Originally posted by Herzog_Zwei:
Then why chant? This I got to ask the Pureland dicipline Buddhist
who chants to go to Amida Pureland after death. Isn't it
ritualization? For the zazen practioner, why sit in lotus position
and meditate? Can't a person meditate standing or squating? Why
recite the scriptures in arachic terms which no one in the present
understands with ease?
Chanting is not a ritual but a practice and a meditative
technique. It helps to develope one pointedness and samadhi.
Lotus position is a yogic position that is very helpful in
stabilising your mind and body -- if you practice yoga you will
know that different bodily positions can have very different
effects on your mental states, and also affects your meditative
experience.
And btw, you can meditate while standing. This is called 'walking
meditation', and I think is also as important as sitting.
Furthermore, we must integrate our meditative state in our daily
activities as much as possible as Buddhism is not just about
sitting but living fully.
Next, I do not know the reason for chanting in 'archaic terms', but
the language that I chant is Chinese, and I can understand what I
am chanting. I think that is most important.
Like I just told a forummer --
"so my master say b4... chanting sutra is good but not as good as
understanding sutra, but understanding sutra is not as good as
practicing/'xing' the sutra, and that is still not as good as
'zheng'/realise/attain the essence of the sutra
so we shldnt just chant and chant... we must understand but not
just understand theoretically
most impt is we must practice accordingly, and then realise the
truth for ourselves"
AEN, for a person who calls me dogmatic, you are the truly
dogmatic one.
Nope. I understand completely that I am saying.
On the other hand, all that you have said simply shows your
ignorance of the subject, as shown above.
Update: and ignorance of subjects (i.e. meditation) is ok, but the
worse thing is when you are completely ignorant of it, you think
you know. 