Mechanism of Chanting
-
Buddhist Chanting is of scientific experiment
When an experiment carried out in China , they measure brainwaves of those who chant regularly , calm brainwaves seems to occupy the person and this prvent aging and other health problem
Chanting is a personal experience which one should chant to listen to one sound and reflect or known as into the Samadhi (concentration ) which the extinguished of the concept of "one who chant" "and the content of the chant "
Chanting purify and settle down the mind from the disturbing pace of environment and thus ones mind is alway in this state ___________________
when the mind is in this state __________ ,it will reveal Great Wisdom and chance to see the true nature of things and thus break free from samsara
-
Hi, chanting is a very good practise that develops One Pointedness and deals with propensities. However to realise our true nature, there must be another aspect that cannot be missed -- the aspect of awareness. Without this, one can reach very high shamatha states or even samadhis and similar achievements but insight may not necessarily come.
That is to say even if you reach a state of non-dual chanting samadhi, it does not necessarily mean you will attain enlightenment, and does not necessarily mean you experience the luminous clarity of our nature. This goes to every other kind of samadhis attained through whatever techniques - whether sitting meditation or etc. Therefore your mind can be completely still but wisdom still may not necessarily arise, nevertheless calmness and one pointedness serves as an important condition.
Actually this 'awareness' aspect is needed to reach Realisation not only for Chanting (but I am replying in accordance to what you write about 'entering the state'), whether it is Chanting, Koan, or Sitting Meditation, the Awareness/Clarity must be experienced.
Please read this, answered by my Master, Ven. Shen Kai:
-
Pity those people who are mute and deaf
-
(edited)Originally posted by maggot:Pity those people who are mute and deaf
Do you mean something like mute and deaf can't chant?
Not too sure about that, maybe Sinweiy can help reply bcos of his experience in this practice. -
actually the power of chant is so great that in the Anecdotes of Pureland sages
(Jingtu sheng xian records ) if i am not wrong there is a deaf that reborn in Amitabha western paradise , though he never heard the chant before . -
InterestingOriginally posted by bohiruci:actually the power of chant is so great that in the Anecdotes of Pureland sages
(Jingtu sheng xian records ) if i am not wrong there is a deaf that reborn in Amitabha western paradise , though he never heard the chant before .
Perhaps if you can find that account do share it with us. -
just a spin-off but worth reading on inspiration story of ppl are sickness on the deathbed overcome their pain and able to reborn in western paradise
in chinese
http://www.yxfo.cn/article_view.asp?id=200 -
http://www.gctemple.com/html/lkxf/2/12.htm
the following website take a super long time to load
so i put it in the chinese-enable forums
your can view the stories at topic :Sincerity found cure for deaf
http://forums.cjb.net/ommandlotus.html -
In this case, then is there a difference between 'Buddhist' chantings and chantings/prayers of other religion?
Both takes mindfulness, concentration and faith. -
Hi, other religions teaches Concentration, some of their yogis also reach Samadhi, but Shamatha/Concentration is not the same as Insight practices, there is no element of Mindful Awareness, this is peculiar to Buddhism.Originally posted by mahawarrior:In this case, then is there a difference between 'Buddhist' chantings and chantings/prayers of other religion?
Both takes mindfulness, concentration and faith.
This is the difference between Buddhist practise and other religion's practise in general. There is only the component of Shamatha in other religions.
See:http://www.budsas.org/ebud/mfneng/mind1-4.htm -- Mindfulness in Plain English (A very good book, highly recommended!) by Bhante Gunaratana, Chapter 3
...Within the Judeo-Christian tradition we find two overlapping practices called prayer and contemplation. Prayer is a direct address to some spiritual entity. Contemplation in a prolonged period of conscious thought about some specific topic, usually a religious ideal or scriptural passage. From the standpoint of mental culture, both of these activities are exercises in concentration. The normal deluge of conscious thought is restricted, and the mind is brought to one conscious area of operation. The results are those you find in any concentrative practice: deep calm, a physiological slowing of the metabolism and a sense of peace and well-being.
Out of the Hindu tradition comes Yogic meditation, which is also purely concentrative. The traditional basic exercises consist of focusing the mind on a single object a stone, a candle flame, a syllable or whatever, and not allowing it to wander. Having acquired the basic skill, the Yogi proceeds to expand his practice by taking on more complex objects of meditation chants, colorful religious images, energy channels in the body and so forth. Still, no matter how complex the object of meditation, the meditation itself remains purely an exercise in concentration.
Within the Buddhist tradition, concentration is also highly valued. But a new element is added and more highly stressed. That element is awareness. All Buddhist meditation aims at the development of awareness, using concentration as a tool. The Buddhist tradition is very wide, however, and there are several diverse routes to this goal... -
Chanting create positive energy and attracts helpful ppl in a gloomy day
Similarly if one indulges in sensual pleasure and impure thought growth unrestrained , result in attract unpleasant ppl, cheats and swindler
as birds of a feather flock together
Chanting samadhi primarily enters the bu sheng bu mie stage (no arising and falling ) towards the wu sheng fa ren (unborn nature of pheonomenonal patience )
AEN brought up a good point in our discussion ,actually can see he understand the ultimate of chanting
"dependent arising in mahayana is bcos of dependent arising, all is of the nature of unborn. there is no arising and ceasing because of dependent arising"
more will talk abt the state of unwavering and positive resonant effect to the human body when one chants
-
How Mahayana 8 schools viewing of Chanting
1 .Flower adornment school _huayen - towards the one trueness dharmadhatu
2.Tientai- 10 suchness , and 1 mind 3 contemplation -emptiness ,(fake)virtual existence and madhyamika
3.Vinaya school towards total purification by upholding the precepts aways from the stealing ,lying , sexual misconduct ,kiling lives and taking intoxicants
4.Mind only (yogacara ) praise it seeding the bodhi seed /vajra seed which will ripen to lead ones to Buddhahood
5.3 treatise school - entering the absolute , the state of the Mahasattva
6.Esoteric -Purification of Body speech and mind
7.Chan- going back to the source. Bring the mind back home
8.Pureland - towards the Solid of the Splendour Pureland .Align with Amitabha Great Vows
Jen chen school - state of break free and beyond (dun chao ) ,and Awakened illuminance (jue zhao )