kailash by octurn / the tibetan monks of gyuto

the ensemble octurn ventures into the authentic universe of ritual chants of tibetan monks from the gyuto monastery who practice a special overtone chanting technique commonly known as “the voice of tantra”: the sonic experience is fascinating and seemingly timeless, even for the untrained ear / through these rituals, octurn discovers a highly sophisticated culture and ancient philosophy that today is threatened by extinction / the chanting monks, even in this hybrid musical environment, still succeed in conveying the authenticity and profoundness of their journey toward ultimate enlightenment / sound offerings are an integral element of the tantric rituals performed by the gyuto monks, but outside of their monasteries, they chant for the freedom of tibet and of all living beings / by sharing this state of extreme consciousness with an audience unfamiliar with tantric practices, the gyuto monks aim to exorcise the negative forces present and raise the conscience of the world / the score written by bo van der werf for the musicians of octurn originates from these hypnotic states of mind and in the mixture of overtone vocal sounds, western instruments, traditional tibetan instruments and live electronic processing unfolds an imaginary and hybrid tibetan ritual

ON THE GYUTO MONASTERY

The life of a Gyuto monk is a life of practice - of loving kindness and compassion for the benefit of all. The monks do this by the practice of the Tantric arts, including harmonic chanting, butter sculpture and the creation of sand mandalas. Gyuto Tantric University was established by Jetsun Kunga Dhondup in 1475 and flourished in Lhasa, Tibet, until 1959 when their famous Ramoche temple was desecrated and the population of 900 monks decimated. About 60 monks escaped to India with the Dalai Lama and throughout the past 30 years, enduring serious privation as refugees, they have nurtured and preserved the ancient rituals and traditions and carefully rebuilt the monastic community to today's population of over 500. The Gyuto Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries in Tibet and specializes in the study of Tantric meditation, Tantric ritual arts and Buddhist philosophy.

Individuals who enter the path of monasticism go through a very thorough training of Tibetan Buddhism, with a tremendous focus on ritual arts of tantric Buddhism and monastic discipline. Training begins with reading, writing, and Tibetan literature. They also memorize all the important texts of the Vajrayana practice, typically more than 700 pages of the texts. Monks perfect the rituals and arts of music, torma-making, , sand paintings, and vocal chanting.

Tibetan chanting employs mantric formulas which make up their sacred texts. These are mantras which are fundamental to their spiritual practices. Each sacred scripture is an invocation to a specific deity or a collection of deities. The chanters visualize these deities while creating a mandala, a circular cosmological painting which they inwardly visualize in archetypal symbols. These mandalas may involve over 150 deities and entities, all in specific placement. This combination of vocalization and visualization allows the monks to become the embodiment of the energies they are invoking. The tantras describe not just one Buddha, but thousands. Tibetans believe that every living being has the potential to achieve enlightenment and this is the message of Buddha. The vast numbers of tantric deities reflect the infinite variety of human temperaments and cultural conditions. Focusing on his or her own potential for enlightenment, a tantric meditator visualizes that he or she is one of these Buddhas.

« Some people may ask ‘why are they performing publicly what should be esoteric rites ?’ Perhaps these people feel that secret teachings should not be turned into theatrical spectacle. But they needn’t to be concerned. The secret interior path and its processes are things which the ordinary eye cannot perceive. What is seen outside is totally different. Based on their inner achievements, the yogis can unfold energies which can serve the benefit of an entire country, such as in ceremonies which consecrate images and icons, exorcise negative forces, prevent natural disasters and epidemics, and uplift the spirit of the times.Thus, from a certain point of view, these ceremonies have a great benefit for the entire society »
His Holiness the 14th Dalai-Lama.

“The young monks sing with a master, learning to imitate his sound. However, it is not considered possible to achieve the technique mechanically. They train simultaneously in all aspects of the dharma. The particular realization which makes multi-phonic singing possible is the meditation on selflessness. Only those who have reached a certain stage in this meditation can become open enough to be vessels of this sound. The sound is produced by persons, who while present, are aware on a level in which they are not present. The sound is coming through them and not from them.
The Tibetan monks believe that in the creation of the ‘One Voice Chord’, the monks do not ‘make’ the sound. Rather, they become a vehicle through which the sacred sound may manifest. This is a basic principle contained in the Tibetan Buddhist teachings of sacred sound. The chanting of the Gyuto monks embodies this understanding of sound and their powerful multi-phonic chanting exemplifies the application of this principle. The harmonics which they create are a result of their becoming one with sacred sound”.
Robert Thurman, professor of Indo-Tibetan studies at Columbia University

sources: cd ‘la voix des Tantra’ -www.tibet-info.net -www.gyuto.org- www.gyutomonastery.com /

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