Chanting

Chanting (jappa or saïgãti) is the rhythmic reciting of words or phrases unaccompanied by music. Chanting had an important part to play in the transmission of the Dhamma. For at least 300 years monks and nuns regularly met together to commit the Buddha’s words to memory by chanting them. Today chanting has a social, a contemplative and even a therapeutic value. A period of chanting can silence thoughts and focus attention and so be a good preparation for meditation. There is a widespread belief that chanting the words of the Buddha, especially discourses like the Metta Sutta, can have a healing effect and there is some evidence to support this belief. The gently pleasing sound of the chant can soothe both body and mind and the group of people who have gathered to chant can make the sick person feel wanted and cared for, which assists the healing process. The 7th century Chinese monk I-tsing listed benefits of chanting, ‘It enables us to know the virtues of the Buddha, we learn to appreciate poetry, it purifies the tongue, the chest is expanded, we learn confidence in the congregation and it imparts good health (by encouraging deep breathing).’

References

• http://www.BuddhismA2Z.com/ Buddhism A to Z. Ven. Dhammika, 2007.