Stanford student sings in Cambodian dharma song tradition

StanfordHumanities

As part of his senior thesis, Religious Studies major Trent Walker produced the first ever full-scale study of the Cambodian dharma song tradition.

During the course of his research, Trent learned how to sing religious texts in the complex musical style called smutr.

In Memory of Prum Ut (Khmer)

In Memory of Prum Ut

trenttwalker

Dharma Song Offered in Memory of Master Prum Ut (1945-2009)

Seven-syllable meter

I raise these hands up to you,
Teacher, guru, of this song,
This melody, sung so long
Ago, before the Bo tree.

In your kind home you taught me
To chant Pali reverently,
Treat books with care, so gently,
And to daily humbly pray.

To the Three Jewels, our teachers
And all creatures, till the day
You and I must fade away,
Die and decay, chasing peace.

Trent Walker, Stanford, California 2009-2010