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Q-02: Dear Bhante, I've the following enquiries on chanting which require your kind advice:

1.    Nowadays, many chanting verses are accompanied by melodious music. By doing so, do they lose their effects?

2.    Does chanting aloud and chanting within ourselves give the same effects?

With metta

Terence Lee

A-02: 1.  First and foremost, I want to tell you the story of Visakha, in the Dhammapada Story. She was chanting some verses on the day she donated Puppharama Monastery to the Buddha and Sangha. Some people did not understand or realise why she was doing that. They thought that she was merely singing. Thus they criticized her saying that the old lady did not mind her age. The Buddha had to explain to them that she was not singing but chanting verses because she had fulfilled her wish.

This story tells us that Visakha was chanting verses in a very musical way and the Buddha did not denounce her action at all. So we think there is nothing wrong for a lay person to chant verses accompanied by melodious music or whatever.

Do they (verses) lose their effect? Yes. It does appear to show disrespect to the Dhamma. So our conclusion is that if verses are chanted to invoke the blessing to others, it is not very appropriate to do that way but if verses are chanted for other purposes, then there is nothing wrong doing it with the accompaniment to music.

For your wider knowledge, we need to let you know other traditional views too. There are two ways of expressing the Dhamma in order to make it more attractive:

a) the Dhammic music and

b)  musical dhamma.

The Dhammic music means, like what you have asked, chanting or singing verses (from Tipitaka) accompanied by melodious music.

Musical Dhamma means some verses or poems or songs composed by someone, not from Tipitaka, to introduce the Dhamma in musical way.

Our teachers do not encourage the creation of the Dhamma music though they did not say anything about musical Dhamma.

So the final conclusion lies with you.

 2.  Chanting aloud and within oneself depend on time, occasion and situation. Of course, one should not chant aloud late at night and disturb others who are sleeping. One should also not chant to loudly when other people are concentrating and doing something. Last but not least one should not chant in the presence of others who have different faith. This is fundamentally showing respect and practising social responsibility.

However, chanting aloud (not too loud) can be more effective because:

a)         when we chant aloud, we can concentrate better,

b)        when we chant aloud, we are performing all three actions, physical, verbal and mental. (When one chants within oneself, it lacks verbal action.)

c)    If beings (visible and invisible) are around, they will have the chance and opportunity to listen to the Dhamma. It is an act of sharing the Dhamma.

So if time, occasion and situation allow, you should chant reasonably loudly.

With Metta,

Bhante U Cittara

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Dhamma Questions are answered by Bhante U Cittara, resident monk of Mangala Vihara, and his assistant monks. Questions and comments on given answers are welcome. Send your questions and comments to resident_monk@mangalavihara.org.sg.