大宋僧史略 2.8

2.8

As for cantillation and chanting of vows, in the beginning, whenever a sthavira in the Western Regions attended an invitation, he pronounced vows of blessing, saying: "May bipeds always be safe, may quadrupeds also be safe, and may all times be auspicious," in order to gladden the hearts of the dānapatis. Śāriputra was endowed with great eloquence; when he once served as sthavira, his chanting of praises was so fine that the laypeople rejoiced greatly. This was the rudimentary beginning of formal announcements. The treatise in the Liang *Gaoseng zhuan* states: "What is valued in cantillation and chanting comprises four qualities: first, voice; second, eloquence; third, talent; and fourth, broad learning. Without voice, one cannot alert the assembly; without eloquence, one cannot suit the occasion; without talent, one's words will have nothing worth selecting; without broad learning, one's speech will have no authority. Such are its general features." According to the *Nanhai jigui neifa zhuan*, kneeling with the right knee touching the ground while burning incense, and praising the Buddha's physical marks, should be performed by the chanting master kneeling with the right knee touching the ground. This may be announced in a straightforward voice or in a melodious voice. Moreover, in the Western Regions, whenever one had an audience with a king, there was always a ritual of praising his virtues. When the Dharma flowed eastward to China, this responsibility became particularly important. When meeting high officials or having an audience with kings, one versed and experienced was required to exchange greetings, express warm sentiments, and praise moral influence; this too is an affair of cantillation and chanting. Prince Jingling of the Qi wrote texts for cantillation, and Sengyou of the Liang composed *Records of the Conditions of the Qi Sovereign's Praises* and various types of vow texts. In the Chen and Sui dynasties, the eminent monk Zhenguan was deeply adept in this art and had a collection of cantillation texts. From the Tang to the present, this method has flourished throughout the ages.