San Sarv Bi Pm Tf 44 Sk 95Memorizing the Teaching
Pāli / Sanskrit:Padasodhamma
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Explanation of the Padasodhamma Discourse (Remembering the Dharma)
Background
The Padasodhamma discourse belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka, in the Bhikkhuṇī Pātimokkha section, the part that regulates discipline for nuns in the Buddhist Sangha. The Theravāda tradition, the Pāli Canon, regards the Vinaya Piṭaka as the foundation of the Dharma, because it protects the destiny of the Sangha and creates conditions for pure practice.
This discourse is related when the Buddha spoke with female disciples about the method of remembering and applying what has been seen in the Dharma (dhamma). Accurate remembrance is not a matter of learning in a cursory way, but of deep understanding and grasping the essence, so that one can interpret, teach, and practice accurately. This is a matter of vital importance in the Theravāda tradition, where preserving the Dharma across a long journey depends on honesty in memory and transmission.
Main Content
Padasodhamma, meaning "purity concerning words" or "examination of words," emphasizes that when remembering the Dharma, the practitioner must pay special attention to the words (pada) and their use. These words are not merely sounds, but vessels containing the profound meaning of the Dharma.
The discourse teaches that to remember the Dharma accurately, one must follow three steps. First, study with teachers of morality and deep knowledge, those who have mastered the Dharma. Second, remember each word and each sentence carefully, without passing over the smallest detail. Third, clearly understand the meaning (attha) behind those words, because merely knowing how to repeat is meaningless if one does not understand the nature of the Dharma.
An important point in the discourse is the warning against going astray. When remembered incorrectly, the words are distorted, and therefore the Dharma is distorted along with them. This not only affects the individual who remembers, but also impacts the entire Sangha community, because errors can spread widely and cause loss of trust in the Dharma.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.