Sometimes the deepest truths can't be explained—they have to be sung.

This folk blues track takes ancient Buddhist wisdom from the Lotus Sutra and translates it into American roots music. It's about that moment when thinking stops and something deeper takes over. When the sound itself becomes the teaching.

The Buddha said his wisdom was too vast for words. So he gave us something better: a practice, a rhythm, a chant that works on you whether you understand it or not. This song follows that same spirit—letting the groove and the syllables do the work.

From the transformed city where seekers stop too soon, to Medicine King's ancient incantations, to the Daimoku that condenses everything into six syllables—this is the story of how sound becomes a bridge to what can't be spoken.

No fancy theology required. Just open your ears, let it roll over you, and see where it takes you.
Recorded in the spirit of front porch wisdom and midnight revelations.

Inspired by teachings on dhāraṇī as non-conceptual upāya—the unspoken teaching that lives in vibration, not explanation.

🎸 Acoustic blues • Spiritual folk • Dharma music

Lyrics: 
Verse 1: 
Well the Buddha woke up from his meditation deep 
Said "What I know, y'all, it's way too wide to keep 
In words and explanations, logic won't get through— 
This wisdom's like the ocean, deeper than the blue"

Chorus: 
So I'm gonna chant it, not gonna think it through 
Just let that sound roll over, let it work on you 
Don't need to understand it, don't need to know why 
Just open up your mouth now, let that dharma fly

Verse 2: 
Those old-time monks, they thought they had it made 
Reached a little peace and then they stopped and stayed 
But the Buddha said "Keep walking, that city ain't real— 
I got something bigger for you, if you can learn to feel"

Chorus: 
So I'm gonna chant it, not gonna think it through 
Just let that sound roll over, let it work on you 
Don't need to understand it, don't need to know why 
Just open up your mouth now, let that dharma fly

Bridge: 
Medicine-King stood up, said "I got something here— 
Ancient words of power that'll cast out fear 
Don't matter what they mean, just say 'em strong and true 
Body, speech, and mind unite—that's all you gotta do"

Verse 3: 
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo—six syllables long 
The whole universe contained inside that song 
You can't think your way to heaven, but you sure can sing 
Let that sound become the bridge, become everything

Final Chorus: 
So we're gonna chant it, ain't gonna think it through 
Let that sound roll over, let it work on you 
The unspoken teaching's in the sound you make 
Open up and holler—that's how you awake

Outro: 
(spoken/half-sung) 
Yeah, the truth's too big for talking 
But it fits inside a song...


The Sound Beyond Words

What if everything you've been told about spiritual progress is backwards?

This song came from reading an ancient Buddhist text—the Lotus Sutra—that completely flips our understanding of how transformation happens. We're taught that meaningful change requires years of effort, countless hours of practice, immense sacrifice. Grind long enough and maybe, just maybe, you'll get somewhere.

But the sutra says something radical: a single moment of genuine joy, one word of heartfelt praise, can carry more weight than a lifetime of striving. Not because effort doesn't matter, but because the quality of your intention—that flash of pure, open-hearted recognition—connects you to something timeless.

It's not about what you know. It's about how you feel when truth lands.

I wanted to capture that paradox in a bluesy folk song—the weariness of the long climb and the sudden liberation of realizing the door was never locked. Fingerpicked guitar, slide guitar crying in the background, a little gospel organ lifting the chorus. It's meant to feel like sitting on a porch at dusk, finally understanding something you've carried for too long.

The song asks: What if the greatest spiritual moment of your life isn't somewhere in the distant future, but available right now, in your very next breath of authentic praise?

Inspired by Chapter 18 of the Lotus Sutra: "The Merits of a Person Who Rejoices"

If this song moves you, that moment of feeling—that's not nothing. That might be everything.
🎵 Bluesy Folk | Acoustic Gospel | Americana

Lyrics: 
[Verse 1]
I been climbing this mountain for so many years
Counting every step, every prayer, every tear
Thinking I gotta earn my way through heaven's door
With a lifetime of labor and a whole lot more
But the old sutra whispers something strange to my ear

[Chorus]
One word of praise, that's all it takes
One moment of joy when your heart breaks awake
One word of praise to every Buddha that's been
Every Buddha that is, every Buddha again
One word of praise—that's the gate, that's the key
One moment of joy sets the whole cosmos free

[Verse 2]
They say you can't think your way to the promised land
The wise men try but they don't understand
So forget what you know, just feel what is true
The rarest flower ain't the teaching—it's you
With your heart wide open and your willing hand

[Chorus]
One word of praise, that's all it takes
One moment of joy when your heart breaks awake
One word of praise to every Buddha that's been
Every Buddha that is, every Buddha again
One word of praise—that's the gate, that's the key
One moment of joy sets the whole cosmos free

[Bridge - Sparse, questioning]
The scarcity ain't in the signal, friend
It's in the static filling up your head
Can you tune your receiver to the right frequency?
Can you cut through the noise and just let yourself be?

[Verse 3]
Your intention's a time machine, can't you see?
When you aim at the truth, you're already free
That single word echoes through eternity
Past and future bow down to your honesty
You're standing at the start of the Bodhisattva's road

[Chorus - Full, celebratory]
One word of praise, that's all it takes
One moment of joy when your heart breaks awake
One word of praise to every Buddha that's been
Every Buddha that is, every Buddha again
One word of praise—that's the gate, that's the key
One moment of joy sets the whole cosmos free

[Outro - Return to intimate]
So what if the greatest thing you'll ever do
Is waiting in the very next moment for you?
Just one word of praise
One simple word of praise
Hallelujah—one word of praise

[End with sustained resolution]

One Word of Praise

What do you do when the world's suffering feels too vast to bear? When your two hands seem powerless against an ocean of problems?

This song was born from an ancient Buddhist teaching about Avalokitesvara—the Bodhisattva who listens to the cries of the world—and a very modern question: How do we stay engaged with compassion when we feel overwhelmed and alone?

"Empty the Ocean" tells the story of someone trying to clean a polluted harbor one bucket at a time, and the wisdom teaching that transforms exhaustion into sustainable action. It's a song about the shift from power to wisdom, from isolation to interconnection, from burnout to collective change.

Musically, it blends fingerpicked acoustic blues with spiritual folk and gospel testimony—think delta blues meets dharma teaching, with harmonica crying over ocean waves. The production includes singing bowls, harmonium, and the sound of water itself, creating a sonic meditation on compassion, accountability, and hope.
This isn't a song about giving up or transcending the world's problems. It's about understanding that we're not separate from those problems—or from each other. We are the ocean, waking up to itself, learning to clean and heal and change the flow.

For activists burning out. For helpers feeling helpless. For anyone who's ever stood at the edge of the world's pain and wondered what their small acts could possibly matter.

"We can't empty the ocean with our small human hands / But we ARE the ocean, waking to itself today"
Listen with headphones. Breathe with the rhythm. Let it remind you: you're not working alone.

Lyrics: 

[Verse 1]
Woke up this morning with a bucket in each hand
Gonna clean this whole ocean, gonna save this drowning land
But the water keeps on rolling, Lord, it never seems to end
I'm just one tired soul trying to make this whole world mend

[Chorus
You can't empty the ocean, baby, with your two small hands
You can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But you can listen to the water, hear what it's trying to say
You can be the ocean cleaning itself today

[Verse 2]
Old woman told me, "Child, you're asking the wrong thing
You ain't got the power of God, you ain't got angel wings
But you got wisdom if you use it, you got eyes that still can see
There's one piece of trash right there, and that child who's asking 'Why?'"

[Chorus]
You can't empty the ocean, baby, with your two small hands
You can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But you can listen to the water, hear what it's trying to say
You can be the ocean cleaning itself today

[Bridge]
She said, "You think you're just a drop, separate and small
But drops don't live in oceans—there's no separation at all
You're the water in the water, you're the wave upon the sea
When you act with truth and courage, you're changing history

[Verse 3]
Now I still come to the harbor when the morning light is new
But I ain't trying to empty nothing, I just do what I can do
Help a stranger with their burden, teach a child about the tide
Every little thing's connected on this oceanic ride

[Chorus]
No, you can't empty the ocean, baby, with your two small hands
You can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But you can be the ocean, flowing where it needs to go
You're a thousand arms of kindness in the undertow

[Verse 4]
Sometimes I get weary, feel like giving up the fight 
But some folks say "just clean your shore" while factories dump at night
Being water in the water means you gotta change the flow
Sometimes love means speaking truth to power's undertow

[Final Chorus]
We can't empty the ocean, no, with our small human hands
Can't empty the ocean trying to move all that sand
But we ARE the ocean, waking to itself today
We're the deep listening, we're the compassionate way

[Outro]
"Deep as forever... never full, never empty...
Each drop reflecting the whole...
Just listen... just respond...
You're not working alone."

Empty the Ocean

Please like and share. 
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.

#SpiritualMusic  #LotusSutraMusic  #ContemplativeBlues  #BuddhistGospel #AcousticSlideGuitar  #GospelChoir  #Self-Discovery  #SpiritualAwakening  #Hope  #The_William_Altig_Choir

New tracks tagged #Contemplative Folk