Today, as I rode by,
I saw the brown leaves dropping from their tree
In a still afternoon,
When no wind whirled them whistling to the sky,
But thickly, silently,
They fell, like snowflakes wiping out the noon;
And wandered slowly thence
For thinking of a gallant multitude
Which now all withering lay,
Slain by no wind of age or pestilence,
But in their beauty strewed
Like snowflakes falling on the Flemish clay.
By Margaret Postgate Cole
November 1915
Source: Margaret Postgate’s Poems (1918)
Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers, and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness
flow forth to awaken and heal all beings–
those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.
By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may your heart’s wishes be soon fulfilled
as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.
By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.
For all in whose heart dwells respect,
who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way,
may your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.
~Buddhist Healing Prayer
Buddha taught us how all happiness and suffering depend upon the mind.
He showed us how to abandon those states of mind that cause suffering and cultivate those states of mind that cause happiness.
In other words, he taught us perfect methods for overcoming suffering and attaining happiness. ~ Kadampa Buddhism
When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us:
power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health,
and our happiness. Our enemies would dance with joy if only they knew
how they were worrying us, lacerating us, and getting even with us!
Our hate is not hurting them at all, but our hate is turning
our days and nights into a hellish turmoil. ~Dale Carnegie