Buddhist Centre Features

Conscious Surrender To The Beautiful - Choral Performance

On Fri, 21 August, 2015 - 18:01
Candradasa's picture
Candradasa

A beautiful performance (on only 2 rehearsals!) from the on-site choir as part of the weekend celebrating both the Arts in spiritual life and the 90th birthday of Urgyen Sangharakshita.

Featuring:
01 Vipulakirti’s setting of words from The Dhammapada
02 The Deathless Dharma (in Praise of Avalokiteshvara) by Bodhivajra
03 Meditation - a poem by Sangharakshita set by Manidhara (Graham Patterson)
04 Milarepa’s Eight Wonderful Examples by Viplulakirti Followed by Avalokiteshvara Mantra
05 As Torrents In Summer by Edward Elgar
06 Happy Birthday (for Urgyen Sangharakshita at 90)

See all posts from the weekend

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Responses

shaunbartone's picture

magnificent.

Theresa's picture

Fabulous & so beautiful!

SusM53's picture

So uplifting!  and I’ve never heard a more beautifly rendered version of Happy Birthday.  Thank you all involved!

Satyada's picture

Lovely, would it be possible to post the texts?

Centre Team's picture

Hi Satyada, I don’t have them but will ask around! 

Centre Team's picture

ps. “Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you, 
​Happy Birthday, dear Bhante, 
​Happy Birthday to you!”  

That’s one of them… ;) 

parami's picture

vipulakirti will have them, I imagine

Bodhidasa's picture

I am deeply moved. Such a powerful offering.

Aryagita's picture

I am moved to tears by this moving offering from our wonderful Order to our precious teacher. Wish I could be there.

vipulakirti's picture

Here are the texts of the pieces sung by the choir on the Order Weekend:

O Let Us Live in Joy  - Dhammapada   Music Vipulakirti

O let us live in Joy, in love amongst those who hate. Among men who hate let us live in love.       O let us live in Joy, in health amongst those who are ill. Among men who are ill, let us live in health.   O let us live in Joy, in peace amongst those who struggle. Among men who struggle, let us live in Peace.

The Deathless Dharma - In Praise of Avalokitesvara   Music Bodhivajra

O you, whose eyes are clear, whose eyes are friendly, whose eyes betray distiguished wisdom knowledge. Whose eyes are pitiful, whose eyes are pure. O you so lovable with beautiful face and eyes, so lovable.  Your lustre is spotless and immaculate, your knowledge without darkness, your splendour like the sun. Radiant like the blaze of a fire undisturbed by wind. Radiant!   Eminent in your pity, friendly in your words, one great mass of virtues and friendliness. You appease the fire of defilements that burn, and you rain down the rain of the Deathless Dharma.

Meditation - Sangharakshita    Music Manidhara

Here perpetual incense burns; The heart to meditation turns, And all delights and passions spurns.

A thousand brilliant hues arise, More lovely than the evening skies, And pictures paint before our eyes.

All the spirit’s storm and stress Is stilled into a nothingness, And healing powers descend and bless.

Refreshed, we rise and turn again To mingle with this world of pain, As on roses falls the rain. 

The Eight Wonderful Examples - Milarepa  Music Vipulakirti

1) The hail upon the plain vanishes up to the heavens.  Refrain: This is an example of change, it is after the manner of transitoriness, Ponder upon this Truth and practise the Noble Teaching. (repeated after each verse).      2) The turquoise flower is killed by frost.      3) The mountain spate is swallowed up by the valley below.    4) The waving corn harvest is reaped.    5) The profusion of rich silks is pierced by the awl.    6)The precious jewel, having been found is lost.   7) The moon in its three phases, having risen, sets.   8) The darling son, having been born, dies.

The Avalokitesvara Mantra harmonised by Ratnadevi

As torrents in summer - Longfellow     Music Edward Elgar

As torrents in summer, Half dried in their channels, Suddenly rise, tho’ the Sky is still cloudless, the sky is still cloudless, For rain has been falling far off at their fountains;  So hearts that are fainting Grow full to o’er-flowing, And they that behold it marvel and know not that Love at their fountains, far off has been raining.

Happy Birthday to Bhante

Centre Team's picture

Thanks so much, Vipulakirti! Wonderful! :)