[Buddha-l] liturgical languages

Michel Clasquin clasqm at mweb.co.za
Thu Apr 28 05:28:17 MDT 2005


Richard P. Hayes wrote:
>Offhand, I can't think of anything much more ridiculous. We might
> as well have chanted "Eenie meenie mynie mo, with a hey nonny and a hey
> nonny no!"

How *dare* you expose to the unwashed masses the secret chant of the 
Neo-Kindergarten Quasi-Shakespearean school of Buddhism!?!

I used to sit with a group allied to Kapleau-roshi's outfit, and they 
would give long, complicated reasons why it was so much better to chant 
in English than in Japanese. After I left them (nothing personal, I just 
moved to the other side of the country) the leaders transferred their 
allegiance to the Kwan Um school, and today *the same people* will give 
you long, complicated reasons why chanting in Korean is far, far 
better... Having a good memory for these things is a curse.

-- 
"Many people would sooner die than think; In fact, they do so."
Bertrand Russell



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