We're in the mountains and we're making music, so it must be mountain music. There's a book called the Lotus Sutra you really ought to know about. A holy book that has the power to remove all fear and doubt. And this book tells the story of a man Who could just as well have been a woman, If not for male hegemony. They call him the Bodhisattva Never Disparage, Or the Bodhisattva Never Despise. And I'm making it my life's ambition, To see the world through his pure eyes. And he says, I would never disparage you, Or keep you at arm's length, When you only see your strength.

[01:04]

I would never despise you or put you down in any way. Because it's clear to me, I can plainly see, you'll be a Buddha someday. I love Now Bodhisattva, never disparaging, lived countless, countless in the past. In a time of the counterfeit dharma, and he was something of an outcast. Because the monks and nuns of his time were noted for their arrogance and vanity. And these were the folks who exercised great power and authority. But my boy never concerned himself. Hitler treated him like a freak. He just bowed to everybody equally. And these are the words he'd speak. I would never disparage you or keep you at arm's length. But you only see your weaknesses, I only see your strength.

[02:08]

I would never despise you or put you down in any way. Because it's clear to me, I can plainly see, you'll be a Buddha someday. I love you. He never read or recited the scriptures much. He only liked to practice respect. But the monks and nuns of his time didn't meet it like you might expect. Instead they cursed him and reviled him, and they wished that he would go. Because they all had self-esteem issues, like most everyone else I know. They beat him and pelted him with clubs and stones, and they tried to drive him away. But he'd just run off to a safe distance, and then he'd turn around and say, I would never disparage you or keep you at arm's length. When you only see your weaknesses, I only see your strength.

[03:11]

I would never despise you or put you down in any way. Because it's clear to me, I can plainly see, you'll be a Buddha someday. I love you. And so it went on for years and years He was the target of scorn and abuse Yet still our hero shed no tears Nor did he ever wonder what's the use Until he reached the end of his natural lifespan And he laid down fixing to die And then he heard the holy lotus suture Being preached up in the sky And his life was extended for millions of years And he's living to this day And in the pages of the Lotus Sutra, you still can hear him say, I would never disparage you, or keep you at arm's length. You only see your weaknesses, I only see your strength.

[04:15]

I would never despise you, or put you down in any way. Because it's clear to me, I can plainly see, you'll be a Buddha someday. I love you, I love you, I love you.

[04:33]

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