If the Earth is our true mother, then the sun is our true parent. Together they make life on Earth possible.

The sun’s energy enables life forms to exist on our planet. The sun offers light and warmth for plants to grow.

Without the sun, there would be no life at all.

Countless civilizations have paid homage to the sun. In the Buddhist tradition, there are many who praise Amitabha, the ‘Buddha of Limitless Light’, and they believe his pure land lies to the west.

We can call this Buddha Mahavairocana Tathagatha, the ‘Buddha of Infinite Light and Life’.

We can say that the sun is a true Buddha, because he shines his light upon the Earth, providing warmth, light, energy, and life every minute of the day to all species on the planet.

The sun is not only to be found in the sky; the sun is on Earth and in each one of us. Each of us has the sunshine within us.

Without the sun, life on Earth would not be possible; living beings could not exist. We can think of the sun and the Earth as our true parents, and as the true parents of our biological father and mother, and of all our ancestors.

The Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus Christ, and all our wonderful teachers are children of this planet. We are all children of the Earth and the sun.

Just as we carry the DNA of our biological mother and father within us, we carry the sun and the Earth in each of our cells.

We are ancients
As ancient as the sun
We came from the ocean
Once our ancestral home
So that one day
We could all return
To our birthright
The great celestial dome

We are the children of the sun
Our journey’s just begun
Sunflowers in our hair
We are the children of the sun
There is room for everyone
Sunflowers in our hair

Throughout the ages
Of iron, bronze, and stone
We marveled at the night sky
And what may lie beyond
We burned offerings
To the elemental ones
Made sacrifices
For beauty, peace and love

We are the children of the sun
Our kingdom will come
Sunflowers in our hair
We are the children of the sun
Our carnival’s begun
Our suns will fill the air

And you know it’s time
To look for reasons why
Just reach up and touch the sky
To the heavens we’ll ascend
We are the children of the sun
Our journey has begun

All the older children
Come out at night
Anemic, soulless
Great hunger in their eyes
Unaware of the beauty
That sleeps tonight

And all the queen’s horses
And all the king’s men
Will never put these children back
Together again

Faith, hope, our charities
Greed, sloth, our enemies

We are the children of the sun