Dharma Rain - Dharma School Songs

Dharma School

Children's Songs

Sit up Straight

(Adapted from Dogen’s Fukanzazengi, sung to the tune of Bill Wither’s Lean on Me)

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But, the Buddha way
Our ancestors past, gave us to follow

Sit up straight, inhale exhale
Drop body and mind
Empty your pail
And, you cannot fail
Cuz you're gonna have
Samadhi to lean on

Please, sit yourself down
Don't lean front or back, or tilt side to side
For, you cannot fill, your gut with air
If your posture slumps

Sit up straight, inhale exhale
Drop body and mind
Chorus...

Let deliberate thought pass away
Stop comparing mind
Sit, for all being's sake
Still and awake
The essential art

Sit up straight, inhale exhale
Drop body and mind
Chorus....

Jump beyond light and darkness,
leave behind joy and hurt
We all need samadhi to lean on
So just don't doubt the dragon,
keep your own mind alert
We all need samadhi to lean on

Sit up straight, inhale exhale
Drop body and mind
Empty your pail
And, you cannot fail
Cuz you're gonna have
Samadhi to lean on

The Mandala Song

(The lyrics describe the Five Buddha Families; sung to the tune of The Sweater Song by Wheezer)

Sometimes / I give / up when / it’s too much
The world / seems cold / and out / of touch
If you want to wake up to Buddha
Pull this thread as you sit Zazen
Strive to open to spacious being
White energy in your mandala

Full of / judgements / make sense / of this scene
Don’t cha- / llenge me / ‘cuz I / get mean
If you want to wake up to Vajra
Pull this thread as you sit Zazen
Strive to realize the mirror-wisdom
Blue energy in your mandala

Always / filling / never / enough
Hollow / trying / to get / more stuff
If you want to wake up to Ratna
Pull this thread as you sit Zazen
Strive to accept this generous balance
Yellow energy in your mandala

Obsess / because / I’m all / alone
Craving / feelings / like dog / with bone
If you want to wake up to Padma
Pull this thread as you sit Zazen
Strive to invite joyous caring
Red energy in your mandala

Get so / busy / staying / ahead
Don’t trust / my friends / life’s a / tangled thread
If you want to wake up to Karma
Pull this thread as you sit Zazen
Strive to work with vital freedom
Green energy in your mandala

If you want to wake up to Suchness
Weave these threads as you live your life
Strive to meet the colors before you
Rainbow energy in your mandala