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Buddhist Music |
Music at the time of the Buddha Buddhist style music recognizes its origin in India from 1500 to 2000 B.C.E. It came from the Sama Veda1 of the Rg-veda2 sacred texts, thus providing the roots of Sabdavidya3 and fan-bei. Fan-bei literally means heavenly with harmony and is sung in praise of the Buddha's moral integrity. Such music is characterized by five basic traits, namely uprightness, elegance, clarity, heart warming and easily understood. It is with these profound implications in mind that Sakyamuni Buddha commended this music for its artistic and appealing nature. In the Avatamsaka-sutra, it mentions that Buddhist music is also a means of promoting the Dharma. The Buddha once made use of poetic chants and gathas to teach about Bhutatathata and the universal truth of human life. This was a means of easy comprehension so his disciples could memorize and recite them. Bhiksu Patha was among the best contemporary singers during the Buddha's time. In the Saddharna Pundarika Sutra4, it mentions that the Buddha had said, "to sing in praise of the Buddha's moral integrity with a joyful mind is also the path to Buddhahood." In the Ten Chanting Vinaya, the Buddha complimented Bhiksu Bhadra, "Hearing what you sing, five benefits are attained: there is no physical or mental fatigue, what has been memorized will never be forgotten, the voice will not deteriorate and the verses are easily comprehended." So, we can see that Buddhist music not only promotes spiritual sentiment and purifies the mind, it also generates the importance of benefiting others. As mentioned in the Damamukl Nidana Sutra:
With this peaceful state of mind and compassion, expressed through the chanting of fan-bei, harmonious sympathetic understanding can be aroused in the minds of human beings and even be generated within the Buddha-nature of animals.
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Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Monastic Choir
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King Prasenajit of Sravasti assembled his army with the intention of attacking Angulimaliya. On his way to Djeta, he met a very ugly monk with an extremely unusual voice. When he spoke, he could raise his voice to a very high tone, but the voice was quite gentle and pleasant. All the soldiers and horses stopped moving, pricking up their ears to listen enthusiastically to the sounds. The King blamed this delay on his attendant, but he replied, "The sacred sounds have attracted the attention of the army and the horses, that is why they are not moving."
The King said, "If the animals are fond of hearing the doctrine, then as humans, should we also not pay attention?" Immediately he returned to Djeta, dismounted from his elephant, took off his helmet, kept his sword, and proceeded to the Buddha. Upon arrival, the King closed his palms and paid his respect to the Buddha. The Buddha gave his teaching against the taking of life.