Buddhism∵and∵Music

∵In∵most∵countries∵∵music∵has∵developed∵in∵∵close∵affinity∵with∵religious∵observances.∵But∵the∵Theravada∵∵ideology∵does∵not∵encourage∵sensual∵arts∵like∵music∵and∵dancing.∵That∵when∵Buddhism∵was∵∵not∵only∵a∵religion.∵but∵the∵way∵of∵the∵life∵for∵the∵people.∵such∵performing∵arts∵received∵little∵patronage∵from∵the∵temple.∵The∵Buddhist∵clergy,∵who∵constituted∵∵the∵main∵literati∵of∵the∵country.∵Declined∵to∵praise∵the∵role∵of∵the∵musician∵or∵musical∵∵content∵in∵their∵documents,∵but∵on∵the∵country∵performing∵arts∵were∵treated∵as∵activities∵to∵be∵shunned∵by∵the∵bhikkhus∵and∵the∵even∵by∵the∵devout∵laymen.∵（∵Sarachchandra,∵1982,∵p9∵）∵Buddhism∵has∵no∵codification∵of∵any∵date∵pertaining∵to∵music∵and∵dancing∵in∵its∵worship.∵Even∵the∵chanting∵of∵the∵Buddhist∵sutras∵should∵strictly∵be∵non∵–∵musical∵（∵Kulathilake∵,∵1982∵pp∵19∵–∵30∵）∵∵such∵steps∵were∵considered∵necessary∵to∵maintain∵the∵purity∵∵of∵Buddhist∵∵∵discipline∵and∵orthodoxy∵of∵the∵temple.∵The∵annihilation∵of∵Buddhism∵in∵India.∵Its∵long∵of∵birth∵and∵the∵growth∵of∵the∵bhakathi∵∵movement∵in∵Hinduism,∵∵were∵music∵and∵dancing∵were∵integral∵pats∵of∵that∵worship,∵were∵some∵of∵other∵persons∵that∵caused∵apprehension∵among∵the∵Buddhist∵∵clergy∵in∵Sri∵Lanka∵in∵the∵Bhakti∵Marge∵of∵Hinduism.∵Dedication∵of∵everything∵to∵God∵and∵ultimate∵position∵of∵the∵God∵by∵the∵devotee∵is∵the∵highest∵stringent∵of∵Moksha.∵Here∵Music∵and∵dancing∵is∵treated∵as∵a∵means∵to∵create∵love∵and∵passion∵in∵the∵God.∵Towards∵this∵manifestation∵the∵devadest∵cult∵advocated∵in∵Hinduism∵had∵to∵play∵a∵major∵role.∵

In∵spit∵of∵all∵the∵∵music∵and∵dancing∵have∵develop∵as∵falk∵arts∵among∵the∵Buddhist∵but∵not∵in∵the∵proper∵easuhevie∵∵aspects.∵When∵the∵Buddhist∵temple∵became∵the∵intrincincallty∵∵impotent∵∵religious∵as∵well∵as∵the∵social∵central∵of∵activity∵to∵the∵village∵dancing∵with∵singing∵∵development∵as∵most∵of∵the∵worship∵in∵the∵sub∵religions.∵Meanwhile∵the∵orthodoxy∵∵of∵the∵Buddhist∵temple∵∵licensed∵only∵that∵limited∵repertoires∵of∵these∵arts∵required∵for∵the∵exigencies∵of∵the∵temple∵festivals∵（∵senevirathne∵1973∵）

We∵shall∵now∵see∵how∵the∵sub∵–∵religions∵which∵was∵patronized∵by∵the∵Buddhist∵themselves∵became∵the∵main∵institution∵of∵performing∵arts∵like∵∵dancing∵and∵music∵,∵of∵which∵the∵former∵has∵today∵gained∵international∵recognition.

The∵social∵religious∵cultural∵sri∵Lanka∵has∵a∵music∵faceted∵nature∵tolerating∵and∵assimilating∵sub∵–∵cultural∵and∵sub∵–∵religions∵for∵this∵purpose∵the∵orthodoxy∵of∵the∵Buddhist∵temple∵and∵had∵to∵be∵relaxed∵to∵a∵certain∵degree∵so∵as∵to∵accommodate∵democratic∵thinking∵of∵the∵people.∵Something∵that∵didin’t∵happen∵in∵india∵in∵happened∵Sri∵Lanka.∵Where∵certain∵Hindus∵tic∵beliefs∵like∵the∵ad∵vocation∵of∵∵deity∵worship∵was∵made∵possible∵with∵mahayanism,∵which∵stared∵seeping∵in∵to∵the∵main∵∵religion∵from∵the∵mid∵Anuradhapura∵Period.∵Had∵it∵not∵been∵for∵this∵accommodation∵of∵mahayanic∵elements∵Buddhism,∵in∵its∵pure∵Theravada∵ideas∵could∵not∵have∵stood∵the∵intrigues∵of∵Hindustan∵in∵particular.∵Mahayanism∵gave∵licenses∵∵for∵the∵lavish∵festivities∵and∵ceremonies∵as∵part∵of∵its∵worship,∵and∵was∵therefore∵favorable∵to∵the∵life∵style∵of∵the∵kings.∵∵If∵accorded∵such∵privilege∵to∵the∵kings∵of∵stabilize∵their∵political∵position.∵Sanskurit∵learning∵gave∵access∵to∵the∵text∵of∵∵Indian∵musical∵theory.∵which∵appears∵in∵rudimentary∵firms∵in∵some∵of∵the∵Buddhist∵text∵in∵Sri∵Lanka.∵

The∵∵Musical∵aspect∵of∵the∵Sri∵Lankan∵pirith∵sajjayana.∵

02.∵∵∵Pirith∵is∵important∵part∵of∵the∵Buddhist∵sajajayana.∵Sajajayana∵means∵loudly∵expression∵and∵group∵∵reciting.∵pirith∵is∵consider∵as∵giving∵of∵the∵safe∵guard,∵protection∵,∵prevention∵and∵emotive∵consolation∵by∵the∵reciting∵Buddhist∵Suthras.∵although∵this∵reciting∵is∵not∵established∵with∵the∵musical∵expectations∵there∵are∵∵reasonable∵musical∵aspects∵of∵the∵∵pirith∵sajajayana.∵Then∵pirith∵sajajayana∵is∵a∵very∵respectable∵∵role∵among∵the∵Sri∵Lankan∵folk∵lives.∵∵Prith∵sajajyana∵is∵based∵on∵suthras∵which∵adapted∵from∵Thripitaka.∵Those∵suthras∵as∵followings..∵

01.∵∵∵Maha∵Magala∵∵

02.∵∵Rathna∵∵∵∵

03.∵∵Karaneeyameththa∵∵∵

04.∵∵Dhadaggha∵∵∵∵∵∵

05.∵∵Parabhawa∵∵∵∵∵∵∵

06.∵∵Kaseebajathwaja∵

07.∵∵Meththanisansa∵∵∵∵∵

08.∵∵Dhammachakka∵

09.∵∵Maha∵samaya∵∵∵∵∵

10.∵∵Girimaanda∵∵

Gathas∵are∵recited∵in∵the∵pirith∵sajajyana∵which∵is∵founded∵in∵viritha.∵Viritha∵is∵the∵meter∵of∵∵gatha.∵Vritha∵is∵considered∵as∵combining∵of∵∵short∵letters∵and∵sustainable∵letters.∵It∵called∵lagu∵and∵guru.∵

There∵can∵be∵seen∵‘thristub’∵and∵‘anustub’∵virith∵in∵the∵pirith∵sajajyana.∵Those∵virith∵created∵in∵the∵Vedic∵∵period.∵When∵recites∵∵with∵those∵instructor∵（virith∵）∵it∵gives∵∵some∵musical∵stimulations.∵

Eg:

i.∵∵（∵Anushtub∵virith∵）∵∵∵

Bahu∵Dewa∵manushasacha∵………

mangalani∵achainayun…….

Akaknkaman∵sothanan….

Bauhi∵mangala∵muththman

ii.∵There∵are∵four∵kind∵of∵parts∵in∵the∵maha∵piritha∵according∵to∵reciting∵styles.∵Here∵we∵do∵concentrated∵and∵attention∵to∵it.∵Because∵,∵it∵takes∵a∵major∵roll∵in∵the∵musical∵behavior.∵

Approach∵∵

Reciting∵of∵suththra∵∵

Duets∵∵

End∵of∵reciting∵

These∵reciting∵styles∵are∵further∵the∵∵distinguished∵∵as∵extension∵of∵∵the∵Sinhala∵music∵tradition.∵as∵a∵results∵of∵that∵there∵are∵∵some∵musical∵∵scales∵∵in∵the∵Sri∵Lankan∵music.∵Such∵Falk∵musical∵scales∵are∵nourished∵and∵influenced∵by∵the∵pirith∵sajajayana.∵∵Sri∵Lakan∵pirith∵sajajayana∵is∵peculiar∵to∵its∵own∵way.∵when∵it∵comes∵to∵end∵∵allways∵it∵locates∵∵beyond∵one∵octave∵that∵even∵to∵very∵difficult∵understand∵to∵musician.∵Today∵some∵of∵Sri∵Lankan∵musicians∵try∵to∵explore∵∵musical∵combination∵of∵pirith∵sajajayana∵and∵allready∵they∵have∵been∵realized∵north∵Indian∵rag∵reflection∵in∵the∵pirith.∵Specially∵∵they∵see∵some∵similar∵points∵∵between∵north∵Indian∵music∵and∵pirith∵chanting.

Eg:

rag∵:∵∵thodhi

The∵suthras∵which∵belongs∵to∵the∵pirith∵are∵fictioned∵∵by∵the∵pali.∵The∵long∵usage∵of∵Sri∵Lankan∵Society∵now∵it∵became∵to∵independent∵recitting∵styles∵and∵∵a∵devoting∵way.∵Late∵Mr∵.∵C.∵De.S.∵kulathilaka∵who∵is∵musicologist∵in∵the∵Sri∵Lanka∵keen∵observed∵Buddihist∵sajajayana∵and∵Sinhala∵music∵tradition∵.∵Tonal∵stimulation∵is∵the∵most∵important∵thing∵which∵he∵identified∵among∵those∵（∵suththra∵gayanas∵）∵∵reciting.∵

Here∵are∵some∵suggtions∵for∵the∵innovative∵development∵of∵the∵music.∵Those∵are∵as∵following:

01.∵∵Identifying∵tonal∵performs∵of∵the∵pirith∵sajajayana.∵∵

02.∵∵Criticizing∵of∵the∵sajajayana∵scales∵according∵to∵ethnomusicological∵and∵musicological∵∵discipline.

∵