Sun Faced Buddha, Moon Faced Buddha

from The Testimonium by Jeffrey Rothman

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about

The title of this track comes from a Zen koan, which is a story or short dialogue whose often paradoxical material is contemplated to produce the enlightenment experience. In this koan Master Ma was sick and his student asked him how he was doing. The master then said, "Sun faced Buddha, moon faced Buddha." This koan hints that our deathless True Nature never changes. Even through the seeming fluctuations of bad times and even death, the One Witness is ever-present and immutable. Knowing this is not a state beyond problems but the realization that this very life, with all its seeming imperfection, is nirvana itself.

lyrics

Cause I'm a sun faced Buddha making some tea,
Read some books in the library.
Moon faced Buddha, brushing my teeth
Stars shine bright in the galaxy.

Infinite worlds manifest the way
So do I just doing my thing.
Infinite worlds manifest the way
So do I I’m a sun faced moon faced Buddha.

I’m the Buddha!
Just another day as the sun faced moon faced Buddha.

Sun faced Buddha going to the bank
Hope I ain't too low on the gas tank.
Moon faced Buddha washing my face
Hows anything exist in the first place?

Infinite worlds manifest the way
So do I just doing my thing.
Infinite worlds manifest the way
So do I I’m the sun faced moon faced Buddha.

Sun faced cosmic lover of all beings, of all beings.
Moon faced cosmic lover of all things, of all things
Of all things, of all things, of all things.

You are the Way, the Way is you
To look outside is to miss the Truth.
This ain't pride I ain't tryin' to exalt me
Far from it, the Truth is so disarming. (x2)

The endless, endless hours disarm me
The pretty petaled flowers disarm me
The death that I must suffer disarms me
Disarms me, disarms me, disarms me

Cause I'm a sun faced Buddha, nothing but me
The deathless Truth will always be.

Infinite worlds manifest the way
So do I just doing my thing.
Infinite worlds manifest the way
So do I I’m a sun faced moon faced Buddha.

credits

from The Testimonium, released January 3, 2014
Recorded by Larry Hammett and mixed by Chris Harris and Larry Hammett. Drums, bass, and piano performed by Larry Hammett. Electric guitar performed by Ben Hill.

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about

Jeffrey Rothman Tulsa, Oklahoma

Jeffrey Rothman is an artist, musician, social worker, and writer based in Tulsa, OK. His music primarily explores themes of memory, spirituality, and creativity.