Autumn 2025, Volume 52
The Significance of Music in Buddhist Practice
Music plays a vital role in Buddhist practice, encompassing various forms such as chanting, tunes, and dance. These practices are prevalent in both monastic and folk traditions, involving the rhythmic vocalization of sounds and phrases, often repeated in the mind. Music is considered an offering to the Buddha and serves as a means of memorizing Buddhist texts.
However, Buddhism has historically had a nuanced stance on music. In many Buddhist traditions, the seventh precept for novices and lay devotees prohibits dancing, singing, music, and entertainment. Early Buddhist texts contain passages where the Buddha directly condemns music, citing its potential to lead to sensual desire and attachment, hindering meditative concentration and mental peace.
On the other hand, Mahayana Buddhist literature presents a more positive perspective on music. The Lotus Sutra also introduces the bodhisattva Wondrous Sound, who is said to have played music for countless eons to revere the Buddha. Through accumulating merits, this bodhisattva gained the transcendent power to take various forms and disseminate the Lotus Sutra.
In Japan, music has been an integral part of Buddhist practice since ancient times.
In Japanese Buddhism, a musical practice called shomyo, in which sutras are chanted to a set rhythm and melody, is performed at ceremonies, and different styles have been used by the Tendai, Shingon, Nichiren, and some Zen sects.
Exploring the power of music in Buddhism raises intriguing questions. Could it be argued that music, once perceived as an obstacle to the path, has evolved into an essential aspect of offering prayers to the Buddha and engaging in Buddhist practices? We would like to examine the diverse aspects of music’s meaning and roles within Buddhism and its profound impact on the lives of contemporary Buddhists.
