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Q-25: Bhante, in a fine Sunday morning (11 October 2009) I was in Mangala Vihara shrine hall. I was lucky. I got a chance to participate in the temple’s morning chanting service. Unfortunately I could not chant together with others. Because it was my first experience in group chanting. So I was just closing my eyes and just listening to others. And I saw some other people doing the same as I did. Later a man told me they were well trained at the temple so they can chant impressively. They are luckier than me. Anyway I think that I did a meritorious deed by participating in the morning chant. Am I right? Is there any privileges of mere listening to others who are chanting?

Regards,

Mao Zedong

Q-25: Yes. It is good to participate in group chanting. This does not mean that  you should do it only in Mangala Vihara or on Sundays only. For faithful Buddhists, chanting is always good and you can do it anywhere and anytime. Basically, by chanting, our devotional faith is sharpened when our minds are concentrated or focused. We’re also reminded to practise what must be practised if we can understand the meanings of chants. Now what are the benefits of your silent participation - that of just listening to other chanters? It is obvious that you were among the faithful and virtuous Buddhists (at least majority of them were faithful and virtuous) when you were present and  participating in the morning service. I would like to let you think and evaluate the benefits you would reap by being there amongst those Buddhists.

Now I would like to share a relevant story from the Buddhist text with you. In the time of the Buddha, a frog listened to the voice of the Buddha preaching a sermon to a human audience. The frog was absorbed in the dhamma. Then a cowherd came upon the scene and being deeply impressed by the Buddha’s splendour in delivering the sermon and the faithful audience, he stood there leaning on his staff. He was not aware that his staff was resting on the frog’s head. The frog died on the spot while it was absorbed in the sweet voice of the Dhamma. And it was reborn in the Tavatimsa Deva World. (Verses 857 – 860, Vimanavatthu Pali; Manduka­devaputta­vimana­vatthu, Vimanavatthu-atthakatha, Khuddaka-nikaya) In this story the frog was reborn as a deity (deva), because of its good deeds, mainly because of its attention to the voice of the Buddha or the voice of dhamma. Although in reality,  the frog could not understand the meaning of the sermon, but  it recognised the voice of harmlessness. It could rejoice in the soothing voice of the great Buddha.

In conclusion, if you were just as absorbed as the frog in others’ chantings and if you could rejoice in the religious activity, your silent participation should be more beneficial than the frog’s attention simply because you are wiser than the frog.

With Metta,

Ashin Acara

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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.