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Chanting
Chanting is of two kinds; mantras and sutras. Mantras are tantric sounds and phrases which (it is claimed) have effects that are unique to them. Mantras are widely chanted; many are time-tested, even ancient, and it is taught that they contain sounds which are tantric -- that have actual effect upon psychospiritual reality. Personally, I have never been able to verify this, but the fact that it is taught, and often on obvious credibility, can be a strong motivator in inducing you to chant more, with longer durations. The tantras are mystical ways of spirituality which originated in India and are used for divine and supernatural purposes. They involve mandalas (designs), mudras (gestures), and rituals, as well as mantras. There is a right hand path, which is exclusively good, and a left hand path, used for darker purposes. This website will deal only with the right hand path.
Buddhism features also sutra-chanting, and the value of this I have indeed personally verified. The Sutra Chanting link offers two sutras, together with mp3 downloads of each in the download section. These are The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra, in English, and verses of The Lotus Sutra, this one in archaic Japanese.
Chanting has long had a place in the spiritual practices of man. It has a number of benefits and advantages. It’s most practical advantage is in the development of mind-control by the individual. This control is essential. The mental institutions are full of idiots who have simply resigned their efforts to control the mind. But all sorts of influences are apt to get into us, especially when we are idle.
Often thought occurs, or attempts to occur, which is of an entirely unacceptable nature. These pernicious influences are greatly magnified where there is any sort of substance abuse.
Yogi Ramacharaka is fond of quoting Edward Carpenter’s verse:
Vice is a monster of such frightful mein,
That to be hated, has but to be seen.
But seen too oft, familiar with its face,
We first endure, then cherish, then embrace.
Indulgence in vice is also a great magnifier of the wrong sort of influence. While chanting can help, it cannot take the place of ceasing to indulge the vice -- the proper solution.
When one finds the mind behaving in a deplorable manner, lost in an obviously wrong pattern, chanting is one thing we can do to establish enough control to at least halt the mental misbehavior. There are many traditional chants that are quite wonderful -- which you select is really a matter of personal preference. If you like the chant, you will use the chant. I would call attention to the chants offered on this website, explained in the chant explanation section.
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