“The Buddhamas Carol” or “Ode of a Vipassana Yogi” was composed by Bhante Yogavacara Rahula with a little musical accompaniment by The Clementines. The lyrics are a short course in Buddhist teachings on the path to enlightenment. See more about Bhante Rahula below the lyrics and follow his world travels at bhanterahula.blogspot.com. Through the years, he has visited the Meditation Circle several times and is planning a return visit in 2016.
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“The Buddhamas Carol”
by Yogavacara Rahula
Silent Night, Peaceful Night,
All is calm, Stars are bright,
Round the hall Yogis sitting still,
Keeping their backs straight, exerting will,
Enduring pain without any ill-will,
Pervading Metta all throughout space,
Wishing good-will to the whole human race.
Silent Mind, Peaceful Mind,
Thoughts are few, pain is slight,
Focusing mind at the tip of the nose,
Knowing each breath as it comes and it goes,
Perceiving the light that steadily glows,
Feeling the rapture from head to the toes.
Silent Mind, Tranquil Mind,
Thoughts are stilled, Body is light,
All the Five Hindrances have died down,
The Ego no longer is spinning around,
Mind is one-pointed not moving a bit,
Enjoying at long last the Jhanic Bliss.
Sitting in Rapturous Joy, Sitting in Rapturous Joy.
Silent Mind, focused Mind,
All is calm, Mind is bright
The Spiritual Faculties are prepared,
Vipassana-Insight has Mara scared,
Scanning the body from head to the toes,
Anicca, Anicca, each moment goes,
Anicca, Anicca, Impermanence shows.
The Five Aggregates appear empty as foam,
The Truth of No-Self is easily known.
Silent Mind, Wisdom Mind,
Awareness is strong, Wisdom is fine,
The six sense-impingements arise and pass,
No desire, no clinging, no ego to grasp,
No holding to present, future or past,
Mara has vanished he’s took his last gasp,
This body-mind house is empty at last,
Sitting and walking the whole night through,
Greeting the dawn completely anew.
Silent Mind, Holy Mind,
Now is the time, Conditions are prime.
The Enlightenment Factors are developed well.
The Four Noble Truths become clear as a bell,
The Eye of Dhamma is opened wide,
The three lower fetters are broken in stride.
Tonight the Yogi enters the Stream,
Tomorrow Nibbana no longer a Dream.
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Bhante Yogavacara Rahula
Bhante Rahula has led an interesting life, chronicled in his book “Autobiography of an American Monk.” Here is a little more more about him from a 2008 profile by Bill Lynch in the Charleston Gazette newspaper in West Virginia. He is planning on making a visit to Charleston and the Meditation Circle in 2016.
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Bhante Rahula’s story of how he went from typical hippie to clear-headed Buddhist monk is chronicled in his book, “One Night’s Shelter: Autobiography of an American Monk.” Two versions of the book exist. There’s the “green” version, which catalogs his extensive drug use and sexual escapades. It details his time as a drug dealer, mentions his time in the Army stockade for being AWOL, as well as his arrest and detainment in an Afghan prison after trying to smuggle drugs into India.
“That’s the toned-down version,” said the 59 year-old monk, laughing. “The other version is much juicier. More sex, more drugs, more rock ‘n’ roll.”
Bhante Rahula doesn’t celebrate who he was in the 1960s, but he’s not afraid of it. He’s at peace with it. If not for the constant craving for chemically induced experiences, he might not have found his way to the dharma, the teachings of the Buddha. Wishing now to have been different then is pointless.
“It’s all just grist for the mill,” he said. “Taking all of those drugs. I didn’t know any alternative
He acknowledges that he got off pretty easy. He made it out alive.
Becoming a Buddhist, then a monk started with his craving. He was always on the lookout for the next high, the next profound experience. While he was traveling in the mountains of Asia, he heard about a meditation course in Katmandu. He went looking for another experience, but stayed for the enlightenment.
“That was the turnaround for me,” he said. “I had this very deep insight, and I just wanted to pursue meditation and the dharma.”
For the full story, click here.
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To read Bhante Rahula’s autobiography and other books, click here.
