Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

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Manopubbangama
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Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Manopubbangama »

I'm a horrible memorizor (sp?)

Anyone who successfully memorizes entire suttas have any ideas, inspirations to help us less-endowed with this faculty?
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

Why would you want to memorize a sutta? They're written down. They have been written down for more than 2000 years. Read them and apply them!
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Volo
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Volo »

If you want to memorize many suttas you would probably need to be fluent in Pali. For just a few of them, repeated chanting is probably the way to go.
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Assaji
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Assaji »

Manopubbangama wrote: Wed Oct 24, 2018 6:22 pm I'm a horrible memorizor (sp?)

Anyone who successfully memorizes entire suttas have any ideas, inspirations to help us less-endowed with this faculty?
Excellent choice, that's a tested ancient method to feel the teachings and keep them in mind.

You'll find useful the Pāli Audio website: https://www.paliaudio.com/ For a start, just listen to the suttas.
SarathW
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by SarathW »

I am hopeless in memorising anything.
However, I had to meomrise 100 selected verses from Dhammapada for my high school examination.
The method I used was the repetition and the rhythm.
It is a great idea you are trying to memorise Sutta.
If we did not have the monks who memorise these Sutta we will not have a Buddhism today.
I ask a similar question in DW.
viewtopic.php?t=25555
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Mr Man
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Mr Man »

Once upon a time I memorised the Bhikku Patimokha. It takes a fair bit of effort. Listening to others chanting is helpful. You need to establish the rhythm in you mind. Start with small chunks and then extend and extend. In the end it becomes all about remembering the next couple of words. One phrase triggers the next phrase. Like dominoes falling in the mind.
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by SarathW »

Tipiṭakadhara and Tipiṭakakovida examinations

Mahapasana Guha Cave hosts the Tipitakadhara Tipitakakovida Examinations
The Tipiṭakadhara and Tipiṭakakovida examinations (တိပိဋကဓရ တိပိဋကကောဝိဒ ရွေးချယ်ရေးစာမေးပွဲ), held since 1948, are the highest-level examinations conducted by the Burmese government. These examinations, require candidates to demonstrate rote memory and comprehension of the entire Pāli Canon and its relevant commentaries, sub-commentaries, and treatises.[7] The oral and written examinations are held annually in December, over the course of 33 days at the Kaba Aye Pagoda's Mahapasana Cave in Yangon.[5][8] The breadth of the examinations requires candidates to recite over 2.4 million words with correct pronunciation and smooth flow, and transcribe over 200 texts from memory.[9] The examinations also require candidates to display their mastery of "doctrinal understanding, textual discrimination, taxonomic grouping and comparative philosophy of Buddhist doctrine."[8] The first candidate to pass the Tipiṭakadhara examinations was Mingun Sayadaw in 1953.[10] As of 2013, only 12 monks have passed these examinations.[8]

Successful candidates are bestowed ranking titles, depending on their performance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monastic_examinations
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frank k
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by frank k »

Manopubbangama wrote: Wed Oct 24, 2018 6:22 pm I'm a horrible memorizor (sp?)

Anyone who successfully memorizes entire suttas have any ideas, inspirations to help us less-endowed with this faculty?
It's like anything else. If you practice regularly, everyday, then you will get good at it.
Memorize a few lines that are important and inspirational to you so you have built in motivation. Practice it everyday, and then gradually expand a few words everyday.

If you don't practice everyday, then you never build up momentum to make it in to a habit.
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by frank k »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:34 pm Why would you want to memorize a sutta? They're written down. They have been written down for more than 2000 years. Read them and apply them!
Even if you read them and apply them, you're applying something you've partially memorized. So you can't get away from having to memorize important things. And if they're important, it's worthwhile to memorize them clearly, verbatim word for word, like anatta lakkhana sutta. Otherwise, if you're relying on a book, you find that what you try to apply your practice is fuzzy, partial. The more clearly you memorize, recollect, reflect on the memory, that is the meaning of sati, and samma sati, the more clearly you can apply it to life and understand its purpose and meaning. The more you rely on books and electronic aids, the more fuzzy and muddled your understanding of it.

That's why the oral tradition continued for 500 years even when the paper and writing technology were already there.

A key point is you understand every word you recite from memory clearly as you recollect and recite. To get the full benefit intended by the oral tradition. If you don't understand what you're memorizing, it's just like a weight lifter developing big muscles and never using it for anything useful or practical.
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Spiny Norman »

Manopubbangama wrote: Wed Oct 24, 2018 6:22 pm Anyone who successfully memorizes entire suttas have any ideas, inspirations to help us less-endowed with this faculty?
I would suggest choosing a sutta that inspires you, and then reading it every day. After a while you will remember it.
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Volo
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Volo »

I memorize some verses from Dhammapada, the ones which I find most inspiring. I use AnkiDroid (on Android) to keep them in mind.
SarathW
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by SarathW »

frank k wrote: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:54 am
JamesTheGiant wrote: Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:34 pm Why would you want to memorize a sutta? They're written down. They have been written down for more than 2000 years. Read them and apply them!
Even if you read them and apply them, you're applying something you've partially memorized. So you can't get away from having to memorize important things. And if they're important, it's worthwhile to memorize them clearly, verbatim word for word, like anatta lakkhana sutta. Otherwise, if you're relying on a book, you find that what you try to apply your practice is fuzzy, partial. The more clearly you memorize, recollect, reflect on the memory, that is the meaning of sati, and samma sati, the more clearly you can apply it to life and understand its purpose and meaning. The more you rely on books and electronic aids, the more fuzzy and muddled your understanding of it.

That's why the oral tradition continued for 500 years even when the paper and writing technology were already there.

A key point is you understand every word you recite from memory clearly as you recollect and recite. To get the full benefit intended by the oral tradition. If you don't understand what you're memorizing, it's just like a weight lifter developing big muscles and never using it for anything useful or practical.
:goodpost:
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Manopubbangama »

So much excellent knowledge.


Thanks all for sharing. :namaste:
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by Manopubbangama »

Mr Man wrote: Thu Oct 25, 2018 9:10 am Once upon a time I memorised the Bhikku Patimokha. It takes a fair bit of effort. Listening to others chanting is helpful. You need to establish the rhythm in you mind. Start with small chunks and then extend and extend. In the end it becomes all about remembering the next couple of words. One phrase triggers the next phrase. Like dominoes falling in the mind.
I'm personally shooting for the Dhammapada.

Anyone interested in a study group to achieve this endeavor?
hgf
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Re: Memorizing Suttas - Methods?

Post by hgf »

im interested in the dhammapada:)
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