Melody: Aesthetic Journey to Dharma Realization

Abstract

Academic articles on Aesthetics refers to the study of beauty. The perception of beauty is an innate ability in all humans through the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Beauty has the capacity to uplift the human spirit. Aesthetics and art are often considered synonymous. Music, for example, is an art form that relies on experiences in aesthetics as its foundation. Aesthetics has long played a significant role in religion, particularly in Buddhism. The Tipitaka offers numerous examples that demonstrate the integration of aesthetics in teaching the Dhamma.

The common perception tends to view music as a disturbance to religious practices, which is exemplified by the Buddha's prohibition against singing for monks with associated punishments for rule violations, a more comprehensive examination reveals that the Buddha also permitted monks to engage in chanting, specifically in the case of Sorapanya rhymes. This implies that when the lyrical content pertains to the Dhamma, and the melody has the capacity to instill peace and foster concentration in the mind, making it more tranquil, then Sorapanya rhymes or Dhamma songs can indeed serve as a valid practice method for monks, contributing to the cultivation of conditions conducive to Dhamma realization. Moreover, it is essential to emphasize that music within the Tipitaka and Aṭṭhakathā significantly facilitates the profound realizations of Dhamma and the attainment of Nibbana.