SWEET TIME OF MEDITATION

A.R. Zorn

Sweet time of meditation,
The quiet time of peace,
When from life’s care and turmoil
I find a blest release.

In silent contemplation,
New faith and hope I win;
More light and deeper knowledge
More strength to conquer sin.

Sweet time of meditation,
When silent and alone,
The Master’s word I ponder,
His truth to make mine own.

With earnest purpose seeking,
I gather more and more
Of wisdom’s holy treasure
From his exhaustless store.

Sweet time of meditation,
When oft there comes to me,
A vision of the Master
Beneath the Bodhi tree.

And, with Him in that vigil,
My spirit seems to share
A foretaste of Nirvana,
Of bliss beyond compare.

WHAT E’ER YE SOW THAT SHALL YE REAP

D. Hunt

What e’er ye sow that shall ye reap,
Such is the Law Divine.
Think not that thou can’st e’er escape
The Karma which is thine.

The present is the true result
Of actions all our own
The sower always reaps the fruits
Of seeds which he has sown.

The Law is ever just and true
And all must surely bear
The strict result of every act
For none the Law can spare.

Weep not for what is past and gone,
For it cannot return.
This is the teaching Buddha gave
For all His sons to learn.

Do not despair, the future still
I thine to mar or make;
Sow then to-day good seeds and pure,
And reap their harvest great.

The goal divine still shines afar
All may this goal attain,
When they have learned good seeds to sow
And things of self have slain.

TREAD THOU THE PATH OF RECTITUDE

D. Hunt

Tread thou the path of rectitude
The precepts five observe,
Lest base desire or lure of gain
Thy resolution swerve.

Let love thy spirit dominate
And let thine heart be kind,
That all in sorrow pain or need
A friend in thee may find.

Pure in thy thought, thy word and deed,
So let thy life be spent,
And thou shalt make thy progress sure
To full enlightenment.

HOW GLORIOUS IS THY DHARMA

E.K.S. Hunt

How glorious is Thy Dharma,
O Buddha, Blessed Lord;
How wonderful Thy Sangha,
That spreads Thy word abroad.

We, too, will surely follow
The road that Thou didst find,
The perfect Road of Knowledge
And never look behind.

And, walking in Thy footsteps,
We’ll find the truest wealth
Lies in the full surrender
Of that we all the self.

Thine Infinite Compassion,
Thy pure and holy life,
At length shall leads the nations
From bloodshed, hate and strife.

And so we take our refuge
In Thee, our Lord Benign,
Thy Holy Law the beacon
That in our hearts shall shine.

How glorious is Thy Dharma,
O Buddha, Blessed Lord;
How wonderful Thy Sangha,
That spreads Thy word abroad.

RIGHT THOUGHT WILL LEAD ME ON

Sumangalo

Right Thought will lead me on
To wisdom’s holy height
And show to me the surest way
To pass through sorrow’s night.

Right Thought will light me through
The shadows of this life;
‘Twill ease my heart and peace assure
And free my mind from strife.

Right Thought will be my guide
Across life’s troubled sea;
My pilot, compass, star and chart;
Right Thought shall ever be.

Right Thought will keep me on
The way to perfect peace,
The ferry to the other shore,
Where all illusions cease.

CONSTANT LET THINE EFFORT BE

A.R. Zorn

Constant let thine effort be
From delusion’s slavery,
By the Truth, thy mind to free,
Wisdom to attain.

Break the bonds of sense-desire
Holding thee in error’s mire
And with all thine heart aspire
Purity to know.

Strive the ego to deny,
Let all selfish cravings die,
To all beings low and high
Love and kindness show.

Never let thine effort cease
Till in ultimate release
And in Buddha’s perfect peace
Thou hast reached thy goal.

KEEP THOU THY MIND AS A GARDEN

A.R. Zorn

Keep thou thy mind as a garden,
Let not thy diligence cease,
Weeding out evil and error,
Striving the good to increase.

Sow thou by Highest Attention
Thoughts that are holy and pure;
Constant and earnest endeavor
Vigor and growth will assure.

Seek with the Light of the Doctrine
Daily thy thoughts to illume,
Truth by its power shall quicken,
Bring them in virtue to bloom.

Then shall thy thoughts find fruition,
Yielding in word and in deed,
Cheer, inspiration and blessing,
Help unto others in need.

LORD OF OUR HEARTS, WE

K. Schomberg

Lord of our hearts, we
Hide ourselves in Thee;
Lord of our lives, no
Worldly eyes see
Thy Jewel shining,
Brilliantly ever,
Thy kindness flowing
Eternally.

In darkness sitting,
Thy call awaiting,
In faith abiding in
Thy shadowed Hall;
Thy Presence blessing,
Form ever silent,
Thy wisdom guiding through
Each passing storm.

In stillness now Thy
Solace dwells sweetly,
Thy love transcending
Earth, heavens, hells;
Toward Thee we turn, Thy
Teaching embracing,
Toward Thee we turn in
This secret place.