Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Five)

The Stages of the Path of Practice

King Śuddhodana expressed that after hearing the World-Honored One teach the Dharma, he would hold it in mind, keeping the Dharma present in every thought. The prerequisite for holding it in mind is listening; understanding what is heard constitutes determination (adhimokṣa), and only after determination can one hold it in mind. If one does not understand, it is easy to forget, and when trying to recall it, one cannot bring it to mind. Once one has understood and remembered the content, there is no need to memorize it—whenever it is brought up, one immediately knows what it means. This is what it means to hold it in mind without forgetting. The prerequisite for holding it in mind without forgetting is understanding what one hears, and the prerequisite for understanding is listening carefully, listening attentively—and listening attentively means listening with full concentration, with the mind in meditative concentration (samādhi). Therefore, before teaching the Dharma, the Buddha would always tell his disciples, "Listen attentively, listen attentively, and ponder it well!" Listen carefully and earnestly, and afterwards contemplate carefully—it is not a matter of simply finishing listening and letting it go; rather, after listening one must still contemplate and reflect, and only after reflection can one understand. Understanding is determination (adhimokṣa), and once one has determination, one will naturally remember it.

Not being able to remember the Dharma one hears is not merely a matter of poor memory; it also depends on whether one understood it at the time, and whether one continued to contemplate it after listening, and whether that contemplation was deep and thorough. If one cannot do these things, one will not remember it and will not know what one heard. The next step after holding it in mind is faith and acceptance—believing and receiving it. The next step after receiving it is practicing in accordance with the teachings. When one has accomplished practicing in accordance with the teachings, the Dharma one has learned becomes one's own. This is the stages of the path of practice: first listen attentively, then contemplate, hold it in mind, have faith and accept it, and practice it.