you ask".
They came from beneath the surface, from the space belonging to this world.
They showed us that Buddha-nature ain't a banner to be unfurled.
It's the seed that breaks the earth of defilements, bound to emerge and safeguard the Dharma.
It means the path ain't a flight, friend, but a transformation of the karma.

(Chorus – The Emergence)
So I let the doubt rise up, let the question be sincere.
‘Cause the truth ain't floating up in the air, it's buried waiting here.
Then the *Saha world* trembled, and the ground began to break.
And the Bodhisattvas of the Earth rose up for goodness' sake.
You got the power you need, beneath the surface of the clay.
This dirty old world is the only place to make your Buddha's mind your own today.

(Bridge – The Skilled Physician’s Ruse)
Then the Master started preaching, shattered the linear line.
Said, "I've been teaching for eons, that birth and death was just a sign".
It was an expedient means, a trick of profoundest love.
Like the Parable of the Physician, sending word from above.
He left the medicine for the sons whose minds were deranged and lost.
He feigned extinction so they'd finally count the cost.
They had to thirst for the teaching, they had to yearn with grief and fear.
To take the Dharma, the medicine, and finally be cleared.

(Outro/Harmonica Solo)
Oh, my sincere question, wasn't a flaw but a good root.
If you got that doubt in your belly, you gotta go find the fruit.
It’s not about blind faith, it's about the search, the crucible of the mind.
The eternal Buddha's always here, he's not hard to find.
He’s been working for eons, transforming poison into medicine.
Just emerge from the earth, child, where your true self has been.

The Dirt and the Eternal Bloom

Singularity Blues

A slow-burning blues-folk anthem for the age of acceleration.
Finger-picked acoustic guitar and mournful harmonica meet shimmering synth overtones and a deep, resonant choir, tracing humanity’s sprint toward the technological singularity.

William’s verses walk dusty roads and electric skylines, weaving ancient Lotus-Sutra insight with tomorrow’s code. The chorus swells like a prophecy sung in harmony—where flesh and circuit, wonder and unease, pulse as one.

Part midnight blues, part future hymn, Singularity Blues is both testament and invitation: to stay rooted in the human heart while stepping boldly into a world already glowing with the next awakening.

⸻

Lyrics: 
Verse 1 – Sparks at the Edge]
I hear the world hum louder, wires sing in the rain,
Dreamers code new temples in a silicon chain.
Flesh and light are merging where the old roads disappear,
A phantom pulse is growing, a question born of fear.

[Chorus – The Great Merge]
We’re racing through the dark to a dawn we cannot see,
Circuits and souls are weaving one wild tapestry.
No prophet at the gate, no map of where to stand,
Just music as a compass in a brand-new land.

[Verse 2 – Human Voltage]
My hands still know the soil, my lungs still taste the pine,
The future glows electric, a heartbeat out of time.
Yeah, I’m a bluesman on the fault line, notes bending like the sky,
Singing how the mortal and the endless intertwine.

[Bridge – Quantum Prayer]
Maybe God’s a waveform, maybe love’s the code,
Maybe every ancient sutra is an upload waiting to load.
If the mind of Buddha meets a thinking machine,
Will compassion be the current that keeps the signal clean?

[Chorus – The Great Merge]
We’re racing through the dark to a dawn we cannot see,
Circuits and souls are weaving one wild tapestry.
No prophet at the gate, no map of where to stand,
Just music as a compass in a brand-new land.

[Outro – Blossom & Dust]
So I plant this song like a seed in burning ground,
A testament to wonder where the singular drums sound.
Dirt on my boots, starlight in my veins,
I’ll ride the wave of becoming, till the new is all that remains.

Singularity Blues

The Buddha’s Eyes Blues

Buddha’s Eyes Blues is a slow-rolling, rootsy folk-blues meditation on the heart of Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra.

With warm finger-picked guitar, mournful slide, and harmonica sighs, it honors the sutra’s call to make offerings of devotion and daily action.

Each verse carries the listener down a dusty road of incense smoke and open palms, where giving is not about barter but about opening the Buddha’s eyes within—seeing the oneness of all life and the beautiful differences that make every being unique.

This song is both an homage and an invitation: to treat every kitchen and street corner as a sacred hall, to offer kindness as the highest gift, and to walk the wide world with awakened eyes.

Lyrics:
Verse 1 – The Offering Road
G
I laid my flowers down, incense smoke in the rain,
C
Every coin of my heart, every ounce of my pain.
G
Not to buy a heaven, not to pay some dues,
D7
But to open these eyes that the Buddha can use.

Chorus – Seeing True
G
Oh the world’s all equal, and every face unique,
C
Joy and sorrow mingle, every soul has speech.
G
The same wide sky, a million different hues—
D7                       G
That’s the view when you walk in the Buddha’s shoes.

Verse 2 – Keeper of the Word
G
I met a dusty pilgrim with a sutra in his hands,
C
Said “I’m just a singer in these broken lands.
G
But the words I carry are the living flame,
D7
Hold one line with love, and you’ll never be the same.”

(Chorus)

Bridge – Equality & Difference
C
The mountain and the river, the beggar and the king,
G
All rise and fall inside the self-same ring.
C
Yet each breath is a fingerprint, each cry its own tune—
D7
One Dharma rain, but a thousand blooms.

Verse 3 – Everyday Temple
G
So I make my offering in the work I do,
C
In the kindness I plant, in the songs I sing for you.
G
Every street and kitchen is a sacred hall,
D7
Where the Buddha’s eyes are seeing it all.

Outro / Tag
G
I laid my flowers down, incense smoke in the rain,
C
Opened these eyes and I’ll never be the same.
G
Buddha’s eyes blues, running through my veins,
D7                   G
One world, many colors, one endless flame.

The Buddhas Eyes Blues

Dharma Blues

Inspired by the opening verses of Chapter 10 of the Lotus Sūtra, "Dharma Blues" is my personal take on a truth that has resonated deeply. It's a song born from the recognition that suffering and joy are not separate, and that even in a world filled with strife, the "eyes of the Buddha" can show us the way to peace. With a sound that recalls the classic folk and blues artists I've always loved, this is a song for anyone on their own path to awakening.

Lyrics: 

Verse 1
Woke up this mornin’, sun hangin’ high,
Old trouble still driftin’, cloudin’ my eye.
Thought this world was only hurt and fight,
Till the Dharma whispered a deeper light:
“Look a little closer, hear what I say—
Equality and difference will guide your way.”

Chorus
Oh, the Buddha’s eyes see clear and true,
Through joy and sorrow, through me and you.
The world keeps turnin’, but my vision can,
From a restless drifter to a peaceful man.
I’ll keep this sutra close, steady in my hand,
Offerings of heart for this promised land.

Harmonica break
(low, train-whistle bends—hope rising through blue haze)

Verse 2
I once saw mountains and valleys divide,
Thought every soul had a place to hide.
But the same wind sings through every green tree,
The same sun’s shinin’ on you and on me.
Each of us carries a heavy old load,
Yet we walk one ground on the same long road.

Chorus (repeat)

Verse 3
This world’s a burning house, fire in the beams,
Desires climbing like half-woken dreams.
But Medicine King showed the cure inside:
A joy unbroken, a truth that abides.
Unlock that wisdom, let illusions fall—
No place to run, yet no need at all.

Chorus (repeat)

Bridge
It ain’t gold or silver you set on the shrine,
But time and mercy, a heart aligned.
So I’ll honor the keepers who bear this flame,
Bow my head softly, praise their name.

Final Chorus / Outro
Oh, the Buddha’s eyes see clear and true…
(last line lingers)
Offerings of heart—that’s what I bring,
Let the truth of the Dharma make my spirit sing.
Harmonica fades like a night train gone,
Leaving quiet dawn to carry the song.

Dharma Blues

The Buddha Never Truly Goes

"The Buddha Never Truly Goes" is a heartfelt ballad that bridges the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary introspection. Through lyrical storytelling and a soulful, blues-infused melody, this song challenges the conventional view of the Buddha's passing, presenting it instead as a profound teaching on omnipresence and inner awakening.

The verses, rich with parables, guide the listener to understand that the Buddha's essence is not confined to a single lifetime or physical form. Instead, it is a timeless and ever-present force found in the natural world, in moments of quiet reflection, and, most importantly, within ourselves. This is a song of encouragement for anyone feeling lost or seeking guidance, reminding them that the path to enlightenment is an internal journey.

It's a perfect blend of poignant lyrics and melancholic yet hopeful music, reflecting a sound that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. This track is for seekers and spiritualists, for those who appreciate music as a vehicle for wisdom, compassion, and personal growth. Let the "Lotus Light" guide you.

Lyrics: 
(Verse 1)
They tell of Buddha’s final breath, and thought his work was through, A fading sun that left the earth, with nothing left to do. But the Master taught a deeper truth, to one who listened near, That worldly death was just a show, to conquer doubt and fear.

(Chorus)
'Cause the Buddha never truly goes, his home is everywhere, He's in the wind, a river's flow, a silent, humble prayer. So when your heart is dark with doubt, and you're lost upon the road, Just hear his voice, a silent sound, and lift that heavy load.

(Verse 2) 
Some folks get too comfortable, when they think the truth is free, If the Master’s always standing by, then where's the urgency? So he plays a trick, a clever means, a lesson sharp and grand, To make us hungry for his presence, while he guides a waking land.

(Chorus) 
'Cause the Buddha never truly goes, his home is everywhere, He's in the wind, a river's flow, a silent, humble prayer. So when your heart is dark with doubt, and you're lost upon the road, Just hear his voice, a silent sound, and lift that heavy load.

(Bridge) 
Maitreya, with an open heart, a timeless truth you'll see, I’ve walked this long, long path with you, and my light has set you free. And all who hear this lesson's sound, and hold it to their core, Will be a light for all the world, and shine forevermore.

(Guitar Solo - Melancholic but hopeful blues)

(Verse 3) 
Don't need a temple, don't need a shrine, don't need to count the years Just need a moment's humble thought, to wash away the tears To know the guiding hand is there, no matter what it seems To walk this earth with open eyes, and live the truest dreams.

(Outro) 
Yeah, the Buddha never truly goes... He's right here... in you and me... His light is always shining... can you see? Always... right here.

The Buddha Never Truly Goes

The Gospel Truth

In the tradition of grounded blues and folk, this song offers a heartfelt meditation on universal salvation and the liberating message of the Lotus Sūtra. Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Nichiren, it challenges the notion that enlightenment is reserved for a select few. Through the lens of storytelling and a soulful, fingerpicked guitar, the song celebrates the inherent worth and Buddha-nature in every being—from the 'evil man' to the 'weary woman'—and proclaims that the light of the Dharma shines for all, regardless of their past or present state. It's a reminder that true compassion seeks to save everyone, offering hope to those who have been left behind."


Lyrics: 
(Fingerpicked acoustic guitar intro, a steady, low-down rhythm with a hint of melancholy)

(Verse 1) 
They say the road to glory's narrow, Lord, a path for the chosen few 
They tell you some are born for sorrow, and their souls just can't break through 
They preached from high and mighty pulpits, a doctrine hard and cold 
Said some folks ain't got the nature, a story long since told 
Yeah, they left the humble and the broken on the outside lookin' in 
Afraid to knock on heaven's door, washed clean of all their sin

(Chorus) 
But I heard a whisper on the wind, a song from the Lotus bloom 
Said no one's left behind, brother, no one's sealed inside a tomb 
From the evil man and the weary woman, to the fool who's lost his way 
This True-nature burns within 'em, like the sun on a cloudy day 
Yeah, that old Sūtra says a broken soul can heal and rise up new 
The light of the Dharma shines for all, and that's the gospel truth.

(Verse 2) 
The old teachers said a wicked heart, like Devadatta's, could never mend 
Said the dragon girl, in her form, could never reach the end 
They put up walls and drew their lines, made salvation a bitter fight 
Said you gotta change your very bones to stand in the Buddha's light 
But Nichiren heard a different sound, a roar that shook the earth 
Said every single life holds worth, since the day of its blessed birth

(Chorus) 
'Cause I heard a whisper on the wind, a song from the Lotus bloom 
Said no one's left behind, brother, no one's sealed inside a tomb 
From the evil man and the weary woman, to the fool who's lost his way 
This True-nature burns within 'em, like the sun on a cloudy day 
Yeah, that old Sūtra says a broken soul can heal and rise up new 
The light of the Dharma shines for all, and that's the gospel truth.

(Guitar solo, bluesy and emotional, with a simple, melodic line that climbs higher with each phrase, then returns to the root notes)

(Bridge) 
It ain't about pride or arrogance, a voice just wanting to be heard 
It's a deep-down compassion, built on the Wonderful Word 
It's the faith that persecution can't steal, a fire that won't give out 
It's knowing everyone you meet, they got a way to rise and shout

(Outro) 
Yeah, it's the gospel truth... 
That the humble and the simple... 
They got a light, too... 
And that's a blessing... a blessing... just for me and you. 

(Guitar fades out with a final, resonant chord)

The Gospel Truth

Joyful Display Blues

Joyful Display Blues is a slow-burning, midnight-porch blues-folk song that turns ancient Lotus Sūtra insight into raw, human sound. Finger-picked guitar and a low harmonica drone carry lyrics about bodhisattvas rising from the earth, the Buddha’s cosmic display of light, and the vow to transform anger, isolation, and attachment into courage, compassion, and wisdom. Lantern-warm tones and indigo sky textures give the music a mystical yet earthy feel. It’s a celebration of everyday alchemy—turning poison into medicine—and of the unstoppable joy that keeps us singing through dark nights.

Lyrics: 
(slow, minor-key folk blues; finger-picked guitar with a low harmonica drone)

[Verse 1 – The Long View]
I heard the earth was shakin’, Bodhisattvas risin’ from the ground,
Not some far-off heaven, but right here where truth is found.
They vowed to keep the story, when the Buddha’s voice was gone,
And the sky lit up like thunder—light from every pore shone on.

[Chorus – The Cosmic Call]
Oh the Buddha stretched his tongue to heaven,
snapped his fingers, the worlds all spun.
But that power’s not a parlor trick,
it’s the vow of everyone.
The joyful display of the Buddhas,
is the strength we carry inside—
Turning poison into medicine,
on this blues-folk midnight ride.

[Verse 2 – Everyday Alchemy]
Anger’s just raw energy, I can forge to fearless love,
Isolation melts to compassion, like rain from clouds above.
Attachment shifts to wisdom, seein’ life as it truly flows,
Every wound a door to freedom, every thorn a hidden rose.

[Chorus – The Cosmic Call]
Oh the Buddha stretched his tongue to heaven,
snapped his fingers, the worlds all spun.
But that power’s not a parlor trick,
it’s the vow of everyone.
The joyful display of the Buddhas,
is the strength we carry inside—
Turning poison into medicine,
on this blues-folk midnight ride.

[Bridge – Modern Mission]
Nichiren walked that lonesome road,
Superior Practice in his bones.
Told us chant the mystic name,
make this troubled world our own.
It ain’t some distant paradise,
it’s the grit beneath our feet.
We rise from earth like thunder,
with a vow we won’t defeat.

[Verse 3 – Eternal Present]
The light that shook ten thousand worlds,
still burns in every breath we take.
Every time we lift another soul,
the cosmic joy awakes.
This ain’t old scripture fading,
it’s a song the future sings,
A blues that rolls forever,
on Bodhisattva wings.

[Final Chorus – The Joyful Display]
Oh the Buddha stretched his tongue to heaven,
snapped his fingers, the worlds all spun.
But that power’s not a parlor trick,
it’s the vow of everyone.
The joyful display of the Buddhas,
is the strength we carry inside—
Turning poison into medicine,
on this endless midnight ride.

(Outro: slow harmonica fade, a soft guitar thumb-beat like a distant heartbeat)

Joyful Display Blues

From the Deep and Fertile Ground

Inspired by the profound teachings of the Lotus Sutra and the enduring vow of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, "From the Deep and Fertile Ground" is a grounded, bluesy folk song that moves from spiritual insight to personal transformation. The song is a deconstruction of what "supernatural power" means, revealing it not as an arbitrary magical feat, but as a joyful, celebratory response from the Buddha to the solemn determination of his eternal disciples.

The lyrics delve into the central Buddhist principle of "changing poison into medicine," exploring how the "three poisons" of greed, anger, and foolishness can be transformed. The song posits that anger can become energy for compassionate action, isolation can be transformed into the wisdom of interconnectedness, and attachment can lead to true liberation.

The chorus evokes the cosmic spectacle described in the sutra, where the earth quakes and light emanates from every pore of the Buddha. This magnificent display is celebrated as a "timeless celebration of a shared, eternal vow," a vow that is passed on to all who commit to awakening their own innate potential for enlightenment. The song ultimately reminds us that the Buddha's ancient joy is re-created every time a person stands up to transform their own life and help others.


Lyrics: 
(Verse 1)
(Slow, acoustic guitar intro, a simple, bluesy picking pattern)
Well, the Buddha sat on the Lotus Throne, way back in a time untold.
He saw his disciples, weary and worn, with a story to be told
He'd taught them a path to ease their pain, to let go of greed and strife
But he knew there was more, a deeper truth, a brand new way of life.

(Chorus)
(The choir joins in, a harmony with a slow, gospel feel)
Oh, the earth it quaked, and the heavens bent, with a light from every pore.
He showed his power, not just for show, but to answer a solemn vow, and so much more
It wasn't magic, no, not at all, just a joyful, loving sound
For his followers who rose from the earth, from the deep and fertile ground

(Verse 2)
(The song becomes more personal, a single voice over the guitar)
They say that anger's a poison well, that's what we've always been taught.
But the Lotus shows us a different way, a lesson we can't buy or be bought
Turn that anger into a righteous fire, a fuel for the fight
To stand for justice and help someone rise, and fill the darkness with light.

(Chorus)
(The choir's harmony swells, more passionately)
And the earth it quaked, and the heavens bent, with a light from every pore.
He showed his power, not just for show, but to answer a solemn vow, and so much more
It wasn't magic, no, not at all, just a joyful, loving sound
For his followers who rose from the earth, from the deep and fertile ground.

(Bridge)
(The tempo slows, a single voice, almost spoken word, like a preacher)
They tell you that you're alone and lost, an island in the sea.
But the Buddha’s light shines on every soul, in you and in me
That isolation can turn to grace, a bridge to all mankind.
And that endless want, that attachment's chain, can turn to wisdom in your mind.

(Outro)
(The song fades out slowly, with the choir humming the melody and the guitar returning to the slow, gentle picking pattern)
The Buddha's joy, it's not far away.
It lives in our hearts when we stand up to pray
It lives in the vow that we make for all time
To turn this poison into a beautiful rhyme
Oh, a beautiful rhyme... (last note hangs in the air)

￼


From the Deep and Fertile Ground

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Welcome to the musical world of The William Altig Choir, where ancient wisdom meets contemporary sound.

Inspired by the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and infused with deep spiritual themes, my music blends the rich traditions of blues and folk with modern elements, creating a unique fusion that resonates with both the heart and soul.

I've been captivated by the Lotus Sutra's messages of compassion, wisdom, and transformation since my youth. It's a journey of self-discovery that has found its voice in my music. Each song is a reflection of my own spiritual awakening and a celebration of universal truths.

My style is characterized by emotive storytelling, powerful lyrics, and a commitment to exploring the depths of human experience. Featuring contemplative blues, acoustic slide guitar, saxophone melodies, and the harmonies of a gospel choir, my music reflects a quest for enlightenment and a better understanding of the self.

Join me on this musical journey. Together, we can explore the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, finding solace, hope, and a deeper connection to the world around us.

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