Melodic Meditation: Buddhist as a Vehicle for Choral Composition

Reed Criddle Director of Choral Activities, Utah Valley University

r. Reed Criddle is currently Director of Choral Activities at Utah Valley D University, where he conducts the Chamber Choir and Men’s Choir. Recipient of the UVU School of the Arts Faculty Senate Teaching Excellence Award, Dr. Criddle also teaches advanced choral conducting, private voice, and private conducting. He has served as president of the Utah chapter of the American Choral Directors Association and board member for the National Collegiate Choral Organization. As a U.S. Fulbright Senior Scholar in Taiwan, Dr. Criddle researched Buddhist chant at the Fo Guang Shan Institute of Humanistic (Kaohsiung) and Drum Institute of Liberal Arts (Taipei). His forthcom- ing book Chanting the Medicine Buddha , published by A-R Editions in their Recent Researches in the Oral Traditions of Music series, is a full musical transcription and new English translation of monastic from the Water and Land Dharma Service. Additionally, his pioneering translation of the third-century Chinese musical treatise by philosopher Ruan Ji is published by Asian Music (Uni- versity of Texas Press). His choral compositions and arrangements are available through Earthsongs, Hal Leonard, and Santa Barbara Music Publishing. 2019 7th Symposium on 221

Annual Sympo- ( (Samantabhadra th 普賢殿 During the 2017–2018 academic year, it was my good fortune year, academic During the 2017–2018 of intention explicit the 2017 with November in I arrived of Fo Guang Shan I feel honored to bring my research Back home in the United States, I am a professor of music I am humbled to return to this holy place to address you. It It to address you. to this holy place to return I am humbled sium! a as chant Buddhist researching Taiwan in months five spend to was the institution My primary host Scholar. U.S. Fulbright Senior Guang Shan and Buddhism here at Fo Institute of Humanistic Institute, most with the capable leaders of the I worked closely five those of majority a spent I Guang. Miao Venerable notably to attached residence in the months living grounds. monastic headquarters Shan Guang Fo these on Shrine) services in the Main Shrine were Morning and evening chanting mealtime thrice-daily as was the routine, of my part typical a chanting. and Land Dharma Water attending and recording the week-long weeks I spent thousands of devotees each year. Service that attracts Buddha Sutra service at the studying the two-hour long Medicine of the transcription full a I created Then Shrine. Compassion Great musical Western with complete service, that of elements musical new English translation. notation and a line-by-line, side-by-side Chant of the Sixth Patriarch circle output as a composer full chanting and subsequent creative musical compositions that were by presenting to you today three Shan. Fo Guang at here I learned that by Buddhist inspired This is a case study for the spread of Humanistic Buddhism through modern notions of musical transmission of the dharma. My Buddhism of Humanistic teachings to bring the are intended efforts into secular schools globally. seems like just yesterday that I was here for the 5 that I was here for the seems like just yesterday Introduction Melodic Meditation : Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition 222 2019 7th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 223

Chant of the Sixth Patriarch, Patriarch, Sixth the of Chant ” (“Bodhi is fundamentally fundamentally is (“Bodhi ” 菩提本無樹 ” or “there is no thing,” which refers to the the to refers which no thing,” is or “there ” 無一物, on YouTube: on YouTube: Chant of the Sixth Patriarch To https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3UJhx3r0t8 two years ago, I was At the conclusion of this conference As a footnote of historical contextualization, it was not always and director of choirs at Utah Valley University. I am also an an I am also University. Valley at Utah of choirs and director literature diversify performance to In an effort active composer. or to compose I began seeking opportunities of choirs worldwide, arrange choral music on Buddhist themes. From my first exposure summer Shan’s as a participant in Fo Guang to Buddhist chant choral first my arranged I ago, years fourteen camp monastic composition based on the tune of the Evening Bell Service. I set I set Service. Bell Evening tune of the on the based composition poem by Sixth with this tune, the famed the text often associated “ : Patriarch principles of emptiness, non-self, , and non-duality. impermanence, and non-duality. principles of emptiness, non-self, and is scored for This piece is entitled Chant of the Sixth Patriarch, piano. and choir, SATB violin and soprano solos, mixed Challenge Issued A Miao Guang, of the Fo Guang Shan Venerable speaking with about the future of Buddhist Institute of Humanistic Buddhism, mostly has Shan Fo Guang at music that noted rightly She music. and extra- chanting, The liturgy, sphere. in a sinological remained remained mostly have Shan temples musics of Fo Guang liturgical of The collection and instrumentation. Chinese in style, language, as the may be described of the chanting in the vast majority pitches five notes. contains scale, which musical mode of the pentatonic of approach tonal the also was This maintaining a Chinese musical language. Venerable founder Shan Guang Fo by attempts Early way. this his contemporaries Masters Hongyi and and Yun Hsing Master without any tree”). The climax of this piece is on the repeated piece isThe climax of this repeated on the without any tree”). “ lyrics

Melodic Meditation : Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition 224 2019 7th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 225

These 1 49, no. 2, (Spring/ 2, no. 49, century. To put things in perspective here in in here perspective in things put To century. th and 7 and th These mid-20th century Buddhist composers appropriated appropriated century Buddhist composers These mid-20th Ionian church mode, whose These hymns used the “Major” Summer, 2005): 266-286. Summer, Pi-yen Chen, “Buddhist Chant, Devotional Song, and Commercial Popular Pi-yen Chen, “Buddhist Chant, Devotional Song, and Commercial Popular Ethnomusicology ,” Rock to Ritual From Music:

compositions formed the core repertoire of the Ilan Chanting Ilan Chanting the core repertoire of the compositions formed in toured prominently and publicly which Choir, Youth Buddhist concert halls. Taiwanese some In ways. several song in art Western and hymnody Christian Western famed of compositions complete took they instances, van Beethoven, or Ludwig Bellini, Vincenzo like composers S. Hays, and set new Buddhist lyrics to those composers’ William borrowed the melody or the tunes. Or in other instances, they harmonic and melodic structure of Christian generic four-part hymns to create Buddhist hymns. Pope Gregory of Catholic time the to back traced be may origins 6 the of I appropriation of evangelical Christian hymns. Thus, a Chinese- a Thus, hymns. Christian of evangelical appropriation flavor of pentatonicism has not always been the norm in at Fo Guang Shan. Asia, Pope Gregory lived during the time of the Sui dynasty, which the time of the Sui dynasty, Asia, Pope Gregory lived during chant, Gregorian dynasty. Tang comes directly before the great musical language, Western of which forms the melodic basis was codified during that time. It is this musical tradition that the cultural early his in on drawing was Shan Guang Fo of founder 1 Taixu of Minnan Buddhist Seminary, as well as others, sought well as others, sought as Seminary, Minnan Buddhist of Taixu This genres. musical Western from vernacular musical in fold to by Chinese songs written new devotional of in collections resulted 1950s, In the music. classical Western in trained Buddhists Juche Wu and Li Zhonghe, Yongpu, Yang Buddhist musicians a hymnal for Fo Guang Shan. to write formed a committee are a poetic translation translation poetic a are - chant, devo of liturgical three-pronged history this Given Blessing Buddhist A of lyrics The In the last few decades, a separate genre of Buddhist music Buddhist music of separate genre a decades, few the last In has developed: commercial or popular Buddhist songs. These songs songs. or popular Buddhist commercial has developed: of the liturgy. of CD albums and are not part comprise dozens resemble popular contain Buddhist messages, they While the lyrics vocal color, the radio in their instrumentation, Chinese songs on be heard over of the dharma can This commercialization and style. especially monastery, Shan Guang Fo throughout loudspeakers temple bookstore, or festivals for the public, at the during large these songs resemble Although restaurant. Lodge at the Pilgrim’s they are distinctly Chinese in style. pop music, Western Buddhist Blessing A songs,tional hymns, and commercial I came to Fo Guang Shan Buddhist music. My motivation interested in future horizons of Venerable issued by a challenge for composing the next piece was of spread the that noted She astutely Guang. Miao cultural practices and thus Buddhism relies primarily on Chinese populations. She invited me does not easily reach non-Chinese to transform and musical the poetry language of Fo Shan Guang this Perhaps audiences. Western to speak readily more to chanting Buddhist of future the for exploration of frontier a become could music. I chose to harmonize the Fo Guang Shan Transference and services at Fo of chant, which concludes most rituals temples. In composing the Guang Shan monasteries and branch to respond harmonies and voice-leading the let I parts, voice four as of flow: concept philosophical Buddhist the with melody the and them around and over flows it rocks, encounters water river idiom resultant the surprising, Not struggle. a without on carries with soft non-functional harmony and resembles jazz, that emerged a comfortable dose of unresolved dissonance. with the exception of an inserted allusion to from Chinese liturgy

Melodic Meditation : Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition 226 2019 7th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 227 on YouTube: on YouTube: . The melody of this chant has hardly The melody . 慈悲喜捨 - to colloqui of Merit verse) also referred (Transference For those not familiar with this chant, it is a celebration of of with this chant, it is a celebration For those not familiar A Buddhist Blessing view To https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAuPm7-qd1g Fo Guang Shan monastics and devotees (and those acquainted (and those acquainted and devotees monastics Fo Guang Shan 迴向偈 with the daily chanting) will, of course, recognize this tune. It is this tune. It is will, of course, recognize with the daily chanting) the ally by its first line buried in the in this new genre it may seem been altered, though few the melody are a to differences The only texture. vocal jazz spots where I changed rhythms to match the English syllabification of my translation. also a It is heaven. and in earth on humanity strengthen virtues that the benefit of others. merit to Buddhist vow to gift one’s Japanese teachings. The axiom “Empty your cup!” refers to a to refers cup!” your “Empty axiom The Zen teachings. Japanese or Ko’an. Zen Buddhist parable, specific Melodic Meditation : Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition 228 2019 7th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 229

2 (the second of the Ten Ten the of second (the 消災吉祥神咒

Fo Guang Shan founder Venerable Master Hsing Yun believes Yun Hsing Master Venerable Fo Guang Shan founder and styles of In addition to the defining techniques ceremonial Buddhist music, we can begin to mix the can begin to mix the ceremonial Buddhist music, we with some of the solemn spirit of Buddhist melodies taking the moderniza- qualities of contemporary music, new level. tion of Buddhist music to a whole Venerable Master Hsing Yun, “Buddhism and Music,” Buddhism in Everyday “Buddhism Yun, Master Hsing Venerable Life, October 27, 2017, https://www.fgsitc.org/buddhism-and-music-2/. Mighty Flame of Buddhist music. He in the modernization and popularization Dharma, the teach to of musical ensembles creation the proposes of Buddhist composers, of new generations of fostering the talents just not masses and for the singable music of making Buddhist and monastics. He further remarked: 2 Encouraged by this progressive sentiment, I next composed next composed sentiment, I progressive Encouraged by this Dharani Flame Mighty

To 3 on YouTube: on YouTube: combining spoken word with sung combining spoken 4 (the sound of ocean waves). Choristers waves). of ocean sound (the ). With this piece, I strove to create Buddhist to create Buddhist piece, I strove this With ). 海潮音 do not seek to elevate or excite the emotions elevate or excite the emotions do not seek to 十小咒 fanbei To view this Mighty Flame Dharani view To https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkIDXiTIcxU Buddhism in Every Every in Buddhism Music,” and “Buddhism Yun, Hsing Master Venerable - Step, 2014, https://archive.org/stream/BuddhismInEveryStepBooklets/Bud dhismAndMusic_djvu.txt for Institute Drum Dharma of the Wei-Jen Deng Professor to indebted I am for instructing me in enunciation and am Arts (Taipei) the Liberal thrilled that he is attendance at this conference to witness the fruits of our collective labors.

of those who hear or sing them. Their goal is the opposite: to to Their goal is the opposite: or sing them. of those who hear reduce desire, and allow calm thoughts, energy, conserve emotional nature.” true their see and mind the illuminate to practitioners melodies. The chanting becomes untangled as the work develops, as the work develops, chanting becomes untangled The melodies. the Through its simplicity speaks unencumbered. until at the end of the pulse the over layered and canons musical of complex use dharma instrument, I re-create the traditional chanting of experience sonic composition this performing accurately at successful be only will remain and pulse fish wooden steady the of mindful are they if of sounds around them. In this undistracted by the cacophony state needed to experience the sense, not only is a mindful for is essential state but a mindful of the piece, quality meditative an accurate and unified execution of the work. If even one singer’s a piece like unravel rhythmically will strays, the whole piece mind of yarn from a sweater. 3 4 experience. As Venerable Master Hsing Yun said of chanting: said of chanting: Yun Hsing Master Venerable As experience. “Buddhist choral art whose primary design is not a display of beauty, beauty, of display a not is design primary whose art choral a meditative singers and audience members but rather to give Short Short Mantras achieve this, I set a Sanskrit text, achieve this, I set

Melodic Meditation : Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition 230 2019 7th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 231 Melodic Meditation : Buddhist Chant as a Vehicle for Choral Composition 232 2019 7th Symposium on Humanistic Buddhism 233

I believe the future of Buddhist music is bright. I envision music is bright. I envision I believe the future of Buddhist Conclusion increasingly be to music of Buddhist generation next the pluralistic, increasingly innovative, and increasingly inclusive of increasingly innovative, and increasingly pluralistic, chanting in Chinese Traditional local cultures around the world. the primary lifeline of liturgical Buddhist style will surely remain Guang Fo disparate as However, Shan. Guang Fo at activities engaged musicians around the Shan temple communities and might creativity of renaissance a self-expression, seek world give way to a diversification of musical In activity. the spreading Fo Guang of the interest in the best be would it dharma, of the and musical adaptation Shan leadership to encourage linguistic an increasingly global to so it may speak of Buddhist chanting compositions that are already audience. It is my hope that these being performed around the world will help bring about this renaissance in Buddhist music!