San Mu Bu Pm GBM 3 Pc 6Memorizing the Teaching
Pāli / Sanskrit:Padasodhamma
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Commentary on the Padasodhamma Sutta (Memorizing the Dhamma)
Background
The Padasodhamma, or the Sutta on Memorizing the Dhamma, is preserved in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is not merely a collection of detailed rules for monastics; it is also a repository of practical methods for preserving and transmitting the true Dhamma within the monastic community.
This sutta belongs to the Parivāra (Appendix), a work that classifies and synthesizes the contents of the Vinaya Piṭaka. The Parivāra was compiled after the time of the Buddha, yet it reflects the ancient spirit of maintaining the purity and accuracy of the teaching. The context of its composition relates to a practical need: as the Buddhadhamma spread widely, effective methods were required for monastics to memorize and transmit the Dhamma faithfully in its proper meaning.
Main Content
The Padasodhamma focuses on the analysis of words (pada) and the correct interpretation (sodhamma) of the Dhamma. The sutta emphasizes that memorization is not a matter of mechanical rote learning, but rather of accurately grasping each word and its profound meaning.
This method is built upon the principle that every word within the Dhamma carries deep spiritual significance. When a monastic memorizes a sutta or a rule of discipline, it is necessary not only to remember the words themselves but also to understand clearly the intent behind them. This is especially important with regard to the teachings on the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, and the Vinaya rules governing the monastic community.
The sutta also addresses the relationship between words (nāma) and their objects (ārammana). A correct understanding of Dhamma terms such as greed (lobha), hatred (dosa), delusion (moha), virtue (dasa), and the āsava-free (anāsava), and so forth, is an indispensable prerequisite for proper practice. Errors in the understanding of terminology can lead to errors in the practice of cultivation.
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