Sound of daimoku not universally appreciated

Hear, Hear

I've encountered people who can't stand the sound of daimoku. Maybe this wasn't the case here, but I don't like it either if a room full of people are not chanting in unison. It gives me a headache.

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by: Cultmember @ Thu Apr 30, 2009 at 16:31:34 PM UTC

Try a mokusho

Hey, Cultmember -

There are a variety of ways to get people in the same rhythm when chanting.  One of the simplest, I find, is for person leading service to use a mokusho or mokugyo.  These are wooden percussion instruments, similar to small drums, struck with a wooden or felted mallet.  The mokugyo is usually carved into a sort of "fish" shape (mokugyo means "fish drum"), while the mokusho is usually cylindrical.

The effect is very similar to chanting with a metronome. I will say, though, that it is much smoother and easier for a person to vary tempo, etc., with the mokusho/mokugyo than needing to adjust the setting on a metronome.

When I was first exposed to this tool, I was quite surprised at how easily one could keep a big group of people on the exact tempo, even when that tempo was increasing and decreasing during the service.

http://www.metmuseum.org/works...

http://zenartpeace.blogspot.co...

Here are some (non-commercial) descriptions of Mokusho and mokugyo.  I hope this is helpful.

 

Namaste, Engyo

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by: Engyo @ Mon May 18, 2009 at 17:00:55 PM UTC

Hi Engyo

Glad to see your screen name on this board. Hope all is well.

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by: brooke @ Sat May 23, 2009 at 21:53:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Hola, Brooke

Hola, Brooke -

Things are doing reasonably well.  I certainly can't complain at any rate.

Hope things are well with you too.

Namaste, Engyo

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by: Engyo @ Tue May 26, 2009 at 11:39:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]