The End of Suffering," featuring spoken word from Thich Nhat Hanh, the singing voice of Vietnamese monk, Phap Niem, and music by Gary Malkin, is excerpted from the book and CD set, "Graceful Passages: A Companion For Living and Dying," which was produced by Gary Malkin and Michael Stillwater, for Wisdom of the World, published by New World Library.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist monk, poet, peace activist, and the author of more than 100 books, including the national bestsellers 'Anger' and 'Living Buddha, Living Christ.' He lives in Plum Village, a monastic community in southwestern France. To learn about his writings, visit Parallax Press. For information about his meditation retreats, go to Plum Village.Transcript
May the sound of this bell penetrate deep into the cosmos
Even in the darkest spots living beings are able to hear it clearly
So that all suffering in them ceases, understanding comes to their heart
And they transcend the path of sorrow and death.
The universal dharma door is already open
The sound of the rising tide is heard clearly
The miracle happens
A beautiful child appears in the heart of the lotus flower
One single drop of this compassionate water is enough to bring back the refreshing spring to our mountains and rivers.
Listening to the bell I feel the afflictions in me begin to dissolve
My mind calm, my body relaxed
A smile is born on my lips
Following the sound of the bell, my breath brings me back to the safe island of mindfulness
In the garden of my heart, the flowers of peace bloom beautifully.
