[Buddha-l] (no subject)

[Michael Attwood]

Alex Wilding alex at chagchen.org Tue Jul 25 18:18:05 MDT 2006

Wrote:

>Although it does not satisfy the classical criteria of a mantra,

Say more. I'd be interested in what you mean by "classical" - classical 
according to which culture, religion, time or place? I've only ever seen 
contention and dispute amongst scholars of mantra, so am pleased to learn 
that there is now a set of criteria by which to assess a mantra.

>Perhaps it would be thought of as a dharani?

How would you make the distinction?

I think it most closely resembles a paritta, and given it's Pali Canon roots 
perhaps this would be the best definition - although the word had 
disappeared from use (so far as I've been able to make out) by the time the 
Mahayana texts were written, the function of protecting by recitation of a 
text remained. In the sadhana I am referring to it surrounds the consonants 
and vowels and so does function as protection - with a row of vajras outside 
that doing the same thing.

The irony is that the Vajrayanists, so dismissive of the so-called 
"Hinayana", topped off their Vedic-derived ritual with a "Hinayana" 
protective spell. Nice.

BTW I appreciate the various diacritics that people have added to my 
previously naked verse - it does look a lot better with the dots :)

_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live™ Messenger has arrived. Click here to download it for free! 
http://imagine-msn.com/messenger/launch80/?locale=en-gb