What is the role of music in Buddhism? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 25, 2025 · 20 MIN

What is the role of music in Buddhism?

from Bright On Buddhism · host Nicholas Bright Haight

Bright on Buddhism - Episode 119 - What is the role of music in Buddhism? What are some instruments that are commonly used in ritual? How ought we understand music in Buddhism? Resources: https://buddhiststudies.stanford.edu/resources/resource-guide-public/buddhist-music-and-chantingChen, Pi-Yen (2010). Chinese Buddhist monastic chants. Middleton, Wis.: A-R Editions. ISBN 9780895796721.Chen, Pi-yen (2002). "The contemporary practice of the Chinese Buddhist daily service: Two case studies of the traditional in the post-traditional world". Ethnomusicology. 46 (2): 226–249. doi:10.2307/852780. JSTOR 852780.Gelongma Karma Khechong Palmo. Mantras on the Prayer Flag. Kailash: A Journal of Himalayan Studies, Volume 1, Number 2, 1973. (pp. 168–169).The Rider Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and religion. (London : Rider, 1986).Sadie, Stanley; Tyrrell, John, eds. (2001). New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. ISBN 1561592390.Millward, James A. (June 2012). "Chordophone Culture in Two Early Modern Societies: "A Pipa-Vihuela" Duet". Journal of World History. 23 (2): 237–278. doi:10.1353/jwh.2012.0034. JSTOR 23320149. S2CID 145544440.Myers, John (1992). The way of the pipa: structure and imagery in Chinese lute music. Kent State University Press. ISBN 9780873384551.Picken, Laurence (March 1955). "The Origin of the Short Lute". The Galpin Society Journal. 8: 32–42. doi:10.2307/842155. JSTOR 842155.Erhu Info: Stephen Jones (1995). Folk Music of China. Oxford: Clarendon Press OUP.Terence Michael Liu (1988). "Development of the Chinese Two-stringed Bowed Lute Erhu Following the New Culture Movement (c. 1915–1985)". Ph.D. dissertation. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University.Jonathan Stock. "A Historical Account of the Chinese Two-Stringed Fiddle Erhu". Galpin Society Journal, v. 46 (March 1993), pp. 83–113.Jonathan Stock (1996). Musical Creativity in Twentieth-Century China: Abing, His Music, and Its Changing Meanings. Eastman Studies in Music. Rochester, New York: Rochester University Press.Yongde Wang (1995). Qing shao nian xue er hu (Young person's erhu study). Shanghai Music Publishing House.Shamisen info:https://web.archive.org/web/20101213141302/http://brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=210&pid=28179https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/flood-relief#/Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected]:Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-HostProven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host

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