The Principle of Memorization and 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 steeped in it almost sufficiently. At this point, if you can recite the mantra at a very fast speed, not only does the mind consciousness have no scattered thoughts or delusive thinking, but the manas also has no scattered thoughts or delusive thinking, and can single-mindedly steep itself in the mantra. Naturally, the mantra will be memorized, thereby enabling the mind consciousness to recite it fluently from memory—being able to recite it naturally without deliberately practicing recitation.

And single-mindedness is meditative concentration (samādhi). By removing scattered and miscellaneous thoughts and concentrating all one's energy on one thing, without interference, that thing can be accomplished. Therefore, with meditative concentration one can accomplish all things, and wisdom will also appear. When the manas and meditative concentration combine, they 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 in concentration and cease, together with their commander. When encountering a problem, if the manas can deeply and single-mindedly contemplate it, disregarding all other dharma conditions and states, its power of concentration rapidly strengthens, and it becomes possible to 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 meditative concentration. Reciting the mantra slowly, even to the point of being extremely slow, one will also become very single-minded: the mind consciousness has no delusive thoughts, and the manas also has no delusive thoughts, able to attentively receive the steeping from the mind consciousness. The mantra slowly enters the mind of the manas, and the mantra is memorized in the mind, after which it can be recited from memory. Both very fast recitation of mantras and sūtras and very slow recitation of mantras and sūtras have their advantages and disadvantages: fast recitation may give rise to scatteredness, while slow recitation may give rise to dullness, requiring adjustment at any time. 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 handle it flexibly in order to achieve the best results.