As with kinhin, there are at least a couple of reasons why we chant. Physically, it relaxes and invigorates the abdomen, the center of our posture and heart of our zazen. It also gives us a chance to thank our teachers and to announce their teachings. We should do this with our whole heart and energy.
A sutra book containing the texts of all the chants can be found behind your cushion, at the edge closest to the altar. Ideally, you should know all of the chants by heart so you can sit and chant them with hands in gassho. For those chants which you don't know, you should still sit with hands in gassho, with the sutra book held between your thumbs and first fingers. If you'd like to review the chants at home, recordings of the monks and nuns chanting at Dai Bosatsu Zendo are available.
Some Americans feel uncomfortable about chanting, bowing, etc. because they associate it with divinity worship in other traditions. Shakyamuni Buddha was insistent about the fact that he was not a god and shouldn't be treated as one. "Buddha" is simply a title which means "awakened person". When we talk about "buddha", we're not just referring to the specific person Shakyamuni Buddha, but to anyone who is being his or her natural self. When you bow to the buddha, you're not only showing respect to Shakyamuni as a teacher, but respecting and cultivating in yourself the same thing he found in himself. Bowing to the buddha means bowing to your awakened self. Bowing to the person across from you is bowing to that person's true nature. Chanting in honor of the buddha is celebrating what you discover in your zazen; it's just a continuation of your sitting practice.
The lineage chant is a recitation of the names of the teachers in our lineage. The chant leader will announce the name of the chant, and everyone should begin chanting together on the first line. The names are chanted on a single tone. Syllables which have accent marks over them are chanted longer than other syllables. The last syllable is chanted like a sigh, with the voice trailing off.
Unless otherwise stated below, the chant leader will announce the name of the chant, and everyone will begin chanting together immediately.
Atta Dipa is chanted with the voice starting low at the beginning of each line and rising for the last two syllables. The first line is chanted only by the chant leader, and everyone else joins in on the second line.
Vandana is chanted on a single tone until the last syllable, during which the voice lowers as in a sigh and trails off.
Tisarana is chanted similarly to Vandana.
Purification is chanted in slow but natural English cadences.
Opening This Dharma is chanted similarly to Purification.
The Heart Sutra is chanted with the aid of a mukugyo, a drum that is beaten to help keep everyone together. The chant leader will chant the first line, then everyone begins together on the second line with the mukugyo. Please stay as close to the beat of the mukugyo as you can.
The last three syllables of The Heart Sutra are held longer than the others (listen carefully to the mukugyo), and the voice trails off on last syllable.
The Heart Sutra is chanted first in English, then in Japanese.
The first five words of Sho Sai Shu are chanted by the chant leader only. Everyone then joins in immediately with the mukugyo. Sho Sai Shu is chanted three times with no breaks between repetitions (and everyone chants the words that were chanted only by the chant leader the first time). The last three syllables are held longer than the others, and the voice trails off on last syllable.
Dedication is chanted only by the chant leader, except for the three closing lines. If you are holding a sutra book, you should set it down and sit with hands in gassho during Dedication. In the closing lines, the last three syllables are held longer than the others, and the voice trails off on the last syllable.
The chant leader chants the first line of Dai Hi Shu alone, and everyone joins in on the second line with the mukugyo. The last three syllables are held longer than the others, and the voice trails off on last syllable.
The second Dedication is chanted similarly to the first.
Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo is chanted 21 times, with the mukugyo. It begins slowly and quietly, and becomes faster and louder as it progresses. Bells are struck at various times during the chant. As you near the end of the repetitions, you should listen for the bell. It is struck the next-to-the-last time through and the last time through, to signal that the end is coming. Be aware of this because the last three syllables are held longer than the others, and the voice trails off on last syllable.
After the last syllable, everyone takes in a deep breath and bellows "mu" with his or her full strength, bending forward at the waist until the head is to the floor and the voice trails off as the breath is fully expelled. You should then sit up with your hands in your lap for a few minutes of zazen.
Bodhisattva's Vow is chanted in slow but natural English cadences.
Shigu Seigan is chanted four times, three times in Japanese and once in English. The first time through, the chant leader chants the first line alone. The last three syllables are held longer than the others, and the voice trails off on last syllable.
After Shigu Seigan, a bell is struck and everyone bows. A series of strikes are then made on the bell to signal everyone to stand in preparation for prostrations. Everyone stands facing the altar with hands in gassho. When a bell is struck, you should bow toward the altar, then kneel and touch your forehead to the floor, placing your hands at either side of your head with the palms toward the ceiling, and raise your hands. When a bell is half-struck, you should stand with hands in gassho again. Two more prostrations follow similarly. The fourth bow is a greeting bow instead of a prostration toward the altar. You should bow toward the altar as before, but then turn and face the person across from you. Kneel, place both hands on the floor in front of you with the left hand on top of the right, and touch your forehead to your hands. When the bell is half-struck, stand with hands in gassho, and wait for the jikijitsu to signal the start of kinhin.