A question of music appreciation

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rory
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by rory »

Robby, DB; as someone who practiced pure land I can tell you that by calling on Kannon via one of her mantras you're asking to be born in her pure land, Mt. Potalaka, that's why I made that remark. I hope you both want to go there..lol. I'd say from your eclectic practice you're both Tendai rather than NIchiren.
gassho
Rory
Namu Kanzeon Bosatsu
Chih-I:
The Tai-ching states "the women in the realms of Mara, Sakra and Brahma all neither abandoned ( their old) bodies nor received (new) bodies. They all received buddhahood with their current bodies (genshin)" Thus these verses state that the dharma nature is like a great ocean. No right or wrong is preached (within it) Ordinary people and sages are equal, without superiority or inferiority
Paul, Groner "The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture"eds. Tanabe p. 58
https://www.tendai-usa.org/
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robby
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by robby »

rory wrote:Robby, DB; as someone who practiced pure land I can tell you that by calling on Kannon via one of her mantras you're asking to be born in her pure land, Mt. Potalaka, that's why I made that remark. I hope you both want to go there..lol. I'd say from your eclectic practice you're both Tendai rather than NIchiren.
gassho
Rory
My position is a bit complicated to explain. I take Bodhisattvas like Kannon, Jizo, Fugen, and Monju as personifications of their respective provisional merits. So, chanting one of Kannon's mantras could understood as a means of cultivating authentic compassion within oneself toward others. In theory, chanting Daimoku should be sufficient to awaken and cultivate all of the virtues and merits. However, sometimes I need a strong dose of compassion to counter my resentment and anger.

I could view the Nembutsu in much the same way. However, now we are talking Buddhas. I go with the One Buddha per Dispensation concept as explained by Nagasena. Anyway, I do not really have any objection to someone chanting Nembutsu. It could even be consistent with the One Buddha concept if Amida were seen as an Emanation of Shakyamuni.

Back on the topic, I believe that sound, posture, figurative language, and visual imagery can convey spiritual states such as maitri, karuna, kshanti, prajna, and so on, in ways that the literal semantic value of words can not.
illarraza
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by illarraza »

robby wrote:
rory wrote:
Dharma Bum wrote:Sound also appears to be quite important in Tibetan Buddhism. Ref. the book Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism by Lama Anagarika Govinda, which goes into some detail on this matter.

As an aside, there is quite a bit of generally instructive material in that book, to which Nichiren Buddhists can certainly relate. I personally have no experience with any of the Tibetan Dharma traditions, but found the observations on the power of matra practice to be quite consistent with my own experience. In fact on many occasions I will substitute Om Mani Padme Hum for Nam Myoho Renge Kyo - another six beat mantra that is quite effective in concentrating the mind.
you don't sound like a Nichiren Buddhist then if you'd chant that; at that point why not Amida's name if it really doesn't matter.
That is an interesting question. I chant Daimoku and the Chrenrezig Mantra, but each one for a different purpose. Those purposes are complementary; they do not conflict. I do not chant Nembutsu, because it's stated purpose of rebirth in Sukhavati conflicts with the purpose of my practice.
Nichiren says they are conflicting. Even was Om Mani Padme [Pame] Hum a minor good, should it take away from performing a major good [chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo] it becomes a major evil.

Illarraza
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Ayu
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by Ayu »

Nichiren says they are conflicting. Even was Om Mani Padme [Pame] Hum a minor good, should it take away from performing a major good [chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo] it becomes a major evil.
Sounds pretty much like sectarianism? :popcorn:
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robby
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by robby »

Ayu wrote:
Nichiren says they are conflicting. Even was Om Mani Padme [Pame] Hum a minor good, should it take away from performing a major good [chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo] it becomes a major evil.
Sounds pretty much like sectarianism? :popcorn:
That, and it is straying off the topic. I am afraid we were not of much use in regard to the original question.
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noisemonkey
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by noisemonkey »

no worries I did find the Gosho that ilarazza was referring to anyway. cheers :)
JazzIsTvRicky
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

noisemonkey wrote:hiya

I'm trying to help a friend of mine write his uni dissertation which is about how music brings people together and was wondering if you could point me in the direction of sutras/Gosho that are relevant? I've had a look through the Gosho and Lotus Sutra but mainly music is mentioned as an offering to the Buddha rather than what my mate is looking for. All info appreciated :)
The answer to your question is throughout the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren's Teachings!

The Mystic Law is the True Aspect of All Phenomenon including Music!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is very Musical and in fact is the Rhythm of The Universe.

The Bodhisattva of The Earth led by Jogyo emerged from beneath the Earth Dancing.

I myself created Music without any formal training or previous experience which is now on every music buying site in the world.

https://m.soundcloud.com/jazzis-4.

Yes there is music :applause: deeply imbedded in The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo my friend!
A فوتاري أوف ذي غوهونزون أوف نام ميوهو رينج كيو
DharmaChakra
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Re: A question of music appreciation

Post by DharmaChakra »

Namaste,

There is a difference in Dharma between music and sound, although the two can be interdependent and aligned for spiritual growth.

In Sanskrit Sound is known as nada and shabda, along with other terms, there is much to learn in this.

I found this, maybe it can help with study and reflection on Shurangama Sutra , if one can align music and shabda then we have the vibrating sound in audible matter which helps one progress, there is the normal cognition of audible music then their is subtle celestial universal shabda which when aligned to refines and cleans the chitta, its also known as anahata or the unstruck sound, shabda, melody, this is the nada bindu.

Mantra can be divided into two parts, man as in mind and tra as to free, mantra is there to free the mind taking one into higher more subtle celestial shabda, sound. All of the teachings come via shabda, sound.

There is much to say on this and more to learn, what to speak of realizing, individual study and practice is more beneficial than trying to work it out by common words, music and language.

https://dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?t=19301

With Metta

OM
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