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BUDDHISM AND MUSIC Most Venerable Hsing Yun (Hsing Yun) Translator's Introduction Below is a translation of a popular Taiwanese Buddhist pamphlet. The author is Venerable Hsing Yun (星雲/Tinhyun), the great abbot of the famous temple Fo Guang Shan (佛光山/Fo Guang Shan) in Kaohsung (高雄/Kaohsiung) the second largest city in Taiwan . According to the introduction in this book, Venerable Tinh Van, born in 1927, ordained a monk in 1941, is a monk belonging to Zen Buddhism, the Linji school. After his ordination, he took an active part in the publication of scriptures, collaborated with Buddhist journals and at the same time founded Buddhist reform organizations, such as opening "Teaching Classes". Buddhist teachings on Sunday" create opportunities for young Buddhists to meet each other, or organize collective chanting sessions for lay Buddhists. "In 1967, Tinh Van Church started the construction of Fo Guang Shan temple in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan". This temple grew rapidly in the following decades and today includes more than two hundred other affiliated temples around the world, as well as secular schools and hospitals. "The Tinh Van Church dedicates her whole life to the cause of promoting a humane Buddhism and bringing the Buddha's teachings into people's daily lives through writing, lecturing, and mass media. Today, Tinh Van Church still continues to travel around the world to teach Dharma/Dharma". HT was born in Jiangsu 江苏/Jiangsu province, northeast of Shanghai, had been very active in Buddhism in the mainland before setting foot on the island of Taiwan in 1949. The following book was written by him in Chinese and has been written by him. It was translated into English by the International Translation Center (International Translation Center), an organization of Fo Quang Son Temple, and distributed around the world in 2014. The Vietnamese translation is based on this English version. The content of the book emphasizes the role of music and chanting in the practice and other activities of Buddhism. After attaining Enlightenment in the Uruvela grove near the town of Gaya, the Buddha had to spend several days walking to the Sarnath grove in the town of Varanasi to preach to his five former initiates about his transcendental discoveries. which I just achieved. It is also the first step to open a new direction for humanity. That direction began with footsteps on a dirt road more than two hundred kilometers but gradually became a wide, crowded and noisy boulevard, filled with pagodas, flags, bells, and statues. , music, scriptures, etc. On that boulevard there are pedestrians helping each other, and there are all kinds of vehicles, from rudimentary to modern. Is music also one of the means of transportation on that avenue? So let's take a look at the monk Tinh Van's presentation on this issue below: Table of Contents I. Music and Buddhism II. History of Buddhist Music III. Contributions of Buddhist Music IV. Buddhist Music Renewal I- Music and Buddhism Music is a means of expressing one's deepest emotions. Whether it is a sacred hymn or a prayer, they all stir up wonderful emotions in our minds. Therefore, music often plays an important role in promoting beliefs. Around the world music is widely applied in many areas of religious activities. Buddhist scriptures also often talk about the role of music. The Amitabha Sutra says that the Land of Ultimate Bliss is always resounding with songs and chants, along with many petals of mandarava (mandarava is Sanskrit, scientific name is Erythrina indica, also known as Indian Coral tree, a type of heat plant. The region is said to grow in Amitabha's Land of Ultimate Bliss/Sukhavati) gently falling from the air. H 1 Mandarava flowers and plants H 2 Mandarava flowers and plants H 3 Mandarava flowers and plants H.1-3: Flowers and mandarava plants (Erythina indica) a type of "flower" plant. E. viregata is a tree for the leaves used to wrap spring rolls, commonly found in Vietnam (photos and notes added by the translator) In the Land of Ultimate Bliss everyone can hear the songs of birds, saints and birds. rhythmically. The jade leaves sway in the breeze, creating melodious sounds, blending together to form thousands of melodies. Anyone who hears these music can feel the presence of Buddha, Dharma/Dharma and Sangha. Therefore, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas often use music to teach Dharma/Dharma to help sentient beings attain enlightenment (the author is a Zen Buddhist monk of the Rinzai school but describes the true Land of Ultimate Bliss). clever, it's hard to understand!). In Buddhist practice, Reciting sutras and expressing admiration for the qualities of the Buddhas have helped to purify the minds of countless Buddhists. In the Great Perfection of Wisdom Treatise (perhaps the author is referring to the Prajnaparamita-sutra) it is stated as follows: "If Bodhisattvas who want to purify the Buddha land must find a way to resound from that place a wonderful sound and pray that all sentient beings can hear it, so as to move their hearts to help them transform themselves. That's why music is an offering to Buddha." Furthermore, for the purpose of spreading the Dharma/Dharma widely, music has also been used on weddings, funerals and other ceremonies. That is how Buddhist music makes a place for itself in the cultural life of the masses. Master Taixu (太虛/Thai Xu, 1890-1947, was a monk who led the Buddhist reform movement in mainland China during a very difficult period) once said: "Music helps people in their lives. society together express their moods and feelings. Just hearing someone play a piece of music is enough to recognize that person's mood. In harmony, it is necessary for people to sympathize with each other in order to bring about unity. And that is also one of the important roles of music." Buddhist music has the ability to attract and create deep emotions that touch the hearts of listeners, and it is also a way of expressing the most beautiful human feelings. Chinese Buddhist music uses a variety of instruments to play during prayer and recitation. These instruments, once used in the field of practice, are considered "Dharma/Dharma instruments". Among these instruments, only the inverted bell is of Indian origin, the other instruments in traditional Chinese Buddhist music were invented in China. . Instruments such as gongs (gongs/ gongs), big bells (鐘/qing/large bells), drums (故/gu/drums), wooden fish, small cymbals (small cymbals), cymbals Large cymbals (large cymbals) and Chinese tambourines are commonly used in Buddhist and folk music. Today, Chinese Buddhist music often uses modern instruments, such as pianos or other classical European instruments. At first, it was modest, but then Buddhist music developed rapidly and was performed in temples and concert halls around the world. Today, performances of Buddhist music can be compared with concerts of Western bands. II. History of Buddhist Music Under the Maurya dynasty (317-180 BC) in India (Maurya was the first civilized dynasty in the history of India, founded by the grandfather of King Azoka/Asoka, Chandragupta. ), the great king Azoka/Asoka was very active in preserving and promoting Buddhism. During his reign, Buddhist music flourished, many musical instruments were invented such as bronze gongs, drums, flutes, horns, and horns. harp (harp/harp is a type of musical instrument with many strings. However, the discovery of musical instruments in the time of King Ashoka does not mean that these instruments were reserved for use during the holidays. Buddhism - will be explained further in the notes below). As Buddhism developed in Tibet, singing and dancing were also often performed in a number of ceremonies. In the sangha [of Tibetan Buddhism] there was a committee dedicated to music and dance called yueshen (姿神/"sacred spirit", this is Chinese, not Tibetan, the meaning of these two words is divine temperament or demeanor) means "sacred music" ("music spirit") "), and is also called xiangshen (香神, "god incense") which means "fragrance spirit"). In the Mahavairocana Sutra (The Mahavairocana Sutra, also known as the Maha-pilo-Jana, is one of the two most important texts of Tantra/Vajrayana Buddhism) the fact is stated: Each song is a mantra (mantra means sacred and mysterious mantras), each dance expresses a form of reality." The above shows that Tibetan Buddhist music has been highly developed, with many unique and specific nuances. In the important ceremonies of Tibetan Buddhism, the lamas use strange and unique instruments, such as trumpets, trumpets, horns and conch shells, long pipe trumpets. These tools are very sophisticated, look very strange and beautiful. After Buddhism was introduced to China from India, the translation work was initially based on the sutras (the Mahayana sutras in Sanskrit), because of the difference between the two languages, the recitations in Sanskrit cannot be used as such in China. Master Huijao of the Southern Dynasties (ie, the Southern and Northern Dynasties, 420-589) said the following: "Sanskrit melodies include many different tones while Chinese melodies have few tones and are simple. much simpler (Sanskrit polyphony, Chinese monophonic) If we borrowed Sanskrit melodies to recite the suttas after they were translated into Chinese, it would involve too many steps and the rhythm would be real. fast (the sound of a word in Sanskrit is often too long and complicated compared to the same but monosyllabic Chinese word). On the contrary, if using Chinese melodies to chant the sutras in Sanskrit, it must be chanted quickly because the Sanskrit sentences are too long, instead of just a few steps is enough if the sentence is Chinese (Sanskrit slurred). lo, Chinese is short because it is monophonic, so there cannot be a common melody for both languages ​​in chanting). It is for this reason that we (the Chinese) are forced to translate the sutras into Chinese, it is impossible to use Sanskrit melodies" (this is just one of the difficulties of the problem). translation only, because there are many other difficulties in the fields of grammar, grammar and especially compound words in Sanskrit.For proper nouns - names of people, places, etc. - are translated. into Chinese in two ways: transliteration or translation, or sometimes both, but it is not possible to use straight Sanskrit writing in a zigzag way. Not to mention the cases of mistranslation, moreover, Chinese pictograms therefore often do not have equivalents in very abstract and philosophical Sanskrit. This is one of the reasons why Chinese Buddhism has so many difficulties. Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese Buddhism inherited the Chinese Buddhist heritage and also shouldered the difficulties of Chinese. The direct use of Pali by Ceylon, Burma and Thailand is a huge advantage.) Because there is no tradition of chanting, temples [in China] have to borrow tunes from folk songs or court songs. National] to chant. This situation has created a unique and distinctive Chinese Buddhist music. The oldest chants of Chinese Buddhism were composed during the Cao Wei dynasty (Wei, 220-265). The son of the emperor of the Wei Dynasty (ie Cao Cao/曹操) was Cao Zhi (曹丕/Cao Fei, second son of Cao Cao) who was famous for singing and composing music very well. According to legend, one day Cao Phi was passing through the mountains of Taishan (泰山) in Shandong province (山东/Shandong) and suddenly heard from the air a chant in Sanskrit. Cao Phi was so moved by these wonderful melodies that he recorded the chant [by transliteration from Sanskrit] and called it "Yushan Fanbei" (鱼山梵呗/ "Ngu Son Pham Bai" means "Bai". model chant in Sanskrit written at Ngu Son mountain") and this is the first Buddhist chant written in Chinese [but the sound is in Sanskrit]. This chant later became the model for all Chinese Buddhist music (it turns out that Cao Phi is the father of chanting in Chinese Buddhism, which also suggests that chants in Vietnamese are also the father of chanting in Chinese Buddhism. has been transliterated from the Chinese chants with Sanskrit phonics called this Fanbei/Pham Bai). In order to explain the characteristics of Chinese Buddhist music, the documents of the great monasteries state that: "Traditional Indian chants for teaching the Dharma/Dharma are called "bei" ( The chanting of the sutras is called "zhuandu" (轉讀 / recitation, which means not interpreting the meaning but only reciting the pronunciation) ie just chanting. If brought out for collective chanting, these songs will be collectively called fanbei" (梵呗/pham bai, Pham here means Sanskrit, Bai means chant. Pham Bai means chanting in Sanskrit). The origin of this chanting may have gone back to the time of the Buddha (this is not certain. The original teaching of the Buddha was not a belief system of supplication and recitation. As was the case with the Vedas/Vedas and the Brahmins, moreover in the Buddha's time only the ancient Sanskrit language called Vedic Sanskrit was used to convey the Vedic sutras. and brahmins. Improved Sanskrit used to record Mahayana scriptures later appeared very late in the 3rd century BC during the reign of King Azoka/Asoka). In addition, in the ancient times of India there were also very popular chants called the Vedas (that is, Vedic supplications). Buddhist chants are based on models of Indian mathematics, i.e. one of the "five sciences" [of Indian civilization] (in this passage the author goes too far - if not too far). brief - don't give any details to prove). Buddhist chants of this genre are collectively known as "noble chanting". Many emperors of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589) took turns to actively promote Buddhist music. For example, Emperor Wu (Wudi/梁武帝/ Emperor Wu, 464-548) of the Liang Dynasty (Lang Dynasty or Liang Dynasty/梁朝, 502-557) was a devout Buddhist who was very passionate about Buddhist music. He wrote many famous songs such as: "Great Joy", "The Way to Ultimate Bliss" (Heavently Way), "Averting Disasters and Mistakes". (Cessation of Evil and Wrongdoing) and "Stopping the Wheel of Suffering". Although the original purpose of these songs [when they were composed] was only for educational use, their musicality was so high that they were later regarded as excellent works of art. He was also the first person to have the initiative to set up Buddhist children's choirs with songs such as "Children's joy of the Dharma Song" (Children's joy of the Dharma Song), and other transliterated songs. from Sanskrit collectively known as "Children's Fanbei chants". In addition, Emperor Wu also organized the Wuzhe dahui (無遮大會 / No Old Congress) festival, also known as the Vu Lan Festival (Ullambana Festival / Vu Lan Bon Hoi, ie "The Ceremony of Worshiping the Soul" on the full moon day of the seventh month. This ceremony was instituted by Emperor Wu in 538. Ullambana is also the name of a Mahayana sutra that exalts filial piety.) He himself borrowed this ceremony to repent and he was also the first to include Buddhist chants in the rituals of Vu Lan. The most important work he has done is to incorporate traditional Chinese music into Buddhist music. Some of the most important improvements in Buddhist lyrics and music were made during the Southern and Northern dynasties and the early Tang dynasties. Temples belonging to the Pure Land sect have created many high-value chants and prayers that can be combined with the Buddhist Canons (this seems to go too far, is it a tendency to want to make the Teachings of the Buddha? Buddha became the religion of China?). It was also around this time that Master Huiyuan (慧遠/Huiyuan, 334-416) at Mount Lu (廬山/Lushan, Jiangxi Province) was also the first to use music to teach the Dharma and promote Buddhism. More recently, a massive volume of music composed during the Tang dynasty has been discovered in Dunhuang Cave in China. These chants were originally used to interpret the sutras (the Mahayana sutras in Sanskrit), but were later translated into "local languages" and are considered to be the first Buddhist chants to borrow. borrowed the melodies of Chinese folk songs. These compositions create completely new melodies for prayers and chants. In addition, the records of songs found in Dunhuang cave above also show a way of writing music based on a new notation system that has never been seen before (unfortunately, the author did not give a few more details). details of these symbols). Before the end of the Tang dynasty, Buddhist music had completely taken on Chinese lines and achieved an unprecedented level of development. Later, during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), Buddhist musicians tended to borrow melodies from a famous collection entitled "Songs composed during the Southern and Northern Dynasties" fifth and sixth centuries). Later, during the Ming Dynasty (XIV-XVII centuries), temples and pagodas selected more than 300 folk tunes and copied them into 50 scrolls (at that time texts and scriptures were often recorded on sheets of paper). long and rolled up, but not bound in books as it is today) and collectively called "Songs proclaming of Titles of All the Honorable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas". ). Some of the best folk melodies of the time were borrowed into Buddhist music. For example, during the Song Dynasty (960-1270), the Buddhist song "A Spiritual Song" was composed by borrowing the melody of the song "A Butterfly Falls in Love". with a Flower). In addition, folk songs are often used to promote Buddhism. Thanks to that, Buddhist music became popular among the masses. Anyway, Buddhist music still seems to have not created its own distinctive and creative lines, still clinging to conservative stereotypes. After the Republic of China was established in 1912 (revolution overthrew the Qing Dynasty, marking the end of the Chinese monarchy), Buddhist music gradually lost its influence among the masses. Only a few rare monasteries continue to compose new songs. However, in 1930 at the Minnan Buddhist Seminary, founded in 1935 on the initiative of the monk Thai Xu, two monks Taixu (the Thai Xu dynasty, mentioned above) and Hongyi (弘一/Hoang) Nhat, 1880-1942) also composed a famous song "Song in praise of the Three Jewels". and call on all Buddhists to make every effort to preserve and pass on the heritage of Buddhist music. Master Taixu/Thai Hsu sees Buddhist music as an effective means of promoting the Dharma, and asserts that if it is known to use it to promote Dharma/Dharma, it will certainly contribute to many rich and diverse for teaching. His co-teacher, Hongyi/Hoang Nhat, before ordained as a monk, was an adept musician who was loved by many. Ten of his folk Buddhist songs were selected for an album titled "Qingliang Collection" (Qingliang/清涼/Thanh Luong, meaning purity). However, at that time few people were fortunate enough to know Buddhist music, this [social] situation suffocated an entire popular music scene. In more recent years, Comparative fanbei (transliterated from Sanskrit) songs and chants were allowed to spread more widely, thereby sparking an entire Buddhist music movement. What an encouraging sign after centuries of silence (did the author mean "decades" instead of "centuries"?). During the 1950s, with the help of musicians such as Yang Yonpu, Li Zhonghe and Wu Juche, many temples became more active in composing new songs. A collection of these songs, titled Fo Guang Hymns (Fo Guang Hymns), was released and disseminated by Fo Guang Shan (Fo Guang Shan). The above efforts have spurred many people to enter this field. In 1957 under my direction, "Ilan Buddhist Chanting Association" s Youth Choir) has done many more music episodes. We released six volumes, including more than twenty articles in total. This is the first time such a work has been carried out in the life of Buddhists, and has opened a new era in the history of Buddhist music development. However, there are also many Buddhist dignitaries who disagree with these efforts. Despite being criticized, I still believe that the above works are important for the dissemination of Buddhism, and therefore I am undeterred by such criticism. Persistence has brought me a well-deserved reward, in 1979, 1990, 1992 and 1995, our choir was invited to perform at the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall and the Auditorium. National Concert Hall in Taipei (Taipei's National Concert Hall). These performances, accompanied by dance, traditional songs, and songs praising the Dharma/Dharma, marked the first time that Buddhist chants were performed in public places in Taiwan. In addition, a performance with the theme: "Paying Homage to the Buddhas of the ten Directions: Buddhist Song and Dance" (Paying Homage to the Buddhas of the ten Directions: Buddhist Song and Dance) was performed during a festival about Traditional art in Taipei. It was also the first time that Buddhist fanbei chants (or chants translated from Sanskrit) were performed alongside modern Western music, and also traditional Chinese music, and dances. These efforts have given Buddhist music a place in society, and have also been endorsed and commended by all Buddhist sects and schools. III. Contributions of Buddhist Music Songs are often meant to convey teachings, whereas fanbei chants (Pham Bai, or chants translated from Sanskrit) are intended only to create soothing sounds and rhythmically, praising the important Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Buddhists see these chants as a means of expressing their enthusiasm with rhythmic rhythms. For example, the chants "Bhaisajyaguru Gatha" (Reciting Medicine Buddha, the Sanskrit word gatha means "prayer" or "sacred song"/Hymn), "Avalokitesvara Gatha" (Recitation) Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) to express his vows, along with other hymns of the same genre, all contributed to embellishing the legacy of Chinese Buddhist scriptures. These sacred chants and songs are sung on festive occasions as offerings to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or to invoke them to appear to us. For example, the chants "Incence Offering Prayer", the chant "Incene Prayer for Upholding the Precepts" and the chant "Offering offerings to the gods in heaven" (Prayer for Offerings Made to Heavenly Beings) are ways of expressing and expressing one's dignity and reverence. Fanbei chants are a unique invention in the field of traditional music, bringing listeners relaxation, serenity and rhythm, but no less solemnity and solemnity. Fanbei chants contain five moral qualities: honesty, elegance, transparency, profound and calm. The Ten Recitations Vinaya says that if you regularly listen to fanbei chants, you will gain five benefits: less physical fatigue, less confusion and absent-mindedness, and less distractions. mental dullness, ethereal voice, and fluency of speech (these qualities are secondary and dependent on the path to liberation, the true cultivator must look to further goals). It is reported in the Record of the Buddhist Schools in India and Southern Asia that chanting fanbei chants can bring about the following six qualities: insight gain the rich and profound moral qualities of the Buddha, understand the Dharma/Dharma intuitively, reduce negative and bad speech, Helps to keep breathing pure and fresh, brings a mind free of anxiety and fear, helps to increase health. Buddhist fanbei chants play an important role in daily life, in penitential ceremonies as well as in Dharma/Dharma preaching. Devoted Buddhists should also recite fanbei chants, such as the Meal Offering Mantra and Meal Completion Mantra, or dedicate one's merit to the Buddhas and all sentient beings in the six realms of samsara. During the penitential ceremonies, chants will be sung to guide the attending Buddhists to read along. During the sutra lectures, first of all, one must recite and beg the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to appear to witness. it is a way of creating solemnity and adding dignity and reverence to the lecture. Before the ceremony or lecture is over, the chant "Dedication of merit" should be recited to offer all sentient beings what they deserve. Through that chant, participants must also chant prayers for all sentient beings to get rid of suffering in order to bring happiness to themselves. Buddhist fanbei chants do not require the listener or the chanter to reveal or evoke sublime emotions. The purpose is quite the opposite, it is just a way of preserving the energy of emotions more fully, helping to calm the mind, reduce cravings, bring clarity to the mind, help it see its own true nature. The Flower Adornment Sutra (Does the author mean the Avatamsaka Sutra or the Lotus Sutra) and the Lotus Sutra (Lotus Sutra / Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra) indicate that if you want to perform a ritual or teach. Dharma/Dharma must use "music" or "singing songs of Dharma/Dharma praise with a joyful heart". So fanbei chants have always played an important role in Dharma/Dharma teaching. Fanbei music (the chanting of sutras translated from Sanskrit) has influenced and contributed to China's cultural heritage through many empires and dynasties (China was at times "unified", with sometimes divided into different "countries" or "empires")). publishing or disseminating folk music. Anyway, between the two dynasties, the Sui dynasty (Sui dynasty, 581-618) and the Tang dynasty (Tang dynasty, 619-907), the trade between the two regions of West and East China was expanded, thanks to which the music of the regions The far west and the north are brought into the eastern regions with more densely populated areas. In addition, the war has also lost a lot of China's traditional musical heritage. This situation has led to a new stage of creativity with many different genres of music. After the decline of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), artists in each locality developed their own music. People in a free society established music associations, including setting up offices and auditoriums as venues for performances. As a result, under the Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties (1277-1367), Buddhism gradually developed and popularized a new method of teaching the Dharma/Dharma, fanbei chants were added to the curriculum. This teaching method is called "singing lecture technique". Such lectures are very dynamic, attracting many people. The documents found in Dunhuang cave have mentioned the results of the teaching movement in the above way. In these documents, there is also a record of a system of symbols, established centuries ago by monks, to instruct Buddhists how to chant. These documents also mention solemn ceremonies including dances, concerts, rituals of offering sacrifices, Bringing up the above event is to help us look back on our position and direction on the path of practice to see if it is in accordance with the Buddha's Teaching or not? Following any movement in the phenomenal world takes us on an endless adventure. Being aware of that will help us to look deeply into the Teachings of the Buddha and deeply into our own consciousness, because only there are two places where we can find a great "silence". only a real "stop". Today the above documents [in Dunhuang cave] are considered invaluable historical relics of Chinese literature, and are also the most powerful evidences of the contribution of Buddhism to the Chinese civilization. that culture. Looking through the close combination of traditional Chinese music and Buddhist music, we will see that temples are the centers for the preservation and dissemination of traditional national songs (ballads). During the Song dynasty (Song dynaty, 960-1279), an official in the court, Cheng Mingdao (成明到/Cheng Mingdao), a famous scholar, was attending a ceremony at Guan Yunmen temple. (管雲門/Guan Yunmen) and was listening to the orchestra with a variety of classical instruments, the drum bell rang loudly, suddenly felt strangely excited, and shouted: "Ah! So the music of all three dynasties is also here" ("all three dynasties" here mean the whole past of the country. Loudness and pretentiousness are also characteristic of Chinese culture. country, whereas Buddhism is always just a deep silence. Greed, fraud, noise and arrogance in no way reflect the contributions of Buddhism to any particular culture or society.) In the pre-modern period (in the original word pre-modern) of China (it is not clear what period in Chinese history the author is referring to?) officials in the government in addition to Administrative management also has to learn more about other areas, including traditional Chinese music. This shows that the above utterances of Cheng Mingdao / Thanh Minh Dao carry a lot of meaning (I think being honest and ethical is much more urgent and useful than the knowledge of traditional music for a young person. government officials, whether under any institution or any government). The contributions of Buddhist music can be visualized through the following legend about a famous Buddhist musician. In the Buddha's time there was a monk named Pathaka who had a beautiful voice that could touch even wild animals. One day King Prasenajit (known in Chinese scriptures as King Pasanna, one of the kings of Kosala in the time of the Buddha) led an army to conquer Anga (a small country of ancient India) (Anga was one of the 16 kingdoms in the Buddha's time, located in the southern part of the Ganges valley, bordering the Magadha/Maditaka empire). When the army passed Jetavana monastery (Ky Vien, the Buddha often stopped and preached at this monastery during the last 20 years of his life. Jetavana monastery is often mentioned in many suttas, located near the town of Shravasti/Sāvatthi, in the territory of Kosala, present-day Utar Pradesh) and while [in the monastery] the monk Pathaka was also singing, the horses [in the religion] Quan] was mesmerized by the voice and stopped going forward. King Prasenajit was also touched by the wonderful melody of [Pathaka's] singing, so he decided to stop the advance and ordered to return to the capital. IV. Buddhist Music Reform After coming to Taiwan in 1949, I think the most urgent work I should do is to improve the songs used to teach Dharma/Dharma. Therefore, on the one hand, I try to highlight the role of Buddhist music, on the other hand, I advocate that the songs should be simplified so that everyone can understand, and at the same time should borrow the melodies in folk music. time and modern day. My dream is how to have as many Buddhist songs that can touch people's hearts, but also easy to play and easy to sing. In that vein, I wrote the lyrics for many Buddhist songs and led the Ilan Buddhist Children's Choir, which was first invited to perform on Minben radio in 1954. In addition, I continued to improve the songs. Dharma/Dharma recitations are intended to give a stronger foothold to these chants in all Buddhist activities. At first my view was heavily criticized, to the point that many thought it would lead to the destruction of Buddhism. But in the end, the above policies have brought results. The charm of music has the ability to unite many people through Buddhist groups, it is a way for people to be able to attend more often the lectures to improve their spiritual life. Moreover, the above efforts have also encouraged young talents to participate more actively in Buddhist activities. Among these can be mentioned the case of two monks, Tzu Hui and Tzu Jung, who both dedicated themselves to Buddhism and made many important contributions. Although there are still many difficulties and obstacles, I am determined to reform Buddhist music. The reason why I wish to renew Buddhist music is to transform society and promote a method that can purify people's hearts and minds in today's generation. Life in modern societies is exhausting and stressful. Many people have not been able to find a spiritual refuge and have lost themselves. But the pure tones of Buddhist music can also create a highly transcendent form mentioned in the scriptures, making the mind richer and more powerful. The resonance in Buddhist music is strong but not boiling, mellow but not weak, pure but not arid, quiet but not weak, able to purify the listener's mind. Using music to teach the Dharma and liberate sentient beings is a means for us to transcend time and space (music can only evoke religious emotions but not wisdom and enlightenment). Feelings "beyond time and space" are just strong vibrations of the "interesting" genre created by "feelings". arises in consciousness through the sense organ, the ear, when this organ is exposed to sound waves from the external environment. If there are "pleasant" sounds, there are also "annoying" or "neutral" or completely "unemotional" sounds, such as in the case of the "buffalo harp", or in the case of a person Born deaf and mute, the world is a vast silence, this person has no idea or feeling about sound at all. All of the above sensory and non-sensual types of sound depend on each individual's karma), and rise above all cultural and national differences (which is also not entirely true, for example). like the same people in the same country, but people in the south like to listen to echoes, people in the north like to listen to cheo and quan ho, People in the Central region are more emotional when they hear the sentences of the second and the second, not to mention the factors of age, men and women, education, culture, ethnicity... also affect feelings. "pleasant", "displeasure" or "neutral" arise in the mind. In more general terms, sound is just conditions of the external environment, emotions are related to karma, that is, the cause lies deep within the consciousness of each individual.) Music can contribute to the promotion of Buddhism, spreading the wisdom and compassion of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas to every corner of the planet. Modern Buddhist music can bring harmony to daily life, purify, transform and improve the mind making emotions more in tune with Dharma/Dharma. Today's journalism and communication technology are always improving, so we should also take advantage of these effective means to bring Buddhist music to as many people as possible. We should borrow music to erase cultural, custom and linguistic boundaries. Traditional instruments, video media, electronic organs, pianos and other instruments can help us create melodies that work for everyone in the world (this can be just a "dream" reflects the enthusiasm of the author.As mentioned above the feeling of "interesting" depends on the nature, temperament, education, age of each individual, more generally is culture, race, tradition..., so music can appeal to a large number of people but cannot conquer everyone). The following are five guiding principles for the purpose of modernizing and popularizing Buddhist music in the future: - Buddhist music should not be limited to the activities of temples, but must be performed first. general public. - Buddhist music must go beyond chanting and prayer. The artist must constantly compose new songs. - Music must be used to spread Buddhism, because music is a means that can bring many beings closer to Buddhism (most other religions also make use of this skillful means). - Buddhists must form bands, choirs, ensembles, traditional bands, as well as other organizations that contribute to the promotion and teaching of Dharma/Dharma through music. because the disparity between the two is too great) In addition to stipulating technical standards and melodies for Buddhist music used on festive occasions, we also have to reconcile the formality of the rituals. Buddhist sacred chant with some tunes of modern music today to renew and elevate Buddhist music to a higher level. Some Translator's Notes During the night, leaving his home and palace, the prince Siddhartha/Siddatta crept crept past the place where the musicians and dancers were lying tiredly in the halls. the posture is rude, saliva flows from the mouth, the flute is scattered. After becoming a Buddha, the former prince made a number of precepts regulating the life of his disciples, of which the seventh precept was as follows: "Nacca gīta vādita visukadassanā mālā gandha vilepana dhārana mandana vibhūsanaṭṭhānā veramaṇi sikkhāpadaṃ samādhiyāmi", "I must not be fond of music, singing, dancing, fragrant flowers, jewelry and other ornaments". However, in the above article, monk Hsing Yun/Tinh Vân has highlighted the role of music in practicing, promoting and "teaching" Dharma/Dharma. So how to understand this problem? Is music mentioned in the Teachings of the Buddha? What is its role and place in the context of Buddhism today? In the Tripitaka, there is no mention of music, dance, or chanting, but only necessarily pointing out the suffering nature of the phenomenal world and offering a Way to help sentient beings get out of that world. That Path is very practical, direct and specific, but from a certain point of view, it is also very simple, similar to a dirt road with the bare footprints of a Buddha imprinted on the dust of the road. But sometimes we don't see those footprints to follow, but just go around adorning and caring for the Path, which are fragrant flowers, strange grass, drums, trumpets, bells, singing, chanting, making us happy. it's getting louder and more complicated. People are very diverse, creating for themselves a life with many demands and an extremely volatile society. We think that law, progress, political and religious institutions can arrange life and regulate society, but in fact, these things create more and more problems for people. and society only. According to the Buddha's Teaching, that trouble of the world and of life in general does not originate from the outside but is the result arising from the problems within the human mind. That troubled mind lurks inside a body and behind the five sense organs. Consciousness through the five senses requires too much, which is the root cause of the world becoming chaotic because it does not meet the demands of the human mind. Music or pleasant sounds in general is just one of those requirements of the hearing and the mind. We prefer to hear the sound of a piano rather than a gun, a sweet word to a curse, etc. Expanding the field of hearing, we find that the world is extremely noisy: newspapers, television, electricity. dialogue, exhortations, propaganda, etc. If we look at the other senses, it is the same, the more we expand, the more we realize that this world is extremely complex. Returning to the above article, music causes emotions in the mind, which means that it belongs to the psychological field. Therefore, if we want to understand and determine the place and role of music in the Teachings of the Buddha, we must put it and analyze it in the field of Buddhist psychology. Buddhist understanding consists of six categories: five arising from the five senses and one from the mind. Again, if you want to understand Buddhism, especially Buddhist psychology, one must always keep in mind a very important concept that the mind is a sense similar to the other senses. The object of perception of the eye is color, form, movement..., the object of perception of the ear is sound, sound, etc., The perceived objects of the mind are "pleasure", "displeasure" or "neutral" sensations through the medium of the pentagon as well as what appears within the mind, i.e. within itself. All the above sensations of the five senses and the mind are called "vedana". The word vedana is Pali and Sanskrit, Chinese scriptures call it "feeling" or "feeling", in English it is "feeling" or "sensation", which can be translated into Vietnamese as "feeling" or "feeling". feel". Anyway, all these words are temporary translations because they do not accurately reflect the meaning of the word "vedana" in Buddhist scriptures. "Vedana" is a very broad term, can be understood as a perception or perception through all six senses, the five senses and the mind. We all know what the perceived objects of the pentagon are, especially for the mind, in addition to the "pleasure", "discomfort" or "neutral" sensations appearing through the medium of the pentagon, it is It can also feel the "phenomenons" or "mental artifacts" that appear from within it, in other words, the mind can perceive the mind itself, similar to seeing into a mirror, the eye sees itself in the mirror. In the case under discussion is the "perception of sound" through the organ of hearing, the ear. The sounds can be Buddhist music, chanting, laughter, crying, gunfire, bombs, etc. At this point we can determine what music or sound is in general: it is the knowledge of the mind through the organ of hearing, which is one of the six that emerges from the six senses. sense. If we want to understand what sensation or vedana or understanding of the six senses is, this concept must be put in its place within another, broader concept, Panca-Khandha, that is, the concept of the "Five things." Compounding" - the Chinese scriptures call it "the Five Aggregates" - creates an individual. The original meaning of the Pali word khandha is a mass, a heap, or a bundle. The word aggregate (蘊) in Chinese means to store, to collect. Western languages ​​translate the word khanda as aggregate, which means an aggregation or composition. In short, an individual human being according to Buddhism is a connection between the five "composites", Each "composition" itself is also composed of many other things that come together to create it. Vedana/feeling is the second of the five constituents. The entire five components are: 1- The first composite is "Form" ie "Body"/"Rupa", which is the material components of an individual, Chinese scriptures call it "Form" ". 2- The second component is "Feeling" ie the sensations mentioned above, that is the perception or perception of the pentagons when in contact with their objects in the external environment: images, colors to the eyes, sounds to the ears, etc., especially for the sixth sense, the mind, which perceives or perceives the signals put into the brain by the pentagons, such as signals of color, shape, sound, etc., These sensations cause three types of "pleasure", "displeasure" or "neutrality" within the mind. As for the mind, it perceives both the signals arising from the pentagons transmitted within it and at the same time it also perceives phenomena or mental artifacts appearing within itself, and the This perception will also create three types of "pleasure", "discomfort" or "neutrality" above, such as the mind "recalling" a certain funny story, it feels the "pleasure". pleasure", or conversely if it is a sad story, it feels "discomfort". In summary, the role of the second component is the perception of an individual's mind through the hexagon. This composition is relatively simple because its role ends after the generation of three forms" amusing", unpleasant" and "neutral". Things will get much more complicated starting from the third composition. 3- The third component is the "mental signs" ie the ability "Perception" / "Sanna", Western languages ​​translate this word as Perception, Notion, Conception, Cognition..., Chinese scriptures. language called Thought. It is the mind's ability to identify or identify something or an event based on what it has experienced or learned before, such as the eye perceives or sees a person. form, then through that perception the mind recognizes or determines whether this is a "woman", a "man" or a "baby", etc., or the ear senses or hears a sound. then the mind determines or perceives this as " For example, when you hear someone's laughter, you can immediately determine that this is the "ridiculous" laughter of someone you have "hated" for a long time, making you "angry" and want to find a way to "revenge". or in other cases when hearing bells, muffled chanting, feeling "peaceful", "serene", both cases are karmic factors or factors, leading to emotions and feelings. other volitions, which may manifest in the body by word or deed. All these volitions, words, and actions are the cause of new kamma. The fourth composition above is extremely complex, because the forms of expression are the result of the connection and interaction between what the mind receives from the pentagon and the past karmas that persist within. in itself. As a result of such expression or association, "thoughts", "feelings" and "attentions" appear in the mind, generally "mental artifacts". From a simpler perspective, it is an individual's habitual reactions in the form of thought, emotion or intention to what the individual perceives through the second component, perception. knowable through the third composition and expressed through the fourth. Such reactions are usually automatic, almost unconscious for an ordinary person, only a skilled meditator can recognize and analyze the sequential progression of the mental processes. lead to the above reactions. To borrow the story of a man who was hit by an arrow in the Sallatha Sutta (Sutta on Arrows, Samyutta Nikaya, SN 36. 6) to explain more about the four components above. This person feels something deep into his skin (first rupa/body composition); that contact leads to the perception of pain/discomfort within the mind (the second component vedana/feeling); this person perceives that the object stuck in his skin is an arrow (the third component sanna/perception), this person wonders, gets angry, hates... (the fourth component samkhara/creation factor) karma) 5- The fifth component is "Consciousness"/"Vinnana", which is the collection, admission and storage of all that arises from the above four components, and at the same time plays the role of a " subject" stands to "know" such things based on a distinction called "dualism". (dualism) consists of two opposing forms: one is the "subject" of knowledge and the other is the "object" to be understood. This knowledge includes six forms: visual, auditory, olfactory, taste, tactile, and mental knowledge (discussed above). The synthesis of these six forms of knowledge is called vinnana/mind and its dualistic functioning is often identified as "me" or "self", according to monotheistic religions, the That act is a permanent and immutable "soul". This imagination and misconception - that "me", "self" or "soul" contains a permanent, unchanging and very real existence - is the most profound source of suffering for each individual, by extension all of humanity. Let's return to the story of the person who was hit by the arrow above. This person, after being aware of the pain caused by the arrow, "finds a way to resist that pain and is haunted by his stubborn resistance, this person may get angry, complain , resentment, grief, chest beating, panic, is similar to getting a second arrow shot in the heart, or this person may also think that the pain is only physical, there is no no pain occurs in the mind" (excerpt from the above Sallatha Sutta). The second arrow arising from the fifth compound is consciousness/vinnana. The following is a specific image that summarizes the concept of the operation of the five components that make up an individual. Let's imagine a house with five windows, the room consists of walls, roof, trusses representing the body/rupa, Five windows are the five senses that help the house to contact the outside world. What enters through five windows can be "enjoyable", "unpleasant" or "neutral", such as the chirping of birds in the yard through the window bringing enjoyment in the house, the sound of arguments. Fighting or fighting in the street brings discomfort, the rustling of branches and leaves in the garden causes neither pleasure nor discomfort. These three types of feelings create the /vedana feeling composition, which speaks to the vibrancy inside the house. The statements: this is the sound of birds, this is the sound of quarreling, this is the rustling of branches and leaves are mental manifestations, i.e. the third component is perception/sanna. Birds create a joyful atmosphere in the house, quarrels create tension and frustration, wanting to stick their heads out the window to scold people on the street, is the fourth compound samkhara/attention. The stench that enters the house causing the olfactory windows to be closed, or the dawn to come in, the visual windows to be opened wide to allow light to fill the house, etc., are reactions arising from the operation of the mind. consciousness/vinnana is the fifth compound. At this point, we think we have also identified the position and role of music or sound in general for an individual: that is, the sound waves that pass through the auditory window. bring enjoyment (vedana), those sounds can be Buddhist music (sanna), create sacred emotions (samkhara), those sacred emotions motivate us to assimilate those sounds with some miracle, such as liberation (vinnana), But actually that is not true Liberation but only the impact brought from the operation of the mind to the "sacred" sounds entering the "window" of hearing only. From the above point of view, Buddhist music is just a skillful means with all its benefits and limitations, that is, karmic factors, even if they are positive, create Good karma too. Buddhist music is the conditions outside the mind, can create positive factors inside the mind, but not the mind. Any form of practice directed outside the mind is not in accord with the Teachings of the Buddha. Buddhist practice is to look inward to the mental compound or vinnana to analyze, understand, and transform it. Returning to monk Tinh Van's article above, it is very clear that Buddhist music, including chanting, are only skillful means, and monk Tinh Van seems to have affirmed this. this, because the content of the article also revolves around using music to promote and "teach" the Dharma. Most other faiths also use music as a skillful means of disseminating their beliefs. There are some similarities between art and religion in general, evoking feelings of sensitivity, depth, and subtlety. Those emotions or vibrations appear to artists, philosophers, poets, writers... creating inspirations to help them create. If the inspirations are spiritual, their compositions will be directed to the religious domain. Conversely, if those inspirations appear to a spiritual person, it will turn them into an artist and their compositions will also lean more towards artistic aspects. If there are many artists ordained, there are also many monks doing the work of artists, typically the musician monk Tinh Van, the author of the article above. Literature, poetry, music, painting, architecture, sculpture, dance, drama, etc. have achieved very high achievements in the field of religion. The sacred symphonies of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, the statues and paintings of Michel Ange, the massive synagogues with towering bell towers pointing straight up to the sky, or the sound of bells, muzzles, etc. chanting under the mossy low roofs of pagodas, hidden in a dark landscape..., All show a certain interaction and interference between the two emotions of belief and art in the mind of the monk as well as the artist. Do they both love the "beauty" of the world and within themselves? Anyway, that love is only directed at "perfection" in the field of artistic emotion, bringing the artist closer to religion and the practitioner closer to art. The seven notes - Ut, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La and Si - were instituted in the 11th century by an Italian Christian priest to record the order of hymns in the synagogue, before when applied to popular music. In short, Buddhist practitioners must see that subtle aspect in both the artistic and religious fields. Art is just a means, not a release. A monk can write calligraphy, write poetry, draw pictures, sing songs, chant, attend tea ceremonies with elaborate rituals, but must understand that liberation is not in these things but in end of the road. Here are a few more minor notes regarding some of the details in the monk Tinh Van's writings. Before talking about the role of Buddhist music in today's context, this monk said that in the Land of Ultimate Bliss resounds with songs, chants, and birdsong, along with thousands of petals of mandarava flowers. that color glows - falling from the air, the golden and jade branches swaying in the wind creating sounds that blend together to create wonderful melodies. The above description of the realm of Ultimate Bliss shows many things that are "absurd" if not too "honest" and " a worm on a leaf or a dead flower petal, maybe it can bring me a little vibration and sadness. Indeed, impermanence also has its "attractive" aspects, such as the innocent face of a child, the grace of a young woman, the contemplative eyes of an old man, the call to baby. of a mother, or a chant or a love song... can also be "beauties" in this world. Isn't that why everyone is afraid of death, no matter what religion they follow? From a deeper perspective, Ultimate Bliss or Heaven are just "mental artifacts", reflecting the deeper impulses of the instincts. We find ways to believe that Ultimate Bliss and Heaven are the happiest places, But from the bottom of my heart, I want to live longer in this world. That paradox makes on the one hand, we chant continuously to strengthen our faith and then we will be saved, on the other hand, we are afraid and panic every time we feel unwell, afraid of falling ill. damn it. The Buddha's Teaching does not expose us to any such paradox, nor does it make any promises or inducements, but necessarily only offers methods to help us discern our own nature. own substance and the world, in order to find a way out for themselves. In addition, in the above article, monk Tinh Van also said that many musical instruments were invented in the era of King Azoka/Asoka, that is, in the 3rd century BC. But that does not mean that these tools are used exclusively for the performance of Buddhist rituals. The Buddha's teachings in religious form appeared only many centuries after the time of King Ashoka. Furthermore, the major and most important religions throughout the history of Indian society were the Vedic and Brahmin religions before becoming Hindu. On that line of history, the Buddha's Teaching has gone through many periods of high development, but it cannot match the popular religions mentioned above. During the reign of King Ashoka - about two centuries after the Buddha's death - the Buddha's Teachings still retain a certain amount of truthfulness. The third Dharma assembly conference organized by this king was not intended to regulate the worship and chanting. In the summaries of the conferences, only doctrinal issues were raised. Music and chanting only appeared many centuries later as skillful means when the Buddha's Teachings turned into a religion. Coming back to reality in today's context, we will notice that some temples often organize charity meals and musical performances - with songs with a "vibrant" rhythm that does not exist. What is very Buddhist - to raise funds for the temple. So what do we think of these activities? When leaving the palace, Prince Siddhartha had to crept up so as not to wake up the musicians and dancers who were lying asleep. But today with the open spirit of Mahayana we must and should also joyfully go to the temple to join with other Buddhists to listen to singing and clapping, It is a way to bring Buddhists closer together and is also a means for the temple to live in order to preserve the Dharma, even if it is only in mass forms. The most important thing is that behind these colorful forms, monks as well as lay people must skillfully help each other to study together to follow in the Buddha's footsteps seriously, that is the way to preserve it. The Dharma lasts longer, because the means, no matter how skillful, will sooner or later disappear. END=NAM MO SHAYAMUNI BUDDHA.( 3 TIMES ). WORLD VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST ORDER=BUDDHIST DHARMA WHEEL GOLDEN MONASTERY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.AUSTRALIA,SYDNEY.16/2/2023.VIETNAMESE TRANSLATE ENGLISH BY=VIETNAMESE BUDDHIST NUN=THE WOMEN OF THE SAKYA CLAN CHAN TANH.