Monks Chanting at Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang

From the Emerald Cities: Arts of Siam and Burma, 1775-1950 Catalog
"May the power of the protective chants always safeguard
The king and his kingdom, army, and family.
May the assembled monks spread loving kindness
And recite the protective chants with undistracted minds.
May the gods from the universes in all directions come here
And Listen to the Good Dharma of the King of Sages
Which grants heaven and liberation."
The Lao are Theravada Buddhists and I've been reading a great little guide on Theravada Buddhism published by Simple Guides and when I was reading the first part I learned about a possible meaning to why the monks chant and what they are chanting. People have asked me about what the monks are chanting andI think the following paragraph taken from the book adds insight to the monks chanting you see in our videos.
"After the Buddha died there was a meeting of his disciples which was called the First Council. And at this First Council one of the Buddha's chief disciples, Ananda, repeated all he could remember of the teaches. Ananda's recollections were then learned by rote by many of those present, and these people subsequently passed on their recollections word-for-word to others. This method then became the accepted way of preserving the Buddha's teachings, and what evolved were the repetitive chants that can still be heard today in Buddhist monasteries and temples."
Also, what some people have told me is that the monks are chanting sutras to honor the Buddha. They may also be reciting the monastic rules to remind them of the discipline under which they live.
When I go into a wat in the early evening as the monks begin their evening chant I enter into another world. For me their chanting is mesmerizing and centers me so that I always feel rejuvenated after getting lost in their melodius chants.
This video was taken at Wat Xieng Thong in Luang Prabang, Laos

[@Phitsamay79]

Lao monks usually shave their heads twice a month. what you see is probably around 2 or more weeks growth of hair. they probably shaved their heads shortly after this vid was taken. then again, i could be wrong. you should checc out some of the Tibetan monks. they tend to let their hair grow out just a little longer before shaving compared to the Lao/Theravada way. But in the end, we are all followers of the Lord Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha =)!

[@ธนาชัย-ฦ2ฬ]

สวดทำนองลาวคิดถึงตอนบวชเณร40ปีที่แล้วหลวงปุ่บอกต้องสวดทุกวันตอนเย็นส่วนมากวัดที่สวดแบบนี้จะอยุ่แถบลุ่มน้ำโขง

[@sampuna]

Sounds like Pali chants done in Chinese style. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

[@simplelife1892]

It's not chinese style at all. Its sanskrit or pali chanting. In lao style chanting.

[@Phitsamay79]

kool vid. they chant very strangely yet melodically in Muang Luang. hey, checc out 2:54. what's that all about???? did the front center monk get punched?

[@Laogal]

it is a real feeling of Lao temple...i went to temple every morning to give "Janghun" i missed my childhood. i seen Lao temple in USA life style so different.

[@charles2843]

i lived in vang vieng just behind wat kang during 1966-67 and would go to sleep each night listening to the monks chanting, most peaceful place on earth then. anyplace i could obtain cd of lao monks chanting.

[@cindyayt]

I'm doing exams at the moment and this puts my mind at ease :)

[@laofootballabandijaimefoot9669]

ສາ ທຸ ສາທຸ
ຂໍ ໄຫ້ ເປັນ ບຸນ ອັນແຮງ ກ້າ ແດ່ ພວກ ຄົນ ລາວ ທຸກ ຄົນ ທີ່ ໄດ້ ຝັງ ເທ ນີ້ ດວ້ຍ ເທີ້ນ