Buddhism's twentyfive hundred year history has found this tradition living in the heart of many Eastern cultures in how these cultures express wisdom and compassion through chant and instrumental interpretations. With the increasing interest in the philosophy and practice of Buddhism in the West, this important collection of Buddhist chants and music opens a whole new horizon for practitioners and students of this tradition. In this collection, we can hear the humid sounds of Vietnam in the chanting of teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. And we also touch the robust strength of Korea's rugged mountains in the chanting of Zen Master Seung Sahn. The Tendai chants remind us of the Gregorian tradition where there is an absence of harmony and a presence of the community in unison. The haunting sound of the shakuhachi reminds us of the stark and beautiful simplicity of Japanese Zen practice. Included also are chants and instrumentals by Buddhist practitioners from Sri Lanka, Tibet, and China. In this way, we have here a wealth of Buddhist chant and music that reflects the profoundly rich cultural interpretations of a vision and practice that arose in India over two millenia ago. Interestingly enough, music is an integral part of Buddhist practice. I know of no school of Buddhism that does not include music as an integral element of the tradition. However, this is not music as we know it. Buddhist chant and percussion practice in particular is created for the purpose of inducing meditative states of consciousness. Obviously from this collection, we see that we are talking about differing states of meditation, from the rich visualization-based practices of meditation of the Tibetans who use overtone chanting and resounding symbols, horns, and drums, to the gentle and rather sweetish tones of Vietnamese Buddhism where lovingkindness is emphasized. Another frequent feature of Buddhist chant is that it is often in unison and repetitive. These features emphasize the absence of a separate self and the presence of interconnectedness. The repetitive structure induces states of profound concentration, since the mind ceases to be entertained my auditory novelty. Finally, this music has been passed down through generations of practitioners and represents the ancestral continuity that is so important in most Eastern cultures. It is a music of transmission and connectedness, and invites the listener to enter the continuum of practice through a style of mind-altering sound and music shape that will not be that familiar to most Westerner listeners. When listened to in temple settings with the rich smell of incense, the presence of monks or nuns in their traditional robes, and the sense of stillness and silence underlying the sounds of Buddhist music practice, this sacred music will often seem familiar to a listener, no matter from what culture. Without the benefit of set and setting, a listener might hear only the unusualness of the sounds. Yet if you listen with judgment suspended, one can discover the rare and treasured teachings of the Buddha through what you will be hearing. This collection gives us an important introduction to a spiritual tradition that will one day include musical interpretations from the West. Now, we can turn to culture and history to know the roots of Buddhism. Joan Halifax Roshi Upaya Zen Center .