EN_BO_Hymn_of_Asia.pdf

HYMN OF ASIA Hymn of Asia 2 L. Ron Hubbard Introduction I. THE HYMN OF ASIA Man has long dreamed of solving the riddle of his own existence and achieving personal freedom. This has been the great hope of man through the millennia of his histories – both East and West. Now at last, in the 1046 lines of the poem Hymn of Asia, is the statement that this hope has been achieved – You can be free. This moving hymn was written for a Buddhist Convention in about 1955 or ‘56, coincident with the celebrations in the Buddhist world of the 2,500th year of the Buddhist era. Later, typed copies of this magnificent work, many in altered versions, were widely circulated from hand to hand in various countries of the world. The public demand for its publication grew enormous. Then in late 1973 its author directed its publication and subsequently personally supervised the collaboration of a talented artist, designer and calligrapher in the final preparation of the book. Thus here we have a beautiful edition which presents the fully correct original text of the poem, one surely destined to become a major document of Man’s spiritual history. Hymn of Asia concerns the fulfillment of a prophecy made 200 years ago by Siddhartha Gautama, better known as Buddha, the founder of the religion known in the West as Buddhism. This prophecy can best be understood in context of Buddha’s life and work. II. THE LIFE AND WORK OF BUDDHA The two key concepts of Buddhism are contained in the words Buddha and Bodhi, each derived from the root Budh, meaning both to wake up and to know. Thus, a Buddha is one who is Enlightened or Awakened. Bodhi means enlightenment or, alternately, one who has attained intellectual and ethical perfection by human means. Siddhartha Gautama was the first in recorded history to attain such a state. And because he also pointed the way to others to attain it he started a religion which changed the history of the world. Buddha’s final words before he passed from this world sum up his lifelong teaching: Decay is inherent in all compound things, but the truth will remain forever. Work out your salvation with diligence. Hymn of Asia 3 L. Ron Hubbard Here was the epochal statement that, in one lifetime, one could strive to achieve a state of spiritual freedom from the endless cycle of death and rebirth and achieve spiritual independence of the flesh. „Supernatural agencies“ were not involved. The entire reliance was placed upon the individual’s own impulse to redeem himself. By rousing himself, by earnestness… the wise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm. Senseless and foolish folk fall into sloth. The wise man guards earnestness as his best treasure.1 Buddha’s own life (563-483 B.C.) provides the greatest example of his own teaching. Siddhartha Gautama’s birthplace was at Lumbini, now a part of Nepal on the northeast border of India. A rich nobleman, surrounded by opulence and destined to become a ruler, at the age of 29 the Buddha-to-be resolved to leave his privileged life to seek The Greater Life. First he studied the inherited knowledge of his day under the greatest available teachers. He then retired to the forest and excelled even his fellow ascetics in endurance – nearly to the point of death. Realizing that self-deprivation was enervating and „mind-clouding“ he sat down beneath a fig tree. From that spot he resolved not to rise until he had at last pierced the veil of illusion and achieved Enlightenment. As the earliest scriptures of Buddhism state: Sitting under a poplar-fig tree, he began to meditate methodically, and with his spiritual eye pierced layer after layer of the nature of existence. He remembered his previous existences, saw through the law of rebirth as a consequence of deeds and realized: This is suffering, this is its origin, this is its termination and this is the way to its termination. He gained the insight: Unshakable is my liberation (from suffering); this is the last birth, there is (for me) no more reexistence. He was 35 when he reached Bodhi. Thereafter he spent his remaining lifetime expounding his message and organizing and laying down the rules for the swelling congregation of monks who wished to devote themselves full-time to the Teaching. III. THE INFLUENCE OF BUDDHISM The message of Buddha reached far beyond the compass of his original followers in northeast India. Wherever it traveled its teaching of love and hope transformed, practically overnight, the existing barbarisms based upon the morality of force and violence. Within 1,500 years after the death of its founder, Buddhism had civilized most of Asia. For example, the golden ages of Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese history were Buddhist civilizations. From the Dhammapada, The Way of Truth, a work traditionally scribed to Buddha. Hymn of Asia 4 L. Ron Hubbard Buddhism became the dominant religion of Asia and, in terms of numbers of adherents, the most widely held religion on the planet. Westward its influence was just as important. Spreading along the heavily trafficked trade routes between the East and West, its ideas moved into the Near East in the first century B.C. The Christian message of love, its statement „The truth shall set you free“, represented the words of Buddha filtered through some 500 years and across thousands of miles. Siddhartha Gautama’s work even set the precedent for an applied religious philosophy which finally re-blossomed in the West some 2,000 years later. IV. THE PROPHECY OF METTEYA But Siddhartha Gautama did not regard himself as an end point. He looked upon his work as incomplete and prophesized that at a later time a successor would arise to complete his work. The most specific wording of this prediction in Buddhist literature states that 2,500 years after Buddha a red-haired or golden-haired man would arise in the West to complete the job Buddha began. In Buddhist literature his name is known as Metteya (or Metteyya with two y’s) in Pali , or Maitreya in Sanskrit.3 2 Metta is the Pali word for love. Thus the name could mean „One whose name is kindness“. A more fluent translation of Metteya in English would be „friend“. The legend of Metteya forms an important part of the Buddhist Mature. There are two descriptions of Metteya in the Pali Canon, the earliest Buddhist scriptures. These references are found in a portion of the Canon known as the Digha Nikaya which represent the memorized sermons of Buddha, faithfully passed down orally from generation to generation and finally transcribed in the first century B.C. When new Buddhist writings began to be composed just before and after the Christian era once again we hear of Maitreya (or Metteya). These mainly consisted of legendary accounts of the birthplace and history of the new Buddha-to-be. Some 600 to 700 years later, at a time when Buddhism was decaying internally through rampant ritualism and superstition, a reformer from Southern India wrote a Pali poem entitled „Anagata Vamsa“. In this poem the author describes in detail the coming of Metteya who will revitalize the Truth Buddha promulgated and usher in a new golden age for the entire known world. Various other descriptions of Metteya frequently recur in Buddhist literature. Statues of Metteya can be found throughout Buddhist lands where he often goes by local names. Buddhists universally believe in his advent and that, according to the legend, he shall appear in the West. It would be instructive to look at some examples of this great prophecy which has at one time or another inspired the greater portion of Mankind. 2 Pali - the language of Buddha and Pali Canon (the earliest written scriptures of Buddhism). Sanskrit - the classical language of Indian literature. Hymn of Asia 5 L. Ron Hubbard In one passage in the Digha Nikaya wherein Buddha has been describing a world decline he states: At that period, brethren, there will arise in the World an Exalted one named Metteya, Arahant,4 Fully Awakened, abounding in wisdom and goodness, happy, with knowledge of the worlds, unsurpassed as a guide to mortals, willing to be led, a teacher for gods and men, an Exalted One, a Buddha, even as I am now. He, by himself, will thoroughly know and see, as it were face to face, this universe, with its worlds of the spirits, its Brahmas,5 and its Maras,6 and its worlds of recluses and Brahmins,7 of princes and peoples, even as I now, by myself, thoroughly know and see them. The truth (the Norm) lovely in its origin, lovely in its progress, lovely in its consummation, will he proclaim, both in spirit and in the letter, the higher life will he make known, in all its fullness and in all its purity, even as I do now. He will be accompanied by a congregation of some thousands of brethren, even as I am now accompanied by a congregation of some hundreds of brethren. Later, as Buddha prepared for his death, the following prophecy was among his last words: And Ananda,8 suppressing his tears, said to the Blessed One: ‘Who shall teach us when thou art gone?’ And the Blessed One replied: ‘I am not the first Buddha who came upon earth, nor shall I be the last. I came to teach you the truth, and I have founded on earth the kingdom of truth. Gautama Siddhartha will die, but Buddha will live, for Buddha is the truth, and the truth cannot die. He who believes in the truth and lives it, is my disciple, and I shall teach him. The truth will be propagated, and the kingdom of truth will increase for about five hundred years. Then for a while the clouds of error will darken the light, and in due time another Buddha will arise, and he will reveal to you the self-same eternal truth which I have taught you.’ Ananda said: ‘How shall we know him?’ The Blessed One said: ‘The Buddha that will come after me will be known as Maitreya, which means ‘he whose name is kindness.’ (From the Book of the Great Decease) The idea that Metteya will arrive when Man’s fortunes are at a low ebb is prevalent in the legend. For example, here is a description of his advent from Chinese Buddhist sources: 4 Arahant - variation of Arhat, one who has attained spiritual perfection. 5 Brahmas - plural of Brahma, from Hindu terminology, a term signifying the personified creative aspect of a spiritual absolute. 6 Maras - plural of Mara, literally death; the personification of evil. 7 Brahmins - members of the Indian priest caste. Ananda – Buddha’s cousin and his chief aide. Hymn of Asia 6 L. Ron Hubbard The first period began with Sakyamuni9 Buddha and ended five hundred years after his death. It is called ‘Cheng-fa’, here translated as the first model period. The second period lasts from the end of Cheng-fa for another five hundred years and is called ‘Hsiang-fa’, the period in which pictures must be used. In this period men must work their way to the truth through pictures and books. From the end of the second period and lasting for a further two thousand years comes ‘Mo-fa’, the final period. Then sin and need are increased to such a degree that Buddhism itself goes to pieces. At this point, Maitreya appears with his Millennial kingdom. A new cycle of life begins, with hope and redemption for all living things. Thus one cycle follows another until all living things are redeemed. In ‘Mi-lo-Hsia-sheng Ching’, the Chinese scripture describing Metteya’s descent into the world, we find how he is solemnly appointed by Gautama Buddha to come as the great renewer at the time when the power of evil is at its height and all living things seem to be going to ruin under sin and punishment. And in Tibetan Buddhist materials, echoing earlier Buddhist Indian sources, this startling prophecy is made: When he shall be seen in the West, seated in the Western fashion, his hair like flames about his noble head, discoursing, then shall the inhabitants of the Three Worlds10 rejoice, knowing that the emancipation of all sentient beings is imminent. Then it shall be called the age of the blessed because it will become commonplace to achieve Emancipation in one life-time. Professor Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947), Russian painter and archaeologist, spent five years exploring in the Himalayas. In his Altai-Himalaya, a five year record of his expedition (now out of print) he related widespread prophecies throughout the East concerning Metteya. Professor Roerich states in Altai-Himalaya, „It is told in the prophecies how the new era shall manifest itself.“ He relates some of these prophecies as follows: 1. First will begin an unprecedented war of all nations. 2. Then shall the Teachers appear and in all corners of the world shall be heard the true teaching. 3. To this word of truth shall the people be drawn but those who are filled with darkness and ignorance shall set obstacles… even those who by accident help the Teachings of (this spiritual king of the world) will receive in return a hundred fold. 9 Sakyamuni - Buddha's full name was originally Siddhartha Gautama of the Sakyas. Siddhartha was his given name; Gautama his surname and Sakya the name of the clan to which his family belonged. After he attained Buddha-hood his disciples sometimes called him Sakyamuni, "silent sage (muni) of the Sakya clan."0 Three Worlds - three worlds of Tibetan Scriptures: Body: The physical world pertaining to the body and its operations and life. Speech: The 'world' of Communication between entities and things. Mind: One's own world, the world of one's own Creation. Hymn of Asia 4. 7 L. Ron Hubbard And one can already perceive unusual people. Already they (the teachers) open the gates of knowledge, and ripened fruits are falling from the trees. And finally: 5. V. Those who accept Him (the Messiah) shall rejoice. And those who deny Him shall tremble… And the warriors (teachers) shall march under the banner of Maitreya. SUMMARY OF THE METTEYA LEGEND Thus, we find these are the most salient details of the Metteya legend. 1. He shall appear in the West. 2. He shall appear at a time when religion shall be waning, when the world is imperiled and convulsed in turmoil. 3. He will have golden hair or red hair. 4. He will complete the work of Gautama Buddha and bring in a new golden age of man by making possible the attainment of spiritual freedom by all beings. 5. Although the date of his advent is variously forecast, the nearest date places it 2,500 years after Gautama Buddha – or roughly0 (the date of Gautama’s own life being somewhat of an estimate itself). In one form or another the prophecy of Metteya has been the principal hope that the East has preserved and bequeathed to the world. The Editors Hymn of Asia L. Ron Hubbard HYMN OF ASIA Am I Mettayya? If you see me dead I will With interest and love And are oppressed By Peoples then You will all Or the governments live forever. In very few years Of other lands. I come to you in Peace Some in months And rule no more I come to you as a Become Bodhi. But flee Teacher For this is but I do not come as an The chance of rulers officer of Church or What I say has to do Sect With Self All. Give Sanctuary so. I come to you as a It has no concourse Man. With the political. Give Sanctuary too I do not come as a He who would rule To those Support him. Who have been ruled He who would govern Unjustly and Assist him Oppressed Those who would have Judge not their crime Political Philosophy, But if they reach Applaud them, for they The confines of your place all that Lord Buddha are at least Of Even touch your rove would have you know Not Beasts Secure for them God. I come to bring you wisdom I come to bring you of live, Earth and A peace. Man. If a ruler rules I come to you with Freedom I come to you with science I come to teach you Well assist him Deliver them If he rules with violence Not Do not assist him But by the wisdom And let that be Which I give his penalty. Bring to them then An honesty I come to help you. With complete attention With arduous study They have not known. Give Sanctuary In such a way To those Handle then Who having ruled The problems of Now fail Politics Hymn of Asia L. Ron Hubbard And go no further My words In many tongues In. You do not want me The wisdom that You do not want Freedom Lord Buddha then You cannot be Bodhi And I Today a piece of Asia would have Swings You know. With a Troubled Mind Then I say then To Politics Let this be the first test Now let that be the Do you see me here? See me dead Asian Mind, not yours. Is this platform Then I will live forever Occupied? But you will Do you hear my voice? See It is to minds Do I stop the sunlight? An Earth in flames I speak. Am I white? So deadly that We are not Communist Do I have Golden Hair? Not one will live We are not warlords Is this what you agree? We are not a democratic We are not political Fail once to stem You are Buddhists Then see me A hand that smites Am I Metteyya? Hear me Against me and I am of the self Study the wisdom I die. And your own heart That I have to And eyes. say and you will Be Bodhi Answer! Agree amongst you now Is it safe for me to live? If you did not How I look Then I live Create me Agree I am here And am a Man You would not see me. Agree I am solid Amongst you If you create me dead And can be heard. And can die Behold I live forever And also If you create me live Live Behold I live. If you see me here Can I be seen? And as a Man Can I be heard? Then I can have Then see and hear. Good appetite Am I Metteyya? For food Not at all for Woman If you cannot hear And for Sleep the sound made Upon the walls Do you then see me so? By my voice There will be Do you accord me this? And only feel Placed Hymn of Asia 0 And I with you. Do you as well L. Ron Hubbard And you then address Metteyya. Accord me past So that the Soon there will appear Blind can account me The Great Lessons A name, Maitreya For all Man in East Metteyya Do you give me a past in And West A magic name The Western World? Upon the walls For which all Do you create for me For you to write Faithful waiting In yesterday And you will feel Then was done. My books and wisdom And see them as I am the beginning So that you can read? Real I am the end here? Am I real? I am real enough To be doubted If you doubt, ask Am I alive? The brother at Do I stand here? Your side Will you study what if he can see as well. And you can doubt. No blasphemy I have to tell? And if he can Can mar my name Am I before you? The Great Lessons So blaspheme if you will Am I Metteyya? Are Real. So pure it is that Name that no Speakingness can soil it. See how like I give you A Man Certainty I go Of such a kind Appoint Amongst you To me amongst you now That you can doubt. Some small few A Mortal span I ask no faith. To tell about me lies And you, For such I give And invent wicked Things You now remember is Real enough And spread out infamy That I walked here To suffer every doubt. Abroad and Within And you remember too Am I Metteyya? And to stand before I spoke Our altars And insult and Everywhere you are Lie and tell And you recall as well I can be addressed Evil rumors about us all. I have a past But in out temples best And you can find it. Address me and you address And you can Lord Buddha. For all is Life Speak with me Address Lord Buddha To Buddha. Hymn of Asia All is Life. L. Ron Hubbard Say what I say If you stray And what And become lost Lord Buddha said. and slaves as you have been. No blasphemy With these Now can mar And your agreement to The name of Be attentive now. We now can build Buddha, Lord. You have preserved The Eastern Each revilement Only a bit And the Western worlds Is a prayer Of what Into one great For just the mention Lord Buddha Brotherhood of Man. Of the name Said. Then Cleanses all. He said much more But then there came We can civilize Men who said the Barbarian Mention the Name Other things We can make lawful And do not worry And changed If you think A piece of this Some stray A bit of that Condemning thought And so we strayed. Or doubt. the criminal We can make sane the insane We can ourselves be free. Mention the name Its holiness is Censor not free speech Such it can And censor not free thought We can make just Withstand all bludgeoning But recall The ruler Consult with prayer In all these We can make Be calm Twenty-five centuries Merciful the strong And you will know. None came We can make well And spoke The sick The Great Lessons Again We can make intelligent You could know Nor added to them The dull person. Of yourselves Then to make We can make social All that You free. The unsocial. Of which I speak I speak then And so So you can agree. Don't argue or dispute We can make kind When some come up to The cruel. you So speak and think We can reach And say another thing Whatever you will Men's minds For if they knew all truly But come again to these Les- And change them. They would then sons Hymn of Asia Is the best path here. By single persons L. Ron Hubbard decades of study Or large throngs To attain We can do this. There is assistance for you. You can do this I will undertake Swiftly To give you Golden placques Of slowly That do attest Preserve amongst you And the time Not your status (for that can And follow them You take be done only by your Your leaders and Will depend society) but Your holy men A Light. Entirely upon Your skill Revere their word Your skill And these you then can show Their order and And understanding of And reach more Their skill already won. The Great Lessons. Quickly to your goals I will not bless your studies For even if you do If you do not have Attain Bodhi Peace and permission These you will discuss From your leaders. About these you can argue And yet wish to help the rest But the wisest man There are still so I confirm their authority And the one Many who are blind Their customs and their laws Who will do things best To all else but And change them not For others A placque. unless they with themselves And reach most quickly There are ways To change. Buddha for himself To do things right Will come at last And ways to do them wrong To the Lessons them- And I will help you selves As I can. Your leaders are your staffs and guides. And their exact meaning All titles that they have And processes. And all their holdings Two months of study These are theirs For the bright And the possession of This is a road Will place one's Their orders. This is a broad highway Foot upon the way This is an easily seen To help the rest. Route A week of help For this is no revolt And only those From such a student No revolution for the malcon- Obsesses to be different Can make a Bodhi Will stray. Of the best. We follow newly taught The easy path Gone are your I a path so old tent Hymn of Asia L. Ron Hubbard It starts with Time That without women Which has no end or start Knowing too And on which Buddha Shone to give us light. But to all I give these Les- You are but half. sons I confirm all honors won And all may have them And heights obtained But the exact Teaching Place woman at your side And confirm them Without dispute And let her study even more firmly Must then be kept Let her speak Than they were. Inviolate in Each place But do not do this And under charge of your If it disturbs your orders or leaders, Your quiet. For your leaders Open to inspection always In this you be the judge Are your leaders Open to violation never. Except for this Your orders (societies) Let woman read here too. Are your orders. Your positions (ranks) Study then Are your positions Be worked with then Obey your leaders Here on Earth. Become Bodhi For these are reasonable men And in the sky As little as you know Obey your district's From which I speak Of these Lessons Political chief Well behind the Use them. For he has force. Body that you see As much as you know You are organized And in another world Use them. And poised There are orders (ranks) But use them For the spiritual As well. For good Conquest of Man Not evil Do not let disorder Amongst yourselves I am but a teacher Or petty pride I bring you word Use them for love Of Lessons you have lost Not hate And here will win again Conquer all with And Lessons new Knowledge and with skill Your empire is That were reserved Use no war. The Empire of Impede your progress. For time until The Spirit You were organized You own all lands As you are These Lessons are If you own this. And spread your For Woman as for Man Your strength on Earth Priests across Unless your customs Is your understanding The width of the world As you now do. cry out otherwise. But we admonished Your good order And your tolerant behavior. Hymn of Asia L. Ron Hubbard We will become From all the countryside Rich in peace And rulers too And palaces to Sufficient to sustain That degree that Your societies and selves Gained in these We maintain good order For good you do Past Centuries. And reasonable conduct And by our All that has become Great And preserve or Great Lessons Can be greater. even create Service you All that has been beauti- The Sanity of Man. will render all Your have power and dignity ful And so from each Can become more beautiful. As he can pay You have waited Obtain your dues For Centuries Past Bid political leaders To come and speak Before they strike For we can assist them Bid the people For the Lessons Your freedom But I forewarn And Man's freedom Do not with greed collect Awaits And take no more Your study Than you do need. And your And hoard not Skill. But spend as freely As you take and to continue to work And to produce more And to come to our Temples for we can Bring them calmness And Peace and health. We enter in to a Golden Age. We are Golden Men. We are the New Men The new spiritual Leaders of Earth. Build not idle And for your dues ornaments but And tax Places for the use I bid you please Of man No longer beg. Demanding only For begging days That they bow Are past and the To Buddha. Lord Buddha Has such Power now And too I warn you Throughout the lands, Do not take Achieved by That which is given grudg- His Wisdom ingly. And your efforts Your tax must come to you That you can With love Or it brings hate We will prosper To that degree That we work Into the land. And must demand So do good works Your tax And cultivate Hymn of Asia The love of giving you L. Ron Hubbard And let no filth accumulate. But plant and reap it all. Let none be idle Restore to Asia now Persuasion is the best Within your gates Her beauty and her skill demand But work them all For you as priests In vineyards, orchards Are leaders of all men For good of all. Good purpose is the finest argument. pastures and fields But beg no more For idleness on excuse of And fill the coffers full study Not skulkers in the dark Persuade into a Paradise your country And buy with this Begets sloth and poverty And tax it as your Such hospitals And these beget Due. And Palaces for rest Disease of doctrine Such Buddhas And of mind. As the world has Your are the Creators Never seen. Of new country To profit then Let each support the rest And new wealth And none be parasite. New people and Thus we shall prosper. New Life Add Industry to Ideas Begin! Work well and Eschew sloth In the wilderness Never interrupt Clear out the deadly things I bring Commerce or In the bare mountain Great Lessons. The enterprise And where no crop is grown I have written them Of Men Plant trees and punish those In an orderly way. For all that on who Which you trade Waste them. Is willingness to do. the race. And in your places In a tongue of science Which was stolen When that is gone Why then you have killed I have written them first Long ago from the On the plain East. Study to plow From this tongue To save the Land You can translate Not scar it. Into your many In every possible fertile Tongues And monasteries and place shrines Plant crops to make Be clean, be bright Land more fertile still And polish everything And waste no land For vanity of death For each of you Have among you Scholars who can Speak this tongue. Hymn of Asia 16 L. Ron Hubbard The Secret well. There can be love There is no other I am ready now. for self tongue spoken in I am ready to come home Common by your To my people. Scholars. Please accept me so. These lessons Forgive the body There can be love Were composed That I bear for woman In the Western World. I need it now or man This hat to be so To Speak. There can be love Because of the Forgive the tongue for children Disorders in the With which I and the family East since Speak. I would Vaishakha. rather it were Pali Even your own prophesies But you comprehend it not. There can be love Centuries Old for groups Said I would appear and sects In the Western World. And if I come I appeared. Be sure that while I myself, There can be love In contact with for Mankind You will forgive Mortal flesh, And understand. Can err, It is the West These Lessons There can be love Which Threatens Do not. for animals Earth. There I If you reject me trees and grass have been to And bid me not learn of it and Then do not fear. Study it and For I, bereft Save us all. From you, There can be love Let me come home. Will only weep. for earth and Let me come away Such is my love. Sun and Moon and From the barbarians And Insects too All the Stars To live in your hearts. I walked amongst I give you now You as a mortal boy. (Before I go There can be love I sat at your feet And leave a for spirits, And you did not know, Vacuum here) demons and Except some The lesson first of all the soul few amongst you And these kept Hymn of Asia 17 L. Ron Hubbard There can be And I see how You have love for Gods You've carried out created me again the Lessons who was created before. Are love For know that I have an amnesty And love is all. These must be To Evil deeds and doers all Achieved I give to all a And first and that Freedom now But there be more They do so many From demons And this Things you will be And the Dark. You soon will see Amazed for years And seeing then Just viewing them. And understanding too Let me see how you do I forgive your You will be Buddhas And how you behave many failures to And these Eight parts All Lord Buddha This I promise you. I thank you for And then Your deeds and Lord Buddha Hope. willing too I compliment you the And me alive for your steadiness Great Lessons And mortal still And worship. And years from now I'll tell quite all. Grown expert Behave Obey In this Wisdom and Be Courteous In Centuries This skill, To gods You have If you have still Lord Buddha Brought Civilization When you have studied A distance yet to go To the World And you are ready then Both East and West. And if all things And myself Before Have gone well And to your leaders Lord Buddha came And your priests All was wilderness And even to your And men were And I live still Governments Beasts of prey. As mortal man And study hard Why then I'll And practice well Give you more And prosper all. And with your To carry you afar. Working and your But let this be my secret Faith Until time comes I go Has come Hymn of Asia