Research Question about Buddhism and Music

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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rukkha
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Research Question about Buddhism and Music

Post by rukkha »

Hi! I'm writing an essay that looks at Blues music through the lens of Buddhism. I remember hearing a story about a bhikkhu who heard a slave-woman singing about the woes of life and realized Fruits as a result. Can someone give me a reference? Where does this story occur and is there a place online I can read it?
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Jason
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Re: Research Question about Buddhism and Music

Post by Jason »

rukkha wrote:Hi! I'm writing an essay that looks at Blues music through the lens of Buddhism. I remember hearing a story about a bhikkhu who heard a slave-woman singing about the woes of life and realized Fruits as a result. Can someone give me a reference? Where does this story occur and is there a place online I can read it?
One place is in the commentary to the Sutta Nipata. From the Pali Dictionary of Proper Names:
  • Sīhalacetikā. It is said that once sixty monks heard a Singhalese girl singing in her own language, on birth, old age, and death. They reflected on her words and became arahants. SNA.ii.397.
"Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya" (AN 7.58).

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Jason
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Re: Research Question about Buddhism and Music

Post by Jason »

Also found this:
  • 20. Tissa.-A monk known as āraddhavipassaka-Tissa. While walking about he saw a lotus open at the rising of the sun. Immediately afterwards, he heard a slave-girl singing; her song told of how men are subject to death just as the lotus opens to the sun. Tissa thereupon developed insight and became an arahant. SNA.ii.397.
"Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya" (AN 7.58).

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chownah
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Re: Research Question about Buddhism and Music

Post by chownah »

rukkha,
Google accesstoinsight and you will find a place with a huge amount of Suttas and they have a search function....sometimes it seems the search function is not as slick as you might want and if "sing" doesn't get any hits you might try "singing" as well for example........although it seems they keep upgrading the search function so maybe by now it is better. Also b e aware that for many Sutta references you can choose between different translations (sometimes different translations can give an entirely different feel to the meaning of a sutta) through a link usually located just under the title and also there are explanatory notes and related links listed at the bottom.
chownah
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