Dear Yong Peng and friends,
Here is again the Vinaya passage which is also a good reminder for
laypeople, see below.

>
> Bhikkhus, there are these five dangers when Dhamma is chanted with a long,
> singing sound:
>
> He is pleased with himself regarding that sound, (= pride)
>
> Others are pleased regarding that sound (they have regard for it but not for
> Dhamma)
>
> Householders look down upon him (as music is for those who enjoy
> sense-pleasures)
>
> While trying for accuracy of sound his concentration is broken, (he neglects
> the meaning of what he is chanting)
>
> People coming after fall into views (by emulation) ("saying: Our teachers
> and preceptors sang it thus" [Commentary] -- a source of both pride and
> quarreling among later generations of Buddhists).
>
> -- Vinaya Pitaka, ii. 108
> http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/bps/wheels/wheel206/chanting.html

Nina:
The Buddha wanted to help the monks to understand when kusala cittas arise
and when akusala cittas. We are deluding ourselves and we are bound to take
for kusala what is akusala. This happens even when we are engaged with
wholesome activities such as chanting, reciting texts and paying respect to
the Triple Gem. Akusala is deeply accumulated and it will always find an
object.
The Buddha said that the monks should not chant Dhamma with a long, singing
sound.
There may be attachment to one's voice, or to the sound. Conceit (maana) is
very stubborn, only the arahat has eradicated it. It accompanies the akusala
citta rooted in attachment, lobha. It arises whenever we attach importance
to ourselves, thus, not only when we compare ourselves with others. The Book
of Analysis (Second Book of the Abhidhamma), Ch 17, para 845, states:
<Therein, what is pride? That which is pride, being proud, state of being
proud, conceit, being conceited, loftiness, haughtiness, (flaunting a )flag,
assumption, desire of consciousness for a banner. This is called pride.>
In para 832, there is an impressive list of the objects of pride, and among
those: <pride of erudition... of intelligence..of being a knowledgeable
authority...of accomplishment...>
It has many objects. The purpose of such lists is to remind us how often we
like to fly a banner.
We read in the text about hymns:
<Householders look down upon him (as music is for those who enjoy
sense-pleasures)>
Clinging does not always arise with conceit, there may be just enjoyment of
sound. The monk should lead a life without attachment to sense pleasures,
that is why he is not supposed to listen to music. A lesson for us
laypeople: we do not have to force ourselves into avoiding music, we do not
harm others, but it is good to know when there is lobha, even slight. We can
play music with kusala cittas as a gift of dana, or to give ailing people a
therapy, but still, there are many akusala cittas with lobha in between. We
like music, otherwise we would not play.
Clinging can be seen as threefold:1. eta.m mama, this is mine: as craving
(without conceit and wrong view).
2. esoham asmi, this am I: clinging with conceit.
3. eso me attaa, this is myself: clinging with wrong view (di.t.thi).
As the Buddha said to Rahula, he should develop insight wisdom (vipassanaa
pa~n~naa), so that he would realize:
<Ta.m 'neta.m mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attaa'ti - evameta.m yathaabhuuta.m
sammappa~n~naaya da.t.thabba.m.
This should be seen as it really is with right wisdom in
such a way: "This is not mine, I am not this, this is not me".>
The Buddha taught the monks to be mindful no matter what they were doing.
They should have a fine discrimination of the different cittas. When
chanting, one may be attached to the sound, but sound is only rupa, a
physical phenomenon which does not last. It is not my sound. There is also
hearing, but there is no person who hears, it is only a type of citta that
falls away immediately. When chanting there may be akusala cittas or kusala
cittas producing the sound.
We read: < While trying for accuracy of sound his concentration is broken,
(he neglects
the meaning of what he is chanting)
We may chant or recite with kusala citta, but without understanding,
pa~n~naa. The kusala citta accompanied by pa~n~naa is of a higher degree of
kusala than kusala citta without pa~n~naa, but it depends on many conditions
what type of citta arises at a particular moment. When we have learnt Pali
we may understand the meaning of the words. However, there are many degrees
of understanding: we may know what the words mean, but do we comprehend the
deep meaning of the Buddha's message? Do we grasp his message of developing
understanding during all our activities?
When the Buddha laid down a rule for the monks, it was to help them, and
when we laypeople read about those rules we can benefit as well.
Nina.