Chanting Melody...?

[dharmasponge]

Hello everyone,

Apart from still not for an instant getting to grips with Dogen - please no cryptic suggestions as I think I will explode on the spot in utter despair... I was wondering with regards to Chanting, do Treeleaf Sangha use a particular style? I love the way the Kwan Um school chant the Heart Sutra for example...

Thanks in advance...

[Juki]

Hello, (I don't know your first name, but it would be awesome if it was Bob, so that you could be Dharma "SpongeBob", for a little children's cartoon humor):

Have you sat through one of the weekly Zazenkais yet? Find the thread for the last one and sit along with it on YouTube. It is 90 minutes, and there is a recitation of the Heart Sutra right near the beginning. You don't have to sit the entire 90 minutes in one sitting if you don't have the time. But, it will give you a very good idea as to how the Heart Sutra is chanted and as to how we recite the Verse of Atonement and the Four Vows.

Gassho,
William

[dharmasponge]

Hello, (I don't know your first name, but it would be awesome if it was Bob, so that you could be Dharma "SpongeBob", for a little children's cartoon humor):

Have you sat through one of the weekly Zazenkais yet? Find the thread for the last one and sit along with it on YouTube. It is 90 minutes, and there is a recitation of the Heart Sutra right near the beginning. You don't have to sit the entire 90 minutes in one sitting if you don't have the time. But, it will give you a very good idea as to how the Heart Sutra is chanted and as to how we recite the Verse of Atonement and the Four Vows.

Gassho,
William

Thanks

[Jundo]

Yes, Japanese chants tend to be fairly "monotone" (there is surely a better musical term to describe it) ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOGiIHR8758

... however, that one tone holds all the expression of all reality to the heart which can hear such.

When we moved into English Translations, most of the Japanese Zen groups kept that same rhythm (as you will hear during our Zazenkai Heart Sutra Recitation). One exception is the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives who based their chants on Anglican church music "plainsong", so the result is something much like lovely "Gregorian Chants".

http://www.shastaabbey.org/audio/musicSandokai.mp3

The Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai) which we chant during our longer monthly Zazenkai is traditionally also in certain form, although we use a version that I understand was created by Bernie Glassman based loosely on "Fiddler on the Roof"!

I also like the Korean way of chanting the Heart Sutra, and used it sometimes. However, I also like the Chinese way. But I follow the Japanese way to honor our heritage and Tradition (and I don't mean the Fiddler on the Roof Tradition!) ...

Gassho, Jundo

[Myosha]

Musically it can be called monotonic. Realistically: invariable.


Gassho,
Edward

[Joyo]

Hello, yes, as already mentioned, I would recommend Zazenkai, lovely chanting of the Heart Sutra there. I listen to this version during the week---

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOK8f7ZymDI

Gassho,
Treena

[Jundo]

Hi Emmy,

That version is being chanted in Sanskrit with some modern music and synthesizers added.

Here are some versions in Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan (throat singing) ...

http://themathesontrust.org/library/heart-sutra-audio

Yes, the Korean version does have some real "bounce" compared to the Japanese ... kind'a swings ...

Yet, all versions ultimately Empty ... the most Beautiful Music!

Gassho, J

[Joyo]

Thank you, Jundo.

Gassho,
Treena

[Tiwala]

I like the Chinese chant melody. http://youtu.be/foxW6869qsA (same versin as above, but with transcription) it sounds like a wave of chanting, as if no one is breathing. But there's a specific technique for it. Guo Gu, a dharma heir of the late Master Sheng Yen, explains it somewhere. Unfortunately, I've lost the link.

Gassho, Ben