Pronouciation of "svaha"

[Gaman]

Hello fellow Sanghinis,
I realize getting hung up on pronounciation defeats the purpose of "getting into the groove" of feeling the chant/mantra/sutra, but it seems Tibetans say "so-ha" for the written word SVAHA, so I was wondering if the Japanese/Zen pronounciation is different, more like "swaha".

Thank you kindly,
Fiona

SatToday

[Mp]

Hello Fiona,

Yes there is a difference in translation/pronounciation for sure. With our chants, specifically to the end of the Heart Sutra that you are referring too, you would pronounce it like this Svaha (So-wah-kah). Does that help? =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Gaman]

It does Thanks a lot Shingen.
I am looking forward to my first Zaren with Treeleaf, so I can experience the chanting first hand

[Seishin]

Hello Fiona,

Yes there is a difference in translation/pronounciation for sure. With our chants, specifically to the end of the Heart Sutra that you are referring too, you would pronounce it like this Svaha (So-wah-kah). Does that help? =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

Thanks for that Shingen and also Fiona for asking the question, as i have been wondering about the pronunciation having started chanting the sutra during Zazenkai and never quite getting my tongue round it.

[Jundo]

Just to be precise, "svāhā" is a Sanskrit term often found at the end of a mantra or like slogan, and means literally something like "well said" or "so be it" or (my favorite) "that's the ticket!"

The pronunciation in Sanskrit is something like "sva" (almost like the first part of "swat" without the "t") and "ha" (as in laughing "ha ha ha")

When the Sanskrit got converted to Chinese, and then to Japanese, Korean and such, they approximated all this somewhat loosely in the local language. So, for example, "Svaha" became in Chinese "sà pó hē", in Korean "sabaha", and in Japanese "So wa ka".

"So wa ka" in Japanese sounds somewhat like "sew" (a thread) "wa" (like "what" without the "t") and "ka" ("cop" without the "p")

Clear as mud?

The funny thing is that, in traditional Indian belief, a Mantra needs to be pronounced exactly to have effect because the power is in the sound. So, what happens when the sound is all messed up like this? Nobody knows. Fortunately, some of us don't much care either. As I said in my recent talk on the heart sutra ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...IL-FOOLS%21%29

... the real "mantra" of the Heart Sutra is not a typical Mantra, but Emptiness itself. You have to listen to the talk to get the drift!

THAT'S THE TICKET!

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Seishin]

Thanks Jundo - and I enjoyed the Heart Sutra Dharma talk, as you can see I got the just a wave bit !!
Messiah_zpsun9ouqhb.jpg
Ok old pic and a bit shorter on top these days.

So at Zazenkai or if I chant on my own, is it Swa Ha or So Wa Ka ?

[Jundo]

Thanks Jundo - and I enjoyed the Heart Sutra Dharma talk, as you can see I got the just a wave bit !!
Messiah_zpsun9ouqhb.jpg
Ok old pic and a bit shorter on top these days.

So at Zazenkai or if I chant on my own, is it Swa Ha or So Wa Ka ?

Let's compromise ... Try "Swaha Shakira Waka Waka".

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Seishin]

Finished off with "Boom Boom Shaka Laka Laka Boom" per chance ?

[Jundo]

Finished off with "Boom Boom Shaka Laka Laka Boom" per chance ?

And here is an ear worm Dharani, also a blast from the past ...



Gassho, J

SatToday

[Hoko]

Now I can't stop thinking about this:


Sew Waka Waka everybody!
Well said.

Gassho,
Hoko
#sattoday