Indian Buddhist music

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mabw
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Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2021 4:20 pm

Indian Buddhist music

Post by mabw »

Greetings,

I have been a fan of Indian arts for some time now. I enjoy Carnatic, Hisdustani music as well as dances such as Bharatanatyam.

My question is, did Indian Buddhists develop musical traditions to the likes of the above? I am referring specifically to India, since I know other countries do have musical/dramatic traditions inspired by Buddhism.

Thank you in advance.
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Aemilius
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by Aemilius »

One reason is that music is forbidden the Vinaya, the collection of monastic rules, see a previous discussion https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?t=12340

Buddhism sees the attainment of meditation or dhyana as of utmost importance, and you must be willing to give up music if it stands on your way, if it is a hindrance for the greater good of dhyana.

There is a previous discussion about music as a skillful means, https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=23522
Skillful means or Upaya belong to the Bodhisattva path and in the qualities of a Bodhisattva.

A thread about offering music in a Buddhist liturgy or sadhana https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.p ... shvaghosha
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

There is a little bit of contemporary stuff coming out of India. Mostly synthesizer ‘meditation music’ for the western market. And then, there is stuff like this, putting Buddhist words to traditional Hindu religious melodies
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
Natan
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by Natan »

mabw wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 4:54 pm Greetings,

I have been a fan of Indian arts for some time now. I enjoy Carnatic, Hisdustani music as well as dances such as Bharatanatyam.

My question is, did Indian Buddhists develop musical traditions to the likes of the above? I am referring specifically to India, since I know other countries do have musical/dramatic traditions inspired by Buddhism.

Thank you in advance.
Prolly a lost art. Mahasiddhas used to sing dohas. Tantras call for drums and dance. I imagine they used what was around.

Actually I recall in Kalachakra, the dance style was Bharatnathyam.
Last edited by Natan on Thu May 06, 2021 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
SilenceMonkey
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by SilenceMonkey »

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has been posting Indian devotional songs on his personal facebook page these past few days. Not Buddhist, but incredible nonetheless.
mabw
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2021 4:20 pm

Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by mabw »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charyapada#Melodies

Apparently there are melodies here. Are these chanted or sung in the ancient melodies today? Like in Tibet?
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Astus
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by Astus »

Should check Sinhalese music.
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
Malcolm
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by Malcolm »

mabw wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 5:02 pm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charyapada#Melodies

Apparently there are melodies here. Are these chanted or sung in the ancient melodies today? Like in Tibet?
The Carya songs of the siddhas are still sung by the Bauls of Bengal. Completely different than Tibetan music or sensibility.

https://geographical.co.uk/people/cultu ... /3548-baul

Also Newar Bajracarya music is likely an authentic holdover from Buddhist musical traditions of the late classical Buddhist period 10-12th centuries.
mabw
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Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by mabw »

Malcolm wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 8:25 pm
The Carya songs of the siddhas are still sung by the Bauls of Bengal. Completely different than Tibetan music or sensibility.

https://geographical.co.uk/people/cultu ... /3548-baul

Also Newar Bajracarya music is likely an authentic holdover from Buddhist musical traditions of the late classical Buddhist period 10-12th centuries.
These are interesting. Thanks. Will check them out. Interesting that Nepalese musical traditions might preserve some of these.
mabw
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Feb 01, 2021 4:20 pm

Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by mabw »

Astus wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 7:26 pm Should check Sinhalese music.
Hmm, I have on occasions tried looking for classical Sinhalese music on Youtube. Not very successful though, not at least when I type in English. A lot of material in Sri Lanka seems locked in Sinhalese.
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Astus
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Location: Budapest

Re: Indian Buddhist music

Post by Astus »

mabw wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 6:49 amHmm, I have on occasions tried looking for classical Sinhalese music on Youtube. Not very successful though, not at least when I type in English. A lot of material in Sri Lanka seems locked in Sinhalese.
You can try Shraddha TV and its YouTube channel, they have Buddhist songs.
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
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