The Principle of Recitation

Once you can recite the Śūraṅgama Mantra at a very fast speed, memorizing it basically becomes no longer difficult. Why is this? Because recitation is the function of the mind consciousness, while memorization is the function of the manas. When the mind consciousness can recite very fluently, the manas has also been permeated by it to a considerable degree. At this point, if you can recite the mantra at a very fast speed, not only will the mind consciousness be free of distracting thoughts and wandering notions, but the manas will also be free of them, and it will be able to single-mindedly permeate itself with the mantra. Naturally, the mantra will be memorized, so that the mind consciousness can recite it fluently from memory—being able to recite it naturally without deliberately practicing recitation.

And single-mindedness is meditative concentration (samādhi). By eliminating distracting thoughts and focusing all one's energy on one thing without interference, that thing can be accomplished. Thus, with meditative concentration one can accomplish all things, and wisdom will also arise. The manas and meditative concentration, when combined, can accomplish all things; the accomplishment of all dharmas is inseparable from the manas and meditative concentration. Therefore, meditative concentration mainly refers to the concentration of the manas as the commander-in-chief, with the six consciousnesses as attendants who must advance and retreat, abide and cease, together with their commander. When encountering a problem, if the manas can deeply and single-mindedly deliberate on it, paying no heed to any other dharma-conditions or states, its power of concentration will rapidly strengthen, and it may then reach the root of the problem, with wisdom welling forth.

Fast recitation can give rise to meditative concentration, and slow recitation can likewise give rise to it. Reciting the mantra slowly, even very slowly, one will also become very single-minded: the mind consciousness has no wandering thoughts, and the manas has no wandering thoughts either, and it can attentively receive the permeation from the mind consciousness. The mantra slowly enters the mind of the manas and is memorized within, after which it can be recited from memory. Both very fast recitation of mantras and sūtras and very slow recitation have their advantages and disadvantages: fast recitation may lead to distraction, while slow recitation may lead to drowsiness, so adjustment is needed at all times. The two methods are applied in different situations—whatever the situation, that is the method to use. Each person needs to experience it personally and master it flexibly in order to achieve the best results.