Chanting

Chanting is practiced in all forms of Buddhism and is commonly heard in monasteries, temples, and meditation centers. Often accompanied by the sounds of gongs and drums, it is used as a form of meditation, in devotional liturgies, and in public rituals.

Some chants are recitations of sutras. For Buddhists, chanting sutras brings greater awareness of the Buddha’s enlightened wisdom. Other chants are mantras said to transform the mind through repetition. Still others are mantras in Pali and Sanskrit thought to have a protective and healing influence and to generate merit for chanters. Among the most common Theravada chants are the Three Refuges and the Five Precepts. Pure Land Buddhists chant the name of Amitabha Buddha using various formulas, such as the Nianfo (Chinese) and the Nembutsu (Japanese). Nichiren Buddhists, who believe the Lotus Sutra is the supreme expression of the Buddha’s wisdom, honor it by chanting the daimoku: “Homage to the Scripture of the Lotus of the Good Teaching.” The Lotus Sutra, Heart Sutra, and Diamond Sutra are commonly chanted by Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhists.