Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

In the Sahā-World’s [1] swirling mist,
Where suffering and joy coexist,
A Bodhisattva’s [2] form appears,
Reflecting all, dispelling fears.

Like moonlight on a placid lake,
Or petals that the wind may shake,
This being shifts from shape to shape,
A master of the skillful drape.

In teacher’s robes or child’s small frame,
In stranger’s guise—no two the same.
Yet wisdom’s light shines ever bright,
Transforming darkness into light.

Who then, amid life’s ebb and flow,
Is not a guide we’ve yet to know?
Each face a mirror, clear and true,
Revealing Buddha-nature’s †[3] hue.

The rust of greed may stain our core,
But compassion opens every door.
In cool, sweet breezes of the mind,
Our fever’s balm at last we find.

So walk with care upon this earth,
Each step a prayer, each breath new birth.
For in this world of joy and strife,
All beings share the dance of life.

From mountain peak to ocean deep,
Through waking hours and restless sleep,
The Bodhisattva’s song rings clear:
“Awaken! Love is always here.”

In you, in me, in all we see,
Unfolds the cosmic mystery.
Each moment ripe for transformation,
Each heart a wellspring of creation.

So let us turn, with open eyes,
To greet each other in disguise.
For who can say which form may be
The one to set our spirits free?

Explanatory Notes:

[1] Sahā-World: In Buddhist cosmology, this refers to our world of suffering and endurance, where beings experience the cycle of birth and death.

[2] Bodhisattva: An enlightened being who, out of compassion, delays entering nirvana to help others achieve enlightenment.

[3] Buddha-nature: The innate potential for enlightenment that exists within all sentient beings.