The Sound of Singing

Aṅguttara Nikāya

21. Kimilavagga

Gītassarasutta

Numbered Discourses

21. The Chapter with Kimbila

The Sound of Singing

Aṅguttara Nikāya

21. Kimilavagga

Gītassarasutta

The Sound of Singing

Why you shouldn’t recite Dhamma in an overly drawn-out singing style.

Ruta suttaAN 5.209Sutta Piṭaka › Aṅguttara Nikāya › 5. Pañcakanipāta › 5. Pañcamapaṇṇāsaka › 21. Kimilavagga › Gītassarasutta

← Suttas

Vista:

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks in reciting with a drawn-out singing voice.What five?You relish the sound of your own voice. Others relish the sound of your voice. Householders complain:‘These ascetics who follow the Sakyan, sing just like us!’ When you’re enjoying the melody, your immersion breaks up. Those who come after follow your example.These are the five drawbacks in reciting with a drawn-out singing voice.”

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā āyatakena gītassarena dhammaṁ bhaṇantassa. Katame pañca? Attanāpi tasmiṁ sare sārajjati, parepi tasmiṁ sare sārajjanti, gahapatikāpi ujjhāyanti: ‘yatheva mayaṁ gāyāma, evamevaṁ kho samaṇā sakyaputtiyā gāyantī’ti, sarakuttimpi nikāmayamānassa samādhissa bhaṅgo hoti, pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā āyatakena gītassarena dhammaṁ bhaṇantassā”ti.

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks in reciting with a drawn-out singing voice.

“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā āyatakena gītassarena dhammaṁ bhaṇantassa.

What five?

Katame pañca?

You relish the sound of your own voice. Others relish the sound of your voice. Householders complain:

Attanāpi tasmiṁ sare sārajjati, parepi tasmiṁ sare sārajjanti, gahapatikāpi ujjhāyanti:

‘These ascetics who follow the Sakyan, sing just like us!’ When you’re enjoying the melody, your immersion breaks up. Those who come after follow your example.

‘yatheva mayaṁ gāyāma, evamevaṁ kho samaṇā sakyaputtiyā gāyantī’ti, sarakuttimpi nikāmayamānassa samādhissa bhaṅgo hoti, pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati.

These are the five drawbacks in reciting with a drawn-out singing voice.”

Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā āyatakena gītassarena dhammaṁ bhaṇantassā”ti.

“Mendicants, there are these five drawbacks in reciting with a drawn-out singing voice.“Pañcime, bhikkhave, ādīnavā āyatakena gītassarena dhammaṁ bhaṇantassa. What five?Katame pañca? You relish the sound of your own voice. Others relish the sound of your voice. Householders complain:Attanāpi tasmiṁ sare sārajjati, parepi tasmiṁ sare sārajjanti, gahapatikāpi ujjhāyanti: ‘These ascetics who follow the Sakyan, sing just like us!’ When you’re enjoying the melody, your immersion breaks up. Those who come after follow your example.‘yatheva mayaṁ gāyāma, evamevaṁ kho samaṇā sakyaputtiyā gāyantī’ti, sarakuttimpi nikāmayamānassa samādhissa bhaṅgo hoti, pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṁ āpajjati. These are the five drawbacks in reciting with a drawn-out singing voice.”Ime kho, bhikkhave, pañca ādīnavā āyatakena gītassarena dhammaṁ bhaṇantassā”ti.

Navamaṁ.