And a cow of plenty for the world.
And the great elements such as earth,
May I always support the life
Of all the boundless creatures.
And until they pass away from pain
May I also be the source of life
For all the realms of varied beings
That reach unto the ends of space.
- Shantideva, India 760 AD
One Meaningful Word
Better
than if there were thousands
of meaningless words is
one
meaningful
word
that on hearing
brings peace.
Better
than if there were thousands
of meaningless verses is
one
meaningful
verse
that on hearing
brings peace.
And better than chanting hundreds
of meaningless verses is
one
Dhamma-saying
that on hearing
brings peace.
- Dhammapada; ascribed to Buddha
Eternal Love for All in the World
For as long as space endures
And for as long as living beings remain
Until then may I too abide
To dispel the misery of the world.
- Shantideva
Prayer for the Weary, Broken, and Afraid
Benedict, when the storm rages
around me,
and I can hold on no more,
when the waves of fear engulf me
and I am weary,
battered and sore,
take me then and steer me
storm-tossed, broken and afraid,
into the arms of your safe harbor
safely home.
- Prayer to St. Benedict
For Those Who Serve in the Military
Gracious God, we give thanks for military men and women, both from the past and present, and for their courageous service and sacrifice to our country and its people to secure the blessings of life, liberty, and justice for all. May our remembrance be a timely reminder that our freedom was purchased at high cost, and should not be taken for granted. Give us resolve to labor in faithful service to you until all share the benefits of freedom, justice, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth
For the Good of All
He who has subdued his passions and desires,
Who has realized the secret of the Universe in entirety;
Who has discoursed upon the teachings of the Right Path of Liberation
For the benefit of all in a quite unselfish manner;
Who is variously termed Buddha, Mahavira, Jina,
Hari, Hara, Brahma and Self;
In Him, imbued with deep devotion,
May this mind (of mine) eternally dwell!
Those who have no longings left for sense-produced pleasures;
Who are rich in the quality of equanimity?
Who are day and night engaged in encompassing
The good of all—their own as well as of others?
Who undergo the severe penance of self-effacement
Without flinching—such Enlightened Saints
Verily conquer the pain and misery of mundane existence!
May I always associate with such aforesaid Holy men;
May my mind be constantly occupied with their contemplation;
May the longing of my heart be always to tread in their footsteps;
May I also never cause pain to any living being;
May I never utter untruth; and
May I never covet the wealth or wife or husband of another!
May I ever drink the nectar of contentment!
With pride may I never be elated, angry may I feel with none;
The sight of another’s luck may not make me envious with his lot:
May my desire be for dealings fair and straight, and
May my heart only delight in doing good to others
To the best of my abilities all the days of my life!
May I always entertain a feeling of friendliness for
All living beings in the world;
May the spring of sympathy in my heart be ever bubbling
For those in agony and affliction;
May I never feel angry with the vile, the vicious and wrongly-directed;
May there be such an adjustment of things
That I should always remain tranquil in dealing with them!
May my heart ever overflow with love at the sight of virtuous men;
May this mind of mine rejoice always in serving them to the utmost of its power;
May I be never ungrateful;
May jealousies never approach me;
May my longing be always for assimilating the virtues of other; and
May the eyes never alight on their faults!
Whether people speak of me well or ill;
Whether wealth comes to me or departs;
Whether I live to be hundreds of thousands of years old;
Or give up the ghost this day;
Whether any one holds out any kind of fear;
Or with worldly riches tempts me;
In face of all these possible things
May my footsteps swerve not from the path of Truth!
With pleasure may the mind be not puffed up;
Let pain disturb it never;
May the awesome loneliness of a mountain, forest or river,
Or a burning place, never cause it to shiver;
Unmoved, unshakable, in firmness may it grow adamantine;
And display true moral strength when parted
From the desired thing, or united with what is undesired!
May happiness be the lot of all;
May distress come near none;
Giving up hatred, sin and pride;
May the world pour forth one continuous eternal peal of delight;
May Dharma become the main topic of conversation in every household;
May evil cease to be easily wrought;
By increase of wisdom and merit of works,
May men realize the purpose of human