Buddhist Chanting — Awakening Our Innate Buddha-Nature through Sound

Buddhist chanting is one of the essential daily practices for Buddhists. Through scared sound, practitioners pay homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, recite scriptures and internalize Buddhist teachings. In Dharma assemblies, chanting forms the backbone of ritual structure.

However, we are so familiar with Buddhist chanting that we can easily overlook its deeper meaning. Buddhist chanting is not only a form of religious sound but also a method of practice that helps purify and collect the mind and body.
 
■ By Gao Yuwen (高煜玟)

A Pure and Soothing Sacred Sound

In Chinese Buddhism, the word "Fan" (梵) implies a pure, peaceful and far-reaching sound. "Bai" (唄) refers to the method used in India that employs melody to chant scriptures and offer praise to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Together, Fan Bai (梵唄) means a practice method that uses pure and harmonious sound to gather the mind and express reverence to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

From ancient times to the present, many people have drawn close to the Dharma, found inspiration to practice and gained insight simply through hearing the calming sound of Buddhist chanting. Because chanting is a practice method deeply intertwined with Buddhist rituals and inseparable from them, great Buddhist masters and patriarchs have elaborated various liturgical texts and melodies, making daily recitation a central part of Buddhist practitioners' life.

As Venerable Wu Yin (悟因法師), abbess of Luminary Buddhist Institute (香光尼眾佛學院), puts it: "Using our own voices to chant or recite as a way to praise the teachings of the sutras, to express admiration for pure spiritual practice, or to honor the virtues of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Buddhist chanting is an essential tool in life of spiritual practice. I hold a firm conviction about its importance. We must also deeply appreciate the heartfelt dedication and efforts of the great masters and patriarchs." She notes that the most powerful and direct function of Buddhist chanting is to awaken a sense of religious devotion and the aspiration for the Way. Personally, she often experiences joy and inspiration that come from Dharma practice through chanting: "Every morning, singing what I want to praise to the Buddha not only fills my heart with gratitude, but also brings a lasting joy throughout the day."

This sense of religious devotion experienced through Buddhist chanting often serves as a key driving force in practitioners’ vows to deepen their cultivation. In his early article "Experiencing the Spirit of Buddhism Through Buddhist Chanting" ("從佛門的課誦體驗佛教的精神"), Master Sheng Yen comments:

"Chanting performed in the Buddha hall serves to strengthen the faith of Buddhist practitioners, deepens their vows and intensifies their compassion. In addition, chanting awakens the dormant seeds of Buddhahood in their eighth consciousness and nurtures them into sprouting. It is like a form of spiritual irrigation—nourishing the bodhi-mind and fostering the growth of the bodhi path and its eventual fruition."

For practitioners, Buddhist chanting is as essential and indispensable as water is for seedlings.

However, Venerable Guo Kae (果慨法師), the director of Dharma Drum Mountain's Department of Dharma Service, points out that the most powerful and inspiring aspect of Buddhist chanting is not merely individual emotion or joy in the Dharma. The reason why Buddhist chanting carries such powerful spiritual appeal lies in the unified practice of many practitioners chanting together in harmony. The collective sound creates an atmosphere of solemn grandeur. "In the Grand Buddha hall, the sacred and dignified ambiance with everyone chanting in unison makes it truly difficult not to give rise to the aspiration for enlightenment."

Harmony with the group is the Core of Buddhist Chanting

Venerable Guo Kae further explains that when a Buddhist chants sutras alone at home, even as part of morning and evening liturgy, strictly speaking, it is not truly considered "Fan Bai (梵唄)". Instead, it is rather more akin to chanting Buddhist scriptures in a specific melody. Only when many gather in the Buddha hall and chant a set melody together as a group, can it be called Fan Bai. Thus, the essence of Buddhist chanting lies in "harmony with the group": that is, following the collective voice to chant, as opposed to a solo leader in the Buddha Hall. "The most important aspect of cultivation is letting go of self-attachment. Buddhist chanting (Fan Bai) is an excellent Dharma method to practice letting go of self-attachment", said Venerable Guo Kae.

In addition, chanting in unison with the group is not only for the convenience of all participants, but, more importantly, embodies the very spirit of Mahayana Buddhism: that is, to expound the Dharma for all sentient beings in the six realms.

Expansive practice of benefiting oneself and others

In the past, the general understanding of Buddhist chanting in Taiwan largely remained at the level of seeking merit through the act of chanting itself. In addition to drawing themselves to Dharma centers, many people participated in Dharma assemblies mainly to seek the blessings and protection of the Buddhas. However, as Buddhist organizations have deepened their efforts in Dharma education, most Buddhists today understand that benefiting both oneself and others is truly the most meritorious practice. In the aforementioned article, Master Sheng Yen also noted that even when people chant with the intention of seeking the blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, their sincere religious devotion is still praiseworthy. However, he encourages practitioners to go beyond that and transform their intention: "Otherwise, one would remain at the level of seeking self-benefit, unable to give rise to the great vow, transcend self-interest, abandon self-interest, and focus solely on benefiting others."

It is especially important to engage in contemplative visualization following the meaning of the words while chanting. Only by doing so can one truly understand the profound teachings that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are conveying. This also allows one to experience deeper spiritual emotions—such as the fear of samsara and the aspiration for liberation—that arise from Dharma joy, as opposed to remaining at the level of mere religious enthusiasm.

Buddhist chanting, like meditation, is merely a method or tool in the path of practice. What matters most is the insight and wisdom behind the method. If one fixates on the emotional experience or the technical skill of chanting, forgetting its deeper purpose, one becomes attached to the method itself — thus failing to truly reach the goal of practice. This is particularly true because the beauty and effect of sound can easily lead to emotional attachment, thereby causing one to become fixated on the aesthetics of Buddhist chanting.

Venerable Guo Kae emphasizes that "beyond avoiding excessive emotional involvement, the most difficult part of Buddhist chanting is maintaining full awareness of the‘entire situation.’" The so-called "maintaining full awareness of the entire situation" not only refers to clearly being aware of one's own physical and mental state during chanting, the physical and mental state of the group chanting together, as well as one's own movements and recitations. More importantly, it also includes a clear understanding of the meaning of the scriptures being chanted and the contemplation and visualization in accordance with the text. In other words, beyond being mindful of the external circumstances, it is best to also achieve clear concentration and insight (samatha and vipassana).

Awakening the Buddha within by Chanting

Ultimately, from the perspective of practice, when one is chanting, the focus must be on the whole — not just oneself, the sound, or the instruments, but everything involved in the chanting, In addition, practitioners must do so with their entire body and mind. To put it further, like meditation, chanting is about being fully in the present moment. The difference is that, with chanting, this present moment is shared with the group. Clear and luminous are the most fitting descriptions for one's state of mind during chanting.

Even in today's digital age, with religious music and chants circulating faster and more diversely than ever, the foundational principle of sincere, diligent practice remains unchanged. Understanding the historical development of chanting deepens our appreciation for the dedication of the Buddha and the lineage masters. With our own voice and a reverent heart, we can awaken our Buddha within by chanting.


Related articles:

Buddhist Chanting — Awakening Our Innate Buddha-Nature through Sound

[Ethnic Chapter] Exploring the Diverse and Harmonious Culture of Buddhist Chanting

Ethnic Series BOX: What You Should Know about Chinese Buddhist Chanting

[Society] Buddhist music and online Buddhist chants

[Practical Guide] Q&As of Buddhist Chanting

Practical Box: Tips for Buddhist Chanting 


Resource: Issue 298 of Humanity Magazine, Dharma Drum Publishing Corporation
Photo: Jerry Roach
Translation: 麗萍
Editing: Keith Brown, YKL