Nethin Netha

From eye to eye the tears are quenched,
from mouth to mouth smiles bloom //
the covenant of Christmas settles in,
the golden star blossoms in the sky //

Putting out the flames of hatred,
rivers of peace flowing,
even the trees and vines smile,
hearing the song of peace

From eye to eye the tears are quenched,
from mouth to mouth smiles bloom //
the covenant of Christmas settles in,
the golden star blossoms in the sky //

Creating the fountain of life,
giving to drink the golden water of peace,
awakening across the universe,
our prayer echoes out

From eye to eye the tears are quenched,
from mouth to mouth smiles bloom //
the covenant of Christmas settles in,
the golden star blossoms in the sky //

This is a Marians Christmas carol whose whole theme is peace spreading from person to person. From eye to eye the tears are quenched, it begins, and from mouth to mouth smiles bloom, a lovely image of comfort passing along a chain of people. Christmas settles in like a sannasa, a covenant, while the golden star of Bethlehem blossoms in the sky.

The middle makes the peace explicit and active. It puts out the very flames of hatred, sends rivers of peace flowing, and even the trees and vines seem to smile as they hear the song of peace. It is Christmas imagined less as a private devotion than as something that calms and heals the whole world around it.

The last verse widens to a prayer for all life. It creates a fountain of life, gives the golden water of peace to drink, and awakens across the entire universe as the singers’ prayer echoes out. There is a quiet beauty in knowing this Christmas carol was written by a Buddhist monk; its longing for peace and its blessing on all beings belong to no single faith, which is exactly what gives it its warmth.