IN PRAISE OF MOTHER EARTH
(written by Thay, Thich Nhat Hanh)







                                     Homage to you Refreshing Earth Bodhisattva
                                        Mother of this world with its many species.... 

                                        We want to turn to you with respect,
                                         Beautiful green  planet in the midst of the sky,
                                         You who have given birth to countless  species,
                                        Produced so many wonders of life,
                                   Loved in the ultimate sense of non-discrimination,
                                    Embraced all species not barring a single one,
                                        Loyal and reliable, tolerant and stable,
                                       The mother who bears all species.
                                      Countless bodhisattvas spring up
                                      From your fresh green lap.
                                     Mother you embrace and transform
                                     Sweeping away the hatred of humans,
                                    Creating new life day and night,
                                     Helping the earth to bloom with
                                     the flowers of heaven.
                                        You are open to thousands of other galaxies,
                                         Sharing your joy with the trichiliocosm,
                                        By seeing that your true nature is interdependence.
                                       Conserving and protecting so that nothing is lost,
                                      Not being, not nothing, not eternal, not annihilated,
                                       Not the same, not different, not coming, not going.
                                       Your love knows no limits,
                                       Your virtues no shortcomings.
                                   Your nature is the Four Immeasurable Minds
                                    Like the four great oceans they never dry up.
                                    Whenever spring returns you wear a new robe
                                   Of red roses, the green willow, beautiful and fresh.
                                  When summer comes the vegetation displays its bright colours,
                                   Wholesome seeds, sweet fruits are to be found everywhere.
                                How brilliant are the colours of the autumn forest
                               Until winter comes and snowflakes fill the sky.
                               The afternoon tide chants like the roll of thunder
                               The morning sunrise paints an incomparable picture,
                               Making visible all the splendours of the universe.
                              You are the most beautiful flower of the Solar System,
                          The wisdom that lights up the ten directions,
                          The mind that is open to all places.
                        Mother, you are the Paradise of the Present,
                         Making possible the future for all species.
                       We come back and take refuge in you,
                         With nothingto run after,
                             accepting the unfavourable as also favourable,
                  Seeing that you
                  are always in us and
                     Seeing ourselves in you for all of time.
                    May we follow your good example,
                  And live every moment with true peace and joy.
                  Homage to the Refreshing Mother Earth Bodhisattva

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