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When Buddha Smiled At The Elephant

from Still The Birds (2016) by Darryl Purpose

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about

This track was included on the compilation "Healing Songs from Blue Cliff Monastery". Darryl met these disciples of Thich Nath Hahn when they used to come annually to Rocky Mountain National Park

lyrics

Morning in blue forest, War’s dark aftermath
Bones of beasts and humans, Down the cypress path
An elephant came charging, New moon on the rise
Full of crazy anger, fire in her eyes

She was drunk with sorrow, And water laced with wine
Crashing trees and temples down, all along the line
Her great feet shook like thunder, lightning in her gaze
Every second stretched, into a thousand days

CHORUS:
And the whole wide world was singing of man and war and art
When Buddha Smiled at the Elephant, With His heart

But Buddha was the gentle rain, that fell over the land
He held the mighty elephant, like a lotus in his hand
The elephant stood frozen, like she had turned to stone
Such a force of kindness, the beast had never known

And so she swept away the dust, from her master’s feet
As Buddha beamed with loving kindness, down the broken street
Her giant tears came falling, down like crystal rain
When the Buddha came, to wash away her pain

CHORUS:
And the whole wide world was singing, Of man and war and art
When Buddha Smiled at the Elephant, With His heart

Instrumental verse

Buddha on his daily walk, to take alms for the poor
Came to tame an elephant, with love instead of war
The miracle of true love, like a constellation shone
Such a force of kindness, the world had never known

CHORUS: And the whole wide world was singing of man and war and art
When Buddha Smiled at the Elephant, With His heart

CHORUS: And the whole wide world was singing of man and war and art
When Buddha Smiled at the Elephant, With His heart

credits

from Still The Birds (2016), released May 6, 2016
Acoustic bass - Roscoe Beck (Leonard Cohen)
Drums and percussion - Eric Darken (Jimmy buffet)
Electric Guitar - Daran DeShazo
Keyboard - Joel Guzman (Paul Simon)
Kalimba - Billy Crockett
Harmony Vocals - BettySoo, Nathan Brown

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about

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Darryl Purpose Denver, Colorado

Darryl went to Las Vegas at 19 and became a professional blackjack player, which he still calls the 'only real job I've ever had'. He is a member of the Blackjack Hall of Fame.
Since 1996, he has toured extensively and released 8 albums of original music.
Darryl's last two albums spent weeks at #1 on the RMR radio charts. Next Time Around and Still The Birds ... more

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