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It is curious--this contrast and contradiction of Buddha banning music and Beethoven receiving divine exaltation from it. Buddha said it led astray; Beethoven said it led to God. But analysis shows that most people were too tasteless or weak or ignorant to be entrusted with such an influence and allowed to make their own discrimination between the degrading or exciting and the ennobling or calming, so it was probably safer to ban music altogether. Besides, their time as monks could be better used in reflections and meditations, studies and practices.

-- Notebooks Category 14: The Arts in Culture > Chapter 4 : Reflections On Specific Arts > # 315