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Developing a Buddhist Practice in Taiko Drumming - a Work in Progress, Submitted to Register for This Site
Developing a Buddhist practice in taiko drumming
The Odaiko Daimoku work brings the life of a votary of the Lotus Sutra to Japanese taiko drumming. The piece is set in taiko’s most dramatic, strenuous, thunderous format: the Odaiko Solo. The theme is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, called Daimoku, which means ‘title’ [of the Lotus Sutra].
Perspective
Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, (my faith), is the theoretical perspective in which Odaiko Daimoku is set. This requires no more faith of the critic than any other theory. A grand theory offers an explanation of the universe; my faith practice does this, with a masterful combination of poetry, oratory and analysis. In selecting a theoretical position, we choose whatever best explains our knowledge of history, our current experience and our hopes for the future.
In my faith, continuous interactions in the universe are divided into precisely 3,000 types, using 23 defining terms. It offers a practice for continuously observing, and benefiting from, these 3,000 types of interaction: chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. Reading the literature reveals all this and much more; but reading the literature without chanting is like having a Haynes manual without a car or a toolkit.
Practice
Odaiko Daimoku, (the work), is practice in Taiko. The ji-uchi, the base rhythm, of the work is ‘straight beats. The melody is the rhythm of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. The tempo is the typical speed of chanting at meetings, where new members or visitors might be, about?? bpm: it is the speed of transmission. Chanting with one’s regular fellow-Buddhists, the tempo is more like 120 bpm. The setup is Odaiko | humongous bass drum | Nagado | massive tom tom with big nails all round | Shime | barking snare-like drum | Uchiwa | fan drum (roto tom meets ping pong bat) | Katsugi/Okedo | rope-tensioned light tom tom worn on a strap | Chappa | hand cymbals | Atarigane | small hand-gong |

The work explores a structured experience of chanting
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