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Article: A primer on Tibetan Buddhism.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- May 9, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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When you hear Tibetan monks chant, you know immediately you will never forget.
This is not the melodious plainsong of the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo. It is a closed-throated, glottal monotone. The unnaturally deep murmurings arrest the ears and haunt the mind. One is taken up with fascination at the technique. But soon appreciation gives way to admiration, perhaps even devotion.
Even if you don't know Tibetan or Sanskrit and find the words indiscernible from mere sounds, the chant asks for reverence. The art form masks a deeper meaning that seemingly none of these humble monks could invent. It is mystical, ancient and spiritual, as complex as it ...