I said, "They're doing that to spread the Dharma to as many people as possible. Who are you chanting to?"

"I'm trying to get rid of the uneasy restlessness within myself. On the other hand, I'm singing to the ghosts."

From a Buddhist point of view, I am not opposed to people singing, dancing, performing. In fact, at our Center's Buddha birthday celebration, people perform, and I watch as well. It's not that I crave entertainment, but it is a celebration and I want other people to feel good.

Also, it is alright for monastics to engage in some forms of entertainment if it is part of their job. For example, two movies were produced in Taiwan, one on the life of the Buddha and one about Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. After the movies were completed the producers invited me to the preview to see if it was in accordance with the spirit of the Dharma. Naturally, I went. On the other hand, if a monk or nun went to the cinema one evening to see it, it wouldn't be acceptable, because that would be for personal gratification.

I think it's fine to use singing, dancing and acting to spread the Dharma. I encourage people to use modern language to tell stories from the Buddhist point of view. These stories need not come from the sutras. In India, a famous Buddhist master named Asvaghosa composed poetry and songs based on the life of the Buddha for others to sing. During the Sung and Yuan dynasties, Buddhist masters composed similar songs so others could sing and spread the Dharma.