Phenomena and Noumena

There was once a man who dreamt he was a butterfly,

He roamed the world, fluttered his wings, and there flew high,

He awoke from slumber, and began to question why,

He was no longer sure if he was a man or a butterfly.

Chorus

How can I be sure I’m not just dreaming?

How can I be sure in a world that’s ever-changing?

Like bubbles and lightning, the world is an illusion.

Each fleeting moment is magic, deceiving our human vision.

Everything’s phenomena, things are not what they seem.

The young grow old, this earthly life is like a dream;

Yet amidst these illusions Noumena, the Truth Supreme,

The Enlightened Mind can comprehend the unseen.

(Repeat Chorus)

So why attach oneself to the material,

When this is not to stay forever, and not real?

Why give importance to the body that grows old and dies,

When we can heed to the wisdom of Buddha’s advice.

Words and music from the CD Science and Buddhism 1998 produced by the Universal Wisdom Foundation

Acknowledgment is due YouTube where this video is taken.