Dharmasong Publications is dedicated to Buddhism, music, and the relationship between them. Our first project is a series of pamphlets, in electronic PDF format, called the Buddhist Musicianship Series. And the first pamphlet in the series is Listening, by Phil Nyokai James.
click the image above to download Listening, the first pamphlet
in
our Buddhist Musicianship series
From the Introduction to Listening:
Twenty-five hundred years ago the Buddha discovered a method for living life more freely and compassionately. His method was empirical rather than religious: instead of theological concepts and devotional commitments, he outlined a set of practical techniques his followers could try out for themselves.
The Buddha rarely mentioned music, and yet much of what he taught can be applied directly to what I call Buddhist musicianship. Buddhist musicianship is a radical return to the basics of working with sound, emphasizing concentration, mindfulness, personal discipline, attentive listening, breathing, community, and compassion. This Buddhist Musicianship series of articles is about becoming a musician or, for those who are already musicians, about revisiting the foundations of the craft and discovering new approaches, using the Buddha’s teaching as a framework. By “musician” I don’t necessarily mean a professional musician – I mean somebody who is creatively engaged with the world of sound.
For music to exist in the world, one of the most basic requirements is attentive listening. What a simple idea, but one that is often ignored because it seems so obvious. That’s why these first three articles delve deeply into the practice of listening, drawing parallels with Buddhist methods and offering exercises that bridge the gap between art and meditation. I hope that through these writings you will develop a sense of the world of music that is at once broader and more precise than you thought possible. I hope you will begin to see yourself as an active, creative, and self-assured participant in that world. I hope, too, that the Buddhist approach to musical expression enriches other areas of your life.