Song, Dance, and Instrumental Music in Buddhist Canon Law

Abstract

Maintaining a balanced approach to music is a shared challenge in all religions. Depending on the context in which music is used in religious activities, it is either praised as a powerful medium to please the divine or condemned as a sensual allurement that hinders spiritual advancement. This study discusses the treatment of vocal and instrumental music as well as the allied category of dance in Buddhism. Specifically, it analyzes the regulations of different forms of musical activities in Buddhist canon law and their subsequent interpretation in Tibet and China.