Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 174Dancing and Singing
Pāli / Sanskrit:Naccagīta
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Naccagīta Discourse (Dancing and Singing)
Background
The Naccagīta Discourse appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the early tradition, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the basic code of practice for those gone forth. It is not a discourse teaching abstract doctrine, but a rule of training connected with ethics and daily conduct.
In the time of the Buddha Śākyamuni, bhikkhus lived together in the Sangha, the community of renunciants. To maintain discipline, the Buddha issued training rules (sīla) to protect the mind and avoid reckless actions and sensual desire. The rule concerning dancing and singing belongs to the group of actions renunciants should avoid, because these activities are considered connected with tendencies toward entertainment, sensual pleasure, and an unfocused mind.
Main Content
The Naccagīta Discourse states that those gone forth should not take part in dancing or singing. This prohibition is not because the Buddha disliked music or art in general, but because these activities lead to focus on sensual pleasure and sensory enjoyment, moving away from the goal of practice.
Specifically, actions such as dancing (naccaṃ), singing worldly songs (gītaṃ), or taking part in amusements of this kind are regarded as actions inappropriate for one gone forth. Those who have gone forth in pursuit of liberation from suffering (nirvana) should not fall into such actions.
However, there are also clearly defined exceptions, such as puja chants or scriptural praises (geyya) intended to honor the Buddha-Dharma, which are considered differently. The prohibition is not absolutely sweeping, but is clearly determined based on the intention and context of the action.
Practical Meaning
The Naccagīta Discourse reflects a profound principle in the Buddha-Dharma: the distinction between actions leading to sensual pleasure (kāma-sukha) and actions leading to liberation (bodhi-sukha). A renunciant should focus the senses and the mind on meditation, study of the Dharma, and cultivation of the Noble Eightfold Path.
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