[Buddha-l] On Dylan and Poetry

[Richard P. Hayes]

On Thu, 2005-09-29 at 11:52 -0700, Franz Metcalf wrote:

> Richard adduces two arguments that music is adharmic. One, that losing 
> oneself in it is temporary and "like" a distraction from attaining 
> kilesa-nirodha. The other, an ad-hominem critique of musicians' lives. 

An ad hominem argument is one in which the character of the person who
makes an argument is attacked, rather than the issue under discussion.
But here the issue under discussion is dharma, which has everything to
do with character, and character has everything to do with how one
lives. So nothing could be more relevant to a discussion of the dharmic
qualities of music than an observation of the lives of those who take
refuge in it.

> I'm certain I'll not convince Richard of this, but that's not the 
> point, nor is his convincing me.

You are right. I have no interest at all in convincing anyone to change
their attitudes toward music. If people enjoy it, and if they find
fulfillment in it, I can only rejoice that they are happy, if only for a
few moments. Perhaps all I am doing is talking to myself and trying to
figure out why it is that some things that used to give me quite a bit
of pleasure (the cacophonous incomprehensibility of the middle Dylan,
for example) no longer do. And I find that this question converges on
another question that I used to have, back in my musical days, namely,
why did the Buddha have such a dim view of music and spectacles? All I
am saying now is that the Buddha's attitude really makes a lot of sense
to me; it speaks to my condition, if I may be permitted to use a Quaker
phrase. It's always kind of nice when something that was once
incomprehensible comes into focus and makes a great deal of sense.

You are also right that your defense of music does not convince me very
much, but I do find what you say interesting and have probably benefited
in some way from thinking about it. As you are no doubt aware,
Sangharakshita has written a number of thought-provoking books and
articles on the importance of aesthetic refinement as a component of the
spiritual life. He places a lot of value on such things as poetry,
music, art, and well-written fiction, and he ties this value to the
value he places on ritual and devotional practices. His writing has
helped me understand how he thinks and feels, but there is little I
could do (except die and be reborn) to think and feel as he does about
these things.

> It's a bit like a poetry slam in that way, and I have no problem with that.

What on earth is a poetry slam? Is it some kind of cultural event that
combines the worst of literature with the best of basketball? I don't
think poetry slams have come to New Mexico yet. About the only cultural
events we have here are chile-eating contests, calf-roping and cock
fighting. (The general idea is, the more pain you can endure and
inflict, the more macho you are, and the more the girls will like you.
It's not awfully dharmic. This could explain why there are no Buddhists
in New Mexico.)

-- 
Richard Hayes
***
"When the power of love is greater than the love of power,
we will have peace."    ---Jimi Hendrix