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In propagating Humanistic Buddhism, Fo Guang Shan places special
emphasis on cultural and educational activities, spreading the
Dharma in different parts of the world. Venerable Master Hsing Yun
established the first Buddhist Youth Choir in Taiwan in 1954 for
the purpose of reaching out to the younger generation and
propagating the Dharma by means of music.
In 1978, Venerable Master Hsing Yun founded the Fo Guang Shan
Buddhist Monastic Choir. It has since held numerous concerts in
prominent national concert halls and music centers in Taiwan. It
is also the first to present Buddhist chanting with traditional
Dunhuang Chinese dance. Members of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist
Monastic Choir have all received formal monastic training in the
Buddhist College and their years of hard work has given the choir
a rich repertoire. Over the years, they have given presentations
in many renowned music halls throughout Europe, Asia, Australia
and the U.S., winning critical acclaim from different corners. The
Choir has celebrated the pristine sound of Buddhist chanting as a
way for listeners to immerse themselves in the Buddha’s light of
compassion and wisdom. In sutras and other songs that
praise the virtues of the Buddhas, the intention of the music is
to help purify the human heart and guide sentient beings to
enlightenment. Their mission is to create a pure land on earth,
and to “Bring the Dharma to wherever the sun shines. Where there
is the Dharma, there is the sound of Buddhist music.”
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Founder
and Chief Executive Director:
Venerable
Master Hsing Yun
Venerable
Master Hsing Yun was born in Chiangxu province, China in 1927.
Tonsured under Venerable Master Chih Kai at the age of twelve, he
became a sramanera (novice monk) at Chi-hsia Shan, a monastery in
Nanjing.
He was fully ordained in 1941 and went on to formal
monastic training at Chi-hsia Vinaya school and Chiao-shan
Buddhist College. His
commitment to the Buddhist education was already under way when he
left the directorship of Hua-t'sang Temple in Nanjing, for Taiwan
in 1949.
Years of dedicated endeavours gave Master Hsing Yun his
sense of mission to the revitalization of Buddhism in Taiwan.
The progression of his education, social and cultural
understandings was pinnacled by projects in which organizations
for laity were established.
Shou-shan Buddhist College, Kaohsiung, founded in 1965,
realized master Hsing Yun's conception of tertiary education that
amalgamates Buddhist practice and traditional scholarship.
Fo Guang Shan (The Buddha's Light Mountain ), Kaohsiung
founded in 1967, symbolizes his vision of Humanistic Buddhism.
Master Hsing Yun's vow to spread the Dharma as his mission
and to benefit all sentient beings as his career, subsequently
took him to the Nan Tien Temple (Australia) in 1995.
In Australia he continues to steer Buddhism along the path
of modernization through education, cultural activities, charity
and religious practice as well as globalization; and the building
of temples in each of the five continents.
Master Hsing Yun established the Ilan Buddhist Youth’s Choir in
1957 and produced Taiwan’s first ever album of Buddhist music
and singing.
In 1979, he presented Buddhist music to Taiwan by holding
concerts in some of Taiwan’s most renowned concert halls and
centers.
Tapes, videos and CDs of Buddhist music were also produced
which received overwhelming response from the public.
Up until today, his influence on Buddhist music has taken
it further onto the international stages and these heavenly sounds
were heard in Asia, Australia, Europe, and America etc.
One major event was the European Tour in 1999, which has
won countless acclaims for excellence from all walks of life.
Not doubt, Master Hsing Yun is a pioneer promoter of
Buddhist music of today.
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Propagating
the Teachings of the Buddha through Sound: Origination
of the Buddhist Musical Chant
By
Venerable Tzu Jung
In
the early stages of the eastward spread of Buddhism, Buddhist
music (Brahman chant) was spread to China by Indian monastics.
After a period of continuous development, Buddhist music has
evolved into a unique style of spiritual expression. In Chinese,
“Brahman chant” denotes “the music from the Brahman land
(India).” At the earlier stages of the Buddhist music’s
development, “Chinese Buddhist Chant” has not yet existed.
It was not until the period of the Three Kingdoms (CE 222 -
265), that Tsao Je (CE 192 - 232), a famous poet of his time,
successfully developed “Yu Shan Buddhist Chant” and recorded
in writing number of Buddhist musical pieces. This was a milestone
for Chinese Buddhist Chanting for at that moment chanting had
truly become Chinese. Looking
back at the history of Chinese Buddhism, there have been many
masters who were very talented composers of Buddhist music, such
as masters Huei Jiau, Tang Tzung, Dau Huei, Fa Cheng, and the
modern master; master Hung Yi. Each one of these masters could be
described as possessing literary and musical talents that were
unequaled for their time. They all spoke eloquently and wrote
beautiful verses that were unsurpassed by their contemporaries. In
Tang Dynasty (CE 618 - 907), Buddhist music had been completely
sinicized and reached a level of unprecedented popularity.
Buddhist temples and monasteries became the center for the
preservation of this chanting.
In
the past, Buddhist musical chanting was used mainly for paying
homage to the Triple Gem and also as part of ones personal
cultivation to awaken the goodness that is with every being.
Religious practice can purify people’s minds, and
Buddhist musical arts can also promote a higher level of cultural
appreciation. We hope
to propagate the teachings of the Buddha through sound, to place
the arts into daily life through Buddhist music, and to achieve
the goal of purifying people’s minds.
In
1952, Venerable Master Hsing Yun formed the first Buddhist youth
choir for the purpose of strengthening the propagation of
Buddhism. His aim was
to transform and guide more young people into Buddhist music and
to lead them to spread the words of the Buddhism to the public. Master
Hsing Yun said, “Forty years ago, it was Buddhist music that
first aroused my interest in Buddhism; interest that eventually
led to my decision to enter the Sanghahood and become a messenger
of the Dharma. I have always treasured the days with the choir.” In recent
years, Fo Guang Buddhist College has brought the traditional
Buddhist musical chant to the National Musical Hall in Taiwan. The
choir has also attracted overwhelming public’s attention and
admiration. The choir had been invited to perform at the Hong Kong
Coliseum and Singapore. Moreover,
Buddhist musical chant has resonated in the United States. The
horizon of the traditional Buddhist musical chant has thus been
broadened and revolutionized into large-scaled musical
performances that can be enjoyed by both Buddhist and non-Buddhist
believers.
The
sound of Buddhist musical chant is the most beautiful music in the
world.
It is also the most efficient way to spread the teachings
of the Buddha.
Today’s progress could not be reached if it was not
because of many hard working masters from the past.
Buddhist chanting also became one of the treasures in
traditional Chinese culture. In
addition, to presenting the modern Buddhist music, all members of
the cast eagerly awaited for this wonderful opportunity to bring
forth the exquisite and enchanting quality to music. For
the sake of social harmony and well being, I sincerely hope
everyone can come and join us for this glorious event, to partake
in the bliss of the Dharma and allow the purifying sound of
Buddhist music to purify the minds of all beings.
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