Lzh Sarv Bi Vb Pc 5Memorizing the Teaching
Pāli / Sanskrit:Padasodhamma
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Padasodhamma Sutra: Recollecting the Dharma
Background
The Padasodhamma rule appears in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pātimokkha, the core code of discipline of the Theravāda Buddhist Sangha. This section belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, where detailed rules of practice for the Buddhist community are recorded. The text was composed while the Buddha’s disciples were still living near him or in the early period after his nirvana, in order to preserve the identity of the teaching and maintain the discipline of practice.
The occasion for the appearance of Padasodhamma is related to the need to memorize and transmit the teachings accurately. In the context of early Buddhism, memorizing the Dharma was not for displaying knowledge, but for protecting the purity of the Dharma from distortion, corruption, or forgetfulness. It is a sacred act, an offering of reverence to the Three Jewels.
Main Content
Padasodhamma revolves around the principle of remembering the words (padasodhamma, from pada, meaning word, and sodhamma, meaning “pure” or “accurate”). The rule emphasizes that those who learn, memorize, and expound the Dharma must do so with thoroughness, not carelessly, and without any intention to falsify or distort the meaning.
The specific content of the rule instructs that when recollecting the Dharma, one must remember the words exactly as the Buddha taught them, without adding or removing anything, and without changing their order or meaning. Memorization is not a mechanical act, but must be performed with mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā). The final purpose is not merely to acquire a collection of knowledge, but to understand the Dharma deeply, thereby developing spiritually and moving toward liberation (nirvana).
The rule also records that memorizing the Dharma properly is a way to protect the Buddha-Dharma from corruption and error. This is the responsibility of each member of the Sangha and each practitioner, and a form of loving-kindness (mettā) toward later generations.
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