Dear All,
The following tip applies to the vast majority of Ino I know, even experienced Inos at Treeleaf.
There is a tendency to pause, and break the beat, when taking some action like ringing a bell mid chant. Do not do so. Rather, keep on going with voice and mokugyo, steady chant and drum beat, even as you strike the bell, like a non-stop train that keeps on schedule.
For example -
(Wrong) -
(Right) -
An even trickier skill is what to do if one must swallow, sneeze or cough mid chant. It is okay, but really one should continue the chant afterwards as if one had not done so. In other words, one does not pause and resume, but rather, jumps back in where one should have been. This is in respect for the other chanters, chanting or engaged in following along, who should not be interrupted by your sneeze, etc.
It is not a serious problem to pause, but something to practice and avoid if you can.
You can see an example in this wonderful Hannya Shingyo solo recital by a Japanese priest in Japan, at about the 2 minute 25 second mark, and then again at 42 second mark, as he strikes the big bell while not pausing with the Mokugyo.
Gassho, Jundo
STLah
The following tip applies to the vast majority of Ino I know, even experienced Inos at Treeleaf.
There is a tendency to pause, and break the beat, when taking some action like ringing a bell mid chant. Do not do so. Rather, keep on going with voice and mokugyo, steady chant and drum beat, even as you strike the bell, like a non-stop train that keeps on schedule.
For example -
(Wrong) -
thus/ Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta (* RING WITH MOMENTARY PAUSE) with/ no/ hin/drance/ of/ mind/ –
(Right) -
(RING WITH NO PAUSE as CHANT and MOKUGYO CONTINUE ONWARD)
thus/ Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ * with/ no/ hin/drance/ of/ mind/ –
thus/ Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ * with/ no/ hin/drance/ of/ mind/ –
An even trickier skill is what to do if one must swallow, sneeze or cough mid chant. It is okay, but really one should continue the chant afterwards as if one had not done so. In other words, one does not pause and resume, but rather, jumps back in where one should have been. This is in respect for the other chanters, chanting or engaged in following along, who should not be interrupted by your sneeze, etc.
It is not a serious problem to pause, but something to practice and avoid if you can.
You can see an example in this wonderful Hannya Shingyo solo recital by a Japanese priest in Japan, at about the 2 minute 25 second mark, and then again at 42 second mark, as he strikes the big bell while not pausing with the Mokugyo.
Gassho, Jundo
STLah
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