Penetrating Wisdom, Heartfelt Notes
HEALING TUNES
Venerable Ming Hai is a singer-turned-pianist from Taiwan before his ordination. Thus, after his renunciation in 2004, he explored adapting popular Chinese songs such as “The Moon Speaks for my Heart” 《月亮代表我的心》 and continued to use music to engage and teach the Dharma.
During the "Brave Life Music Concert" held on 17 December 2016 attended by 400 devotees and concert-goers, Venerable Ming Hai explained that apart from the different genres of music he adapted, the songs were also specially rewritten for different purposes such as repentance, healing and release.
And one such song was on repentance for the act of abortion; and he conveyed that in order to break the unforgiving suffering of the unborn fetus trapped in this world, one way is to urge and guide the child to follow the Buddha’s light to Pure Land. This can be carried out with sincere repentance, compassion and faith with the singing of “Dear Baby (Dear Child)” to lead the unborn fetus to Tathagata and to also reconcile the infinite affection between parents and children.
Music, the beautiful combination of musical notes, rhythm and lyrics is perhaps the one singular language that can transcend all boundaries from beginningless time. What more when the music is made even more meaningful with the ever illuminating Dharma of love, compassion, understanding, repentance and forgiveness?
This is an excerpt of the original article, 'Brave Life Music Concert', published in For You Information Issue 334.
Photo and video credits: Venerable Ming Hai, Pema Rinchen and Pureland Marketing
During For You Information 30th Anniversary Celebration in 2019, Venerable Ming Hai was invited as a special guest speaker. He gave a Dharma Talk and held a Dharma Concert.
