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[chuanguan]

Should monastics listen to non-buddhist or non Dharma-related music?
Going by just the lay person's eight precepts, one is to abstain from listening to music or entertainments.
For some people, they would abstain from all but buddhist chants. While others would include Buddhist-themed music as being acceptable and which may not comprise strictly Dharma verses, may extoll Buddhist qualities or values.

On the further end of the spectrum would be contemporary or pop music. And even then, some would say that it is light and delightful, while others would say that it is not appropriate for monastics to be doing so.

Bear in mind that you are free to express your personal opinions, but as far as the monastic training rules are concerned, music and entertainment is not allowed. The key point perhaps is in perusal of music as entertainment, as it leads one to delight in it, and further waste time in pursuit, enjoyment and recollection of it. These conflict with a monastic's practise of meditation and ultimately hinders his progress towards enlightenment.

Discuss.

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

阿弥陀佛！
            关于这点三宝弟子有想过，现在在这讨论讨论。佛制八戒其中一条为：不固往观听，不歌舞倡伎。。很明显的佛制这条戒就是要我们不要刻意的去听去看，以娱乐性的观看，娱乐自己，这样会杂染熏习贪等烦恼，因而进一步的浪费时间断送了在这段时间内的修行时间。戒有分二种，一）止持 二）作持。前者是，不应当作的不作，也就是“诸恶莫作” 即不当的而为之就犯，后者是，当作的作，也就是“众善奉行”，即当作而不为之就犯。而这条戒也就是止持也就是说是遮戒。遮戒就是：如果佛不制则世间法而言并不犯的名遮戒。然而佛制戒并有其因缘，有其用意的，如前所说佛制这条戒是为我们断贪等烦恼而制而这条戒完全是“止持”的，不应当犯。举一例子：有位居士想供养虚云老和尚包了一个香席给老和尚看戏，当他同老和尚提了，老和尚很严厉的训了他一顿说：八戒弟子尚不固往观听况我是具戒比丘。居士就向老和尚顶礼忏悔说:今天我花了几个大洋却得了一个宝贵的开示。那么三宝弟子就觉得不应该有这些娱乐就因思想奠于前面所说的。有些人会说佛门有个方便法门又有开缘无所为啦！弟子认为，佛门也有句说：慈悲多祸害，方便出下流。所谓方便法门就是通过方便用一种能适合他又能间接善诱他入佛门，慢慢地开化他入于佛知见。进入之后再慢慢舍离最初的方便，这才是真正的方便法门，法门具智慧，有智慧性的方便让人们容易了解佛法再慢慢地舍离习气才是方便法门。不然一切都是骗人的。这就是为什么佛门近代有，慈悲多祸害，方便出下流的句子。共勉！
优婆塞乘睦。

[Amitayus]

问：心住何处即住？答：住无住处即住。

问：云何是无住处？答：不住一切处，即是住无住处。云何是不住一切处？答：不住一切处者，不住善恶有无内外中间，不住空、亦不住不空，不住定、亦不住不定，即是不住一切处；只个不住一切处，即是住处也；得如是者，即名无住心也，无住心者是佛心。

[隆平乘睦慧觉]

阿弥陀佛！圆觉者我敬礼！凡夫俗子我还在生死轮回中以此为目标，净化修行，而不住于文字障，即见圆月。知识寡薄不敢卖弄，努力实践佛说。

[TCK]

In the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the Buddha taught:

"Dve me Bhikkhave anta pabbajitena na sevitabba”
“Bhikkhus, one who has gone forth from the worldly life should not indulge in these two extreme parts (things, practices)”

"Katame dwe. Yo cayam kamesu kamasukhalikannuyogo – hino, gammo, pothujjaniko, anariyo, anatthasamhito. Yo cayam attakilamarthanuyogo – dukkha, anariyo, anattha-samhito."

What are the two extreme things(parts, practises)?

Delighting in desirable sense-objects, pursuing and enjoying sensuous pleasures constitute one extreme practice. This practice is low or bad, being the habit of village and town folks; common and earthly, being indulged in by ordinary common worldlings, hence not pursued by the Noble Ones; not pertaining to the true interests one is seeking after. Such pursuit after sensuous pleasures is an extreme (part) practice which should be avoided.

The practice of self-mortification, which forms the other extreme practice results only in self-torture, infliction and suffering. It is not the practice of the Noble Ones, hence ignoble, unclean and does not tend to one’s own welfare and interest. This practice should also be avoided.

Extracted from The Great Discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma, translated by Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/damachak.pdf

[johnfaust]

So what is really the situation with regards to the treatment of Buddhism regarding modern music?

[verbarrator]

Most modern music full of emotions (hatred, sorrow, biased love etc) and attachments. Listen to them does not help in cultivating good seeds. So the answer to the question is mostly "NO"