Scott A. Mitchell is an Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the Institute of Buddhist Studies. Address: Institute of Buddhist Studies, 2140 Durant Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. Emails: ;
關鍵詞
Buddhist Music; Christianity; Hymns; Ritual; Buddhism United States
摘要
US Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist songs in the style of Christian hymns—what the community refers to as gāthā—are an integral part of the lived experience of North American Shin Buddhism. Rather than focusing on processes of acculturation, in the following paper I take gāthā seriously as a form of Buddhist practice, asking questions related not to their origins or legitimacy but to their function and purpose. I argue that gāthā function as a mechanism by which shifting ideas, attitudes, and practices become normative within the community. This function becomes apparent when gāthā are placed within their larger ritual context and are performed by the community as a whole. Following on Rappaport's analysis of ritual, gāthā serve as indexical expressions of canonical orientations toward Buddhist practice and teachings.
目次
Introduction 356 Sunday Dharma service 360 Gatha as performance 362 The function of gatha 364 Conclusion 368 Notes 369 References 370
