[[alternative]]The Development and Meaning of Buddhist Music with nalysis of its effects on spiritual practice

[[abstract]] 目前在寺院的修行過程，佛教音樂–梵唄的唱誦廣泛運用在日常生活之行儀中，舉凡朝暮課誦、過堂、講經說法以及各種法會儀式…等等，佛教音樂–梵唄的唱誦皆實踐於其中，其目的在於透過這樣的方式而獲得圓滿的修行。而在家信眾則經由法會的參與或聽聞佛教音樂的心靈感悟，進一步接觸佛法、學習佛法，並由之更具體地認識修行的義涵。 由此顯見佛教音樂不只具有音樂性的表達，從它深滿的音韻與佛法義理上的契合，令人油然的感動、攝受信眾的宗教情感，這種發乎內在的情感，使修行者得自唱誦中的法義去觀想，並尋找出自性與本覺，這即是來自音聲的力量。 在當今的社會，寺院與群眾的互動愈來愈頻繁，傳教的方式也越趨現代化，從叢林講經到多媒體的傳播，佛教音樂一直都陪襯在佛法的傳遞當中；這若隱若顯的佛教音樂有時甚至不為人所重視，某些出家僧也不認為他們所唱誦的梵唄是屬於音樂的一種，而試圖與一般音樂做出區隔（如非樂之說）。雖然梵唄在唱誦的音樂型態上與現代佛教音樂迥然不同，殊不知現在的傳統梵唄曾幾何時也是宋元、明清時代的流行音樂，然，現代佛教音樂逐漸為僧團所重視，甚至積極的進行創作走出傳統，以做為連結寺院與社會大眾溝通的橋樑，這就是佛教音樂傳播的力量。 本論文主要關懷的是探討在實踐佛法的修行當中，音樂所扮演的是什麼樣的角色呢？假使在法會儀式中，沒有維那舉腔唱頌，也沒有法器的引領、與拍板，儀式恐怕難以進行，這樣關係著引領信眾的一道方便之門便無法開啟，佛教音樂因而突顯出某種程度的重要性。筆者自初期佛教經典中，發現佛教戒律對音樂的種種限制，而後期大乘佛教傳入中土後，佛教音樂反而受到了正面的評價與發展，若依如此兩個迥然不同的面向來看佛教音樂，它是否真的存在著衝突呢？而到底佛教音樂在修行上所具有的意義以及影響又如何呢？ 這些皆是本論文所欲探究者。 綜觀本論文的研究，顯現佛教音樂其重要的意義與使命，終究是為法的流傳，在每個時代與社會文化相互融合，從而發展出傳統與現代之交融；但無論是傳統與現代，佛教音樂不只在中國也在其他各個佛教國家，開展出不同的音樂型態的唱誦之法。藉此讓我們深入思維，佛教音樂不管在那一個世代，那一個國境，如能保存法脈的傳承，並與修行過程相結合，除能引發宗教情感外，也能在音樂的創作上，再創作出另一種法樂，這樣相輔而成的修行是令人期待的，也就在這「聲塵得道」的信念下，修行與佛教音樂一直是「音緣」相隨。[[abstract]] Buddhist chanting, one of the Buddhist music, is widely used in daily rituals of monastery practices, such as morning and evening service, taking meals adequately, expounding Buddhist teachings, and holding Buddhist ceremonies. The purpose of applying Buddhist chanting is to make the dharma practice complete. For Buddhist laymen, spiritual inspiration can be gained by means of attending Buddhist ceremonies or listening Buddhist music, which enables them to have further contact with Buddhism, and to learn from Buddhism, and therefore to realize the meaning of dharma practice more profoundly. Consequently, since Buddhist music melodies are in accordance with dharma teachings, Buddhist music can not only express feelings through music, it is capable of lifting our minds to sublime state as well as pacifying the religious feelings of disciples. The insight will make the practitioners to meditate from the dharma teachings they chant, and search for Buddha nature and awareness. This is the power of sounds. Nowadays, temple communicates with the public more and more frequently, and the way of preaching becomes more and more modern. From academic elucidating to mass media broadcasting, Buddhist music always gives an aid to promoting dharma; the role of Buddhist music is vague, and sometimes people do not emphasize on it apparently. Furthermore, even the Buddhist practitioners do not regard Buddhist chanting which they sing as a kind of music, and try to separate it from general music. (alleged as non-music) Although the music style of Buddhist chanting is entirely different from modern Buddhist music, actually, the current traditional Buddhist chanting was used to be the popular music during the Sung, Yuan, Ming and the Ching Dynasty. Buddhist groups gradually put an emphasis on the contemporary Buddhist music, and try to have more music creation out of the tradition, so as to make a connection between the temple and the public, which turns out to be the power to facilitate the spread of Buddhist music. The dissertation tries to discuss the role of music when practicing Buddhism. Supposing that in the dharma ceremonies, there is no duty-distributor to initialize the chanting, nor dharma instrument to guide and give rhythm, the ceremonies will have difficulties to proceed, where the disciples cannot get access to dharma practice conveniently. As a consequence, the predominant role of Buddhist music can be seen. The writer finds that in the preliminary Buddhist texts, the Buddhist precepts have various kinds of restrictions on music. Nevertheless, after Mahayana was spread to China, Buddhism music gained positive evaluation and development. According to these opposite viewpoints, is there any conflict paradoxically? After all, what is the meaning and influence of Buddhist music when applying on dharma practice? These are the core questions this dissertation will try to discuss. All in all, the research finds that the ultimate meaning and mission for Buddhist music is to propagate the dharma, to integrate with the society and culture in each period of time, and to develop its harmony between tradition and modernity; however, regardless of tradition or modernity, Buddhist music in different countries, either China or other Buddhist countries, has blended with music of that specific nation, resulting many kinds of unique chanting ways. It can be contemplated that no matter Buddhist music is in which generation or in what country, as long as it can propagate the dharma and incorporate with dharma practice, besides cultivating religious feelings and interest, it also can help to create another kind of musical pieces for dharma music. It is expected to have such kind of combination of dharma practice. By the creed of “contemplation of sounds to attain enlightenment”, dharma practice and Buddhist music are veritable to be embraced together by “music connection.