Music Album: Enlightenment of The Buddha

ENLIGHTENMENT OF THE BUDDHA

Andrew. J. Williams (about the author)

1: ENLIGHTENMENT (Buddha)
Do no evil, do only good, train your mind. This is the teaching of the Buddha. This is the path to enlightenment.

2: THE SENSES ( A J Williams/R J McLachlan )
In everything we do we want pleasure   In what we see   In what we hear
In what we smell   In what we taste   In what we touch   In what we think   We think this is happiness.

3: WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?   (A J Williams/R J McLachlan )
What does this all mean
What is beyond these palace walls   There must be more to life   Something seems to be missing
I feel I am not free
I feel I am trapped here
It seems things are not what they appear to be
Why am I not satisfied?
I must see for myself
What is beyond these palace walls
I must see for myself
What is the meaning of life

4. THE FOUR SIGNS ( A J Williams )   This is old age
As time passes
We all get older
Everyone
This is sickness
It can happen at anytime
No one can stop it
It can happen to anyone
This is death
The end of life
Everyone will die one day
You, me, everyone
This is the Holy Way
A simple life, free from worldly desire   Seeking the meaning of life
For the good of everyone

5: WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? REPRISE ( A J Williams/R J McLachlan )
We all grow old, get sick and die     There must be an end to all this suffering
What is the point of living if we must die
I must find out the reason why
Ah! But that holy man
So calm, so at peace
He is one who has renounced the world
Living so naturally, in harmony     Seeking the answer, to the meaning of life
I must know for myself, what is the meaning of life.

6: FAREWELL ( A J Williams )
My dear Yosadhara, the time has come for me to leave you and our son
I am to assume a more important     and responsible role at once.
My love and compassion for those who suffer is of greater concern and for the good of all.
Since both of you have everything in abundance,I leave you now.
Farewell, Farewell, Farewell my love, Farewell.
Farewell, Farewell, for the good of all, Farewell.
My dear friend Channa, the time has come for me to say goodbye to you.
Take these clothes, ornaments, my hair and my sword back to the Palace with you.
Give them to my father and tell him I have put on an ascetics robe.
From now on, all my effort and time will be used to attain enlightenment.
Farewell, Farewell, Farewell royal crown, Farewell.
I will not look back until I have achieved my noble aim.
Tell my wife and my mother that I am in good health and I am well.
There is no need to search for me,at the appropriate time I shall return.
Farewell, Farewell, Farewell my friend, Farewell.
Farewell, Farewell, for the good of all, Farewell

7: THE MIDDLE PATH ( A J Williams ) (Ascetic) Look, isn't that Prince Siddhartha. He must have left the palace as predicted.We should join him. We can attend to all his needs, until he realizes the supreme truth.

I am concerned for Siddhartha. Six years have gone by. He has eaten very little and look at his body.If he goes on like this, he will surely die.

(Siddhartha)
What is this?
I just saw the shining pebbles
In the clear water and now I don't.     Ah yes, now I see the shining pebbles     Perhaps if I don't exert myself too much, I will discover the truth.
Not too tight, not too loose, not too much, not too little.
Walk the middle path

(Cowherd)
Sir, this is very strange
I bring my cattle to cross this river     almost everyday. I have no problems in getting them across. But today they refuse to cross. They look at you in great wonder. Sir, who are you?     Where do you come from?

(Siddhartha)
Young man, I am a seeker of the truth     An ascetic, I come from afar
I shall meditate here under this tree     Please say nothing about me, no one should know that I'm living here.

(Cowherd)
As you wish sir, but please accept my offering of milk for your sustenance.

(Ascetic)
Hmm, for nearly six years Siddhartha has been performing austerities without being able to attain the truth. And now, he has resumed begging for food. I am confused.
Master, what is the meaning of this?     Have you given up the struggle?     What are you eating?

(Siddhartha)
My friends,
we must now avoid all extremes and practice the middle path
Not too tight, not too loose, not too much, not too little.
Walk the middle path

8: SUJATA'S SONG (A J Williams)     Venerable sir, my name is Sujata.
I am the village chief's daughter     Venerable sir, as a young girl
I made a vow, that I would make offerings
Here at this tree, if I got a husband     of equal status and if our children grow up to be well
My wish has been fulfilled
Please accept this offering of rice milk
And may you be successful
In fulfilling your wishes, as I have been.

9: THE STRUGGLE ( A J Williams )     (Siddhartha)
If I am to succeed in becoming a Buddha today, let this bowl float upstream.
But if not, let it float downstream.

(Mara )
Good sir, what do you hope to achieve? With all this effort and striving, what is it that you need?     You are a Royal Prince, return to your palace, lead a life of luxury

(Siddhartha)
I will not leave this place, until I have attained the highest wisdom that leads to ever lasting happiness

(Mara)
Ha Ha Ha so be it, you foolish one. My charming daughters, I have a simple task for you, seduce that man

(Mara's daughters)
Feel it, get up, get up, come on, oh my oh my lordy, get up on your feet, get up on your feet, get up, get up, come on

(Mara)
Oh my daughters, you are fools,     you have failed me, off with you

Now I summon up the winds of chaos     Rise all you forces of darkness     Strike him with bolts of fire and destroy this fool

Even my storms of darkness can not drive him from his seat, I have lost, I am defeated

10: THE ENLIGHTENMENT / THE TEACHING (A J Williams)

THE ENLIGHTENMENT
The darkness of ignorance has been dispelled
and the light of knowledge has arisen.
I have finally realized the truth,
I have attained supreme enlightenment.
I am the Buddha.

THE TEACHING
Listen friends, I have found the way     to overcome old age, sickness and death.
Let me teach you, and if you listen,     learn and practice as I tell you,
very soon you will know for yourselves, that what I say is true.
All phenomena are dependent on conditions, cause and effect.     Ignorance is the root of all evil and the cause of all suffering.
When it is replaced with wisdom,
one realises Nirvana.
Avoid all extremes,
practice the middle path.
The noble eight fold path,
which consists of perfect understanding, perfect thought, perfect speech, perfect action, perfect livelihood, perfect effort, perfect mindfulness, perfect concentration.
Do no evil, do only good, train your mind,
the teaching of the Buddha is the path to enlightenment.
For the benefit of all, teach the Dharma, which is excellent in the beginning, in the middle and the end.


11: THE SENSES REPRISE (A J Williams/ R J McLachlan)