The Buddhist Hour Radio Broadcast Archives
The Buddhist Hour
Radio Broadcast Script 247
for Sunday 20 October 2002
This
script is entitled: How Buddha Dhamma Chanting Develops Your Practice
Glossary:
chant: The word ‘chant’
is both a noun and a verb, also (now Scottish) chaunt, compared with
the late 17th Century, old and modern French verb, ‘with chant’
which is derived from the Latin, ‘cantum’. The word ‘chant’
is defined as: 1.’ a song; singing’ from the late 17th
Century. 2. ‘in Music, a short musical passage in two or more
phrases each with a reciting note to which any number of syllables
may be sung for singing unmetrical words; a psalm, canticle, etc. so
sung’ in the late 18th century. 3. ‘a measured monotonous
song, a musical recitation of words; a singsong intonation in talk’
from the 19th Century.
confidence: firm trust; reliance,
faith; source of trust; assured expectation; the state of feeling
certain.
dhamma: literally the 'bearer', constitution (or
nature of a thing), norm, law, doctrine, quality, thing, object of
mind, phenomenon. In all these meanings the word dhamma is to be met
with in the texts. The Dhamma as the liberating law discovered and
taught by the Buddha.
faith: confidence, reliance, belief
especially without evidence or proof; belief based on testimony or
authority; what is or should be believed; a system of firmly held
beliefs or principles; a religion, belief in the doctrines of a
religion, especially such as affects character or conduct; the
spiritual apprehension of divine truth or intangible
realities.
hymn: to praise in song; to worship by singing a
hymn.
saddha (Pali): faith, confidence; saddha is
well-established confidence or faith in the Three Jewels (ti-ratana);
namely the Buddha, that Dhamma and the Sangha. Saddha is the leader
of the sobhana cetasikas. Persons without saddha cannot acquire good
merit.
tacit: making no sound; saying nothing; still:
unspoken; silent; not expressed or declared openly, but
implied.
veneration: a venerating or being venerated; a
feeling of deep respect and reverence; an act showing this.
Buddha Dhamma Chanting has to be done with saddha
(confidence).
Before you commence Buddha Dhamma
chanting:
clean the chanting area thoroughly;
do offerings
on the altar;
wash face, hands, feet and rinse mouth;
dress in
white or approved Buddha robe colour;
do not wear shoes of any
sort;
bow three times to the images.
Buddha Dhamma chanting
is only to be performed by persons with saddha (confidence). Please
refer to Abhidhamma Class No. 17 paper on saddha, Chan Academy
Australia's Local Area Network 2 file reference:
i:\abhi017 or at
www.bddronline.net.au, BDDR Vol. 12 No. 5.
At Chan Academy
Australia, the Abhidhamma (higher dhamma) is taught each Tuesday.
Members are encouraged to rote learn the cittas (consciousnesses) and
cetasikas (mental factors) by regular chanting.
Abhidhamma
students have chanted matrices of citta in order to learn them for
many centuries.
In the 6th Century B.C. the Buddha's teachings
were committed to memory by chanting them regularly. It was not until
more than 500 years later that the Buddha's teachings were written
down in the Pali language.
Matrceta, who lived in India in the
1st Century A.D, composed a veneration to the Buddha.
For
those like Matrceta, who have saddha, Venerable S. Dhammika (1989)
says that:
“The joyful faith and appreciation that is
evoked on recollecting the Buddha's personality and singing his
praise gives such people the strength they need to walk the
Path.”
Chanting words that express devotion to the Buddha
and invite reflection on his teachings “is meant to awaken our
faith. Matrceta recognised as did the Lord himself that faith has the
power to arouse a tremendous amount of positive zeal and energy. Long
before we have directly experienced it, faith keeps our eyes fixed
firmly on the goal. When we stumble and fall, faith picks us up; when
doubt causes us to falter, it urges us on; and when we get
side-tracked, it brings us back to the Path. Without faith in the
Buddha and the efficacy of his Dharma we would never even bother to
try to put the Teachings into practice.”
The positive
zeal and energy that come with faith evoke a sense of personal
empowerment. Venerable Dhammasami (1999) says:
“Regular
chanting gives us confidence, joy and satisfaction, and increases
devotion within us. This devotion is really a power. It is called the
Power of Devotion (saddhabala). It energises our life in
general.”
When you chant on a daily basis your voice
joins the voices of hundreds of millions of fellow Buddha Dhamma
practitioners throughout the world, and also joins the chanting of
the billions of the devas and devatas in the heaven worlds.
The
faith that is awakened is called saddha in Pali. Saddha means both
faith and confidence. Saddha is the first of the 19 sobhana sadharana
cetasikas or beautiful mental concomitants that associate with all
karmically wholesome consciousnesses.
The Buddha taught that
faith is “reasoned and rooted in understanding”. It is
through wisdom and understanding that “faith becomes an inner
certainty and firm conviction based on one’s own experience”
(Nyanatiloka, 1988). Faith is the seed “of all wholesome states
because… it inspires the mind with confidence… and
determination… for ‘launching out’…to cross the
flood of samsara.” (Nyanatiloka, 1988).
Pali is the
international language of Buddha Dhamma chanting. Chanting,
especially in the original Pali language, is a powerful method for
learning Buddha Dhamma and is used by practitioners all over the
world.
Even today, in Buddhist countries all over the world,
the regular chanting of the discourses helps in the recollection and
practice of Buddha Dhamma. School children in Thailand chant verses
composed in Thai in respect for the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, Parents
and Teachers (the Five Treasures). In monasteries all over the world,
Suttas are committed to memory by regular chanting.
Pali
chanting is a universal form of communication among Buddhists,
providing an important international link. For example, when in
Thailand for the conference of the 21st World Fellowship of Buddhists
(WFB) held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 5 to 10 December, 2000, our
Teacher and Members visited a nearby Buddhist Temple in the morning
while the Monks were having breakfast. They asked for permission to
make offerings. They offered flowers at the Buddha altar, and then
chanted in Pali. As the chanting was in Pali, all the Monks and lay
persons immediately understood what they were doing.
Our
Buddha Dhamma practice is greatly improved and strengthened by daily
chanting.
Chanting of Suttas can provide healing and
protection. For example, “paritta chanting” is the recital
of the Suttas for the blessing and protection of the devotees. It is
usually done in the Pali language.
Venerable Dhammananda,
1999, explains that chanting a protective Sutta shields us “from
various forms of evil spirits, misfortune, sickness and influence of
the planetary systems as well as instilling confidence in the mind”.
Venerable S. Dhammika, 1989, writes that “Even the
Buddha asked Venerable Cunda to chant…[the] Bojjhanga Sutta when
He was ill. He himself did the chanting of the Bojjhanga Sutta when
his senior disciples, Venerable Maha Kassapa and Venerable Maha
Moggallana, were sick. These are the kinds of Suttas that have both
instructions for meditation practice and healing power. Karaniyametta
Sutta has these same natures: instruction for daily practice to
develop our spiritual benefit and to ward off the evils.”
Venerable S. Dhammika (1989) gives another reason to chant,
“when we have a deep admiration for someone it is natural to try
to emulate him… The receptive mind will transform admiration
into action.”
As Venerable Dhammasami (1999) says,
“Buddhist chanting serves as a reminder of the practice we need
to follow in daily life.”
Even the action of chanting is
a positive one. Here, by focusing on the teachings of the Buddha or
the qualities of the Buddha, one has Right Thought, Right Speech and
Right Action. Persons who concentrate well when chanting are fully
occupied in wholesome action in Body, Speech and Mind. There is no
room for unwholesome thoughts, speech or action. The factors of Right
Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration are also present,
and as a result of so many factors of the Noble Eightfold Path being
present, such persons make much merit when chanting.
Chanting
may also be used to benefit others. The chant may be an offering to
the devas and devatas. The vibrant sound of chanting creates a
pleasing atmosphere to the beings within mind range. Devas come to
hear the chanting and by offering the chanting to them, the
practitioner may gain much merit. If chanting is regularly performed
in a temple for the benefit of devas and devatas they will grant
access to teachings, can be protective guardians of the temple and
offer many other blessings.
By chanting the Metta Sutta (the
discourse on loving-kindness), we may also send loving-kindness to
other beings: that they may be free from hatred, free from hurting
others, free from harming others, trouble-free in body in mind and
that they may preserve their own happiness. The merits made by
chanting can be transferred to many other beings. This mindful
direction of merits can help numerous beings to get to know the path,
realise the path and follow the path of Buddha Dhamma.
It is
important to chant in the correct way. The Buddha instructed:
Bhikkhus, there are these five dangers when Dhamma is chanted with a
long, singing sound:
He is pleased with himself regarding
that sound, (this is pride).
Others are pleased regarding that
sound (they have regard for it but not for Dhamma).
Householders
look down upon him (as music is for those who enjoy
sense-pleasures).
While trying for accuracy of sound his
concentration is broken, (he neglects the meaning of what he is
chanting).
People coming after fall into views through
emulation saying: “Our teachers and preceptors sang it thus"
(Commentary) a source of both pride and quarrelling among later
generations of Buddhists.
From these five disadvantages we
understand that it is disrespectful for a Bhikkhu to sing or intone
the Dhamma in such a way that its meaning is lost... After all what
are we trying to achieve by chanting the words relating to the Buddha
and his teaching? Is it not to gain calm through a mind concentrated
on Dhamma? Then music has rather an exciting effect on many people
and so is opposed to our aim. (Bhikkhu Khantipalo, 1995).
Chanting
is a means of recalling the great virtues of the Buddha, whose
virtues and good qualities are inspiring and a guidance to develop
the confidence to follow His Teachings.
When we chant, we know
the impermanence of the formation and arising of the sound. The mind
has the potential to know the elements and meaning of language, and
when it brightens it is saying the highest form of knowledge - the
truth of what is what. Chanting clears and quietens the mind. As the
mind becomes clearer and quieter it also becomes brighter.
At
the beginning and end of each radio broadcast our Members chant the
Vandana for Buddha, the salutation to the Buddha: ‘Om Namo Tassa
Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa’.
This can be
translated as: ‘I pay homage to Him, to the Exalted One, to the
Worthy One, to the fully Enlightened One.’
There are
various English translations for this Vandana.
The word ‘Namo’
is very powerful. ‘Na’ and ‘mo’ are the names of
two of the four elements. At another level of understanding, this is
like wielding two of the great elements to cut and subdue problems.
The meaning of the term ‘Namo’ is vast; it means respect,
veneration, gratefulness and honour, to mention just some of the
meanings. The preceding ‘Om’ adds great energy.
If
we want to gain benefits from chanting, we have to avoid the
hindrances. Chanting is not done as ritual. Chanting is practised
without ritual. While chanting, the mind should be in the present.
Chanting helps to develop mindfulness. Chanting is not like singing a
tune. It will never reappear. So we must keep the mind in the
present.
Our Members will now chant the passages on the
recollections of the three treasures, the qualities of the Buddha,
the Dhamma and the Sangha, titled Tiratananusaranapatha, first in
Pali, then in English. These are three of the 6 recollections that
the Buddha recommends:
itipi so bhagava,
araham
sammasambuddho,
vijjacarana-sampanno sugato lokavidu,
anuttaro
purisadammasarathi sattha
deva-manussanam buddho bhagava ti
svakkhato bhagavata dhammo, sanditthiko akalico
ehi-passiko,
opanayiko paccattam veditabbo vinnuhiti supatipanno
bhagavato savakasangho, ujupatipanno bhagavato savakasangho,
nayapatipanno bhagavato savakasangho, samicipatipanno bhagavato
savakasangho yadidam cattari purisa yugani atta purisa puggala esa
bhagavato savakasangho ahuneyyo pahuneyyo dakkhineyyo anjalikaraniyo
anuttaram punnak-khettam lokassa ti
Indeed, the Blessed One
is
pure and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge and
conduct,
well-gone, an expert with regard to the world,
unexcelled
as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed,
the Teacher of
divine and human beings,
awakened, blessed.
The Dhamma is
well-expounded by the Blessed One
to be seen here and now,
timeless,
inviting verification, pertinent,
to be realised by
the wise for themselves.
The Sangha of the Blessed One's
disciples who have practised well
The Sangha of the Blessed One's
disciples who have practised straight-forwardly
The Sangha of the
Blessed One's disciples who have practised methodically
The Sangha
of the Blessed One's disciples who have practised masterfully
in
other words, the four types [of noble disciples] when taken as
pairs,
the eight when taken as individual types
they are the
Sangha of the Blessed One's disciples
worthy of gifts, worthy of
hospitality
worthy of offerings, worthy of respect
the
incomparable field of merit for the world.
Today we have
talked about Buddha Dhamma chanting: how to chant Buddha Dhamma
correctly, how it strengthens and develops practice, and the many
benefits that come from chanting.
You can read chanting sheets
online at our website www.bddronline.net.au in the Buddha Dhyana Dana
Review Volume 12 No. 3.
The chanting text is written in Pali;
some English translations are also given.
If you would like
to read a transcript of today’s broadcast, you can find it on
the internet at www.bdcublessings.net.au
I believe this will
interest you also.
When you want to chant regularly, come to
Chan Academy Australia at 33 Brooking Street, Upwey, and join us at
6:30am and 8:30pm for Buddha Dhamma chanting.
For further
information contact the Chan Academy Australia on 03 9754 3334.
May
you be well and happy and develop your practice with saddha and the
correct form of Buddha Dhamma chanting this life.
May you
strengthen and develop your practice and come to experience the many
benefits that come from Buddha Dhamma chanting.
May you be
well and happy.
The authors and editors of this script are:
John D. Hughes, Julian Bamford, Leanne Eames, Jason Glasson and
Pennie White.
References
Bhikkhu Khantipalo
(1995), Lay Buddhist Practice: The Shrine Room, Uposatha Day, Rains
Residence, The Wheel Publication No. 206/207, Buddhist Publication
Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Brown, Leslie (ed.) (1993) The New
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, New York: Oxford University
Press.
Chan Academy Australia (2000) The benefits of chanting,
Buddhist Hour Broadcast, Sunday 17 December 2000.
Dhammananda,
Venerable Dr. K. Sri (1999) What Buddhists Believe, Yayasan Belia
Buddhist Malaysia. ISBN 983 40070 1 9.
Dhammasami, Venerable
(1999) The Practice of Chanting in Buddhism,
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/dmasami3.htm
Dhammika,
Venerable S. (1989) Matrceta's Hymn to the Buddha, An English
Rendering of the Satapañcasatka, The Wheel Publication No.
360/361 Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Mon,
Dr. Mehm Tin (1995) The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma, Mehm Tay Zar
Mon, Yangong, pp. 86-87.
Nyanatiloka (1988) Buddhist
Dictionary, Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines, Buddhist
Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Webster, Noah (1960)
Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language,
Jean L. McKechnie (chief editor), The World Publishing Company,
Cleveland and New York.
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Document
Statistics
Totals
Words: 2081
Sentences:
114
Paragraphs: 80
Syllables: 2860
Averages
Word
per paragraph: 18
Sentences per paragraph:
1.4
Percentages
Passive Sentences: 32
Readability
Statistics
Flesch Grade Level: 10.5
Coleman-Liau Grade
Level: 16.1
Bormuth Grade Level: 11.1
Flesch Reading Ease
Score: 58.5
Flesch-Kincaid Score: 8.7
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Difficulty
Ease Score
90-100 5th Grade Very easy
80-89 6th
Grade Easy
70-79 7th Grade Fairly easy
60-69 8th-9th Grade
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