If you're a serious Buddhist, this is the bare minimum of Dhamma you should have memorized.
Once you've got it memorized by heart, recited daily and fluently, it only takes the time of 7 full breath cycles to recite this minimal amount of essential Dhamma.
I take a nice luxurious relaxed inhale, and then recite these 7 Dharmas on each exhale.
I've indicated the parts that must be memorized in Pali (≈ the Buddha's native language).
This is because these phrases contain important words that are frequently mistranslated and misinterpreted, drastically altering the meditation system. So by memorizing it in the Buddha's tongue, you give yourself your rightful privilege and duty to interpret it according to your evolving understanding in how it accords with the suttas, rather than trusting someone else's translation and interpretation.
The rest you can memorize in English or your preferred native language.
1. first breath: SammÄ-Sati š
right-remembering [of ☸Dharma instructions]
(memorize in Pali - non negotiable)
kÄye kÄyÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« viharati... | Body-as-body – continuous-seeing (he) abides-in, ... |
vedanÄsu vedanÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« viharati... | Experienced-sensations-(as)-experienced-sensations – continuous-seeing (he) abides-in... |
citte cittÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« viharati... | Mind-as mind – continuous-seeing (he) abides-in,... |
dhammesu dhammÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« viharati | ☸Dhamma-[teachings]-as-☸Dhamma – continuous-seeing (he) abides-in, |
ÄtÄpÄ« sampajÄno satimÄ, | (he is) ardent š¹, (a) lucid-discerner š, (a) rememberer š, |
vineyya loke abhijjhÄ-do-manassaį¹; | vanquishing worldly avarice-(and)-distressed-mental-states. |
(Elided form of the satipatthana formula allows you to recite in one breath comfortably, give you time and space to focus on recited reminder to see the body, sensations, mind as it is according to reality)
2. second breath: The heart of EBT meditation: the 7 awakening factors and their causal sequence
(this is essentially a condensed synopsis of SN 46.3)
(memorize in Pali - non negotiable)| (implied: pamojja and pīti would result from contact with inspiring monks) | |
(0. š BhikkhÅ«naį¹ dhammaį¹ sutvÄ) | 0. š listen to Dhamma [teaching] from a monk [and memorize it] |
(1. š Sati: taį¹ Dhammaį¹ anus-sarati anu-vitakketi) | 1. š that Dhamma [teaching] (he) recollects and thinks about |
(2. š Dhamma-vicaya: taį¹ dhammaį¹ paƱƱÄya, pa-vicinati pa-vicarati pari-vÄ«maį¹sam-Äpajjati ) | 2. š that Dhamma discerning; he discriminates, evaluates, investigates |
(3. š¹ VÄ«riya: Äraddhaį¹ hoti vÄ«riyaį¹ a-sallÄ«naį¹.) | 3. š¹ his aroused vigor is not-slackening |
(4. š PÄ«ti: Äraddha-vÄ«riyassa uppajjati pÄ«ti nir-ÄmisÄ,) | 4. š his aroused vigor leads to arising of rapture not-carnal (of jhana) |
(5. š Passaddhi: PÄ«ti-man-assa, kÄyo-pi passambhati, cittam-pi passambhati ) | 5. š with enraptured-mind, his body becomes pacified, his mind becomes pacified |
(6. š SamÄdhi: Passaddha-kÄyassa sukhino, cittaį¹ samÄdhiyati.) | 6. š with pacified body, he is in pleasure, mind becomes undistractable and lucid. |
(7. š Upekkha: so tathÄ-samÄhitaį¹ cittaį¹, sÄdhukaį¹ ajjh-upekkhitÄ hoti) | 7. š he of such undistractable & lucid mind, thoroughly looks-upon-it-with-equanimity |
The next four breaths of Dhamma to recite come from this sutta passage:
4 core meditations
1) asubha š§ → remove lust and passion2) metta ☮️ → remove ill will
3) 16 APS š¬️š¤ → remove vitakka/thinking
4) a-nicca-saƱƱa ⌛š → uproot pride, conceit, self
3. Third breath: 31asbš§, 31 body parts
3. (pali or your preferred language, mentally picture each part)
kesÄ lomÄ nakhÄ dantÄ taco, | Head-hairs, body-hairs, nails, teeth, skin, |
maį¹saį¹ nhÄru aį¹į¹hi aį¹į¹hi-miƱjaį¹ vakkaį¹, | flesh, tendons, bones, bone-marrow, kidneys, |
hadayaį¹ yakanaį¹ kilomakaį¹ pihakaį¹ papphÄsaį¹, | heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, |
antaį¹ antaguį¹aį¹ udariyaį¹ karÄ«saį¹, | Large-intestines, small-intestines, stomach, feces, |
pittaį¹ semhaį¹ pubbo lohitaį¹ sedo medo, | bile, phelgm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, |
assu vasÄ kheįø·o siį¹
ghÄį¹ikÄ lasikÄ muttan’ti. | tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucous, fluid-in-the-joints, (and) urine. |
More important than the language you memorize in for 31asb, is visually memorizing each body part.
Here is an article to get you started on that, and explains why you need that skill:
4. Fourth breath, the 4bv brahma vihara formula
(here just metta is given, the other 3 are the same you just substitute in karuna, mudita, etc. where 'metta' appears in the formula)
(STED 4bv☮️ → 1. MettÄš¤š¤)
š¤š¤ mettÄ-sahagatena cetasÄ | š¤š¤ (with) friendly-kindness-endowed mind, |
ekaį¹ disaį¹ pharitvÄ | (in) one direction pervade, |
viharati, | abide [like this]. |
tathÄ dutiyaį¹, | likewise (the) second [quarter], |
tathÄ tatiyaį¹, | likewise (the) third [quarter], |
tathÄ catutthaį¹; | likewise (the) fourth [quarter], |
iti uddham-adho | Thus above,-below, |
tiriyaį¹ sabbadhi | across, everywhere, |
Sabbat-tatÄya | All-places, |
sabbÄvantaį¹ lokaį¹ | (to the) entire world |
š¤š¤ mettÄ-sahagatena cetasÄ | š¤š¤ (with) friendly-kindness-endowed mind, |
vipulena maha-g-gatena | vast, exalted, |
appamÄį¹ena a-verena | measureless, without-hostility, |
A-byÄpajjena pharitvÄ | without ill will, pervade. |
viharati, | abide [like this]. |
5. Fifth breath: 16aps breath meditation
Here, just a condensed version of the 16 steps that can be recited in one exhale.
(memorize the following in Pali - non negotiable)
1. DÄ«ghaį¹ ... pajÄnÄti...
2. rassaį¹ ... pajÄnÄti...
3. š sabba-kÄya-p-paį¹isaį¹vedÄ« ...
4. šš passambhayaį¹ kÄya-saį¹
khÄraį¹...
5. š PÄ«ti-p-paį¹isaį¹vedÄ«...
6. š sukhap-paį¹isaį¹vedÄ«...
7. š citta-saį¹
khÄrap-paį¹isaį¹vedÄ«...
8. šš passambhayaį¹ citta-saį¹
khÄraį¹...
9. citta-p-paį¹isaį¹vedÄ« ...
10. š abhip-pa-modayaį¹ cittaį¹ ...
11. š samÄdahaį¹ cittaį¹ ...
12. vimocayaį¹ cittaį¹...
13. a-niccÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« ...
14. vi-rÄgÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« ...
15. nirodhÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« ...
16. paį¹inissaggÄ-(a)nu-passÄ« ...
6. sixth breath: impermanence to realize not self
uppannaį¹ bhaddakaį¹ samÄdhi-nimittaį¹ | (with an) arisen excellent undistractible-lucidity-sign [a vivid image], |
anu-rakkhati | (he) protects (it). (such as the) |
aį¹į¹hika-saƱƱaį¹ | Skeleton-perception |
puįø·avaka-saƱƱaį¹ | worm infested [corpse] -perception |
vinÄ«laka-saƱƱaį¹ | Black-ish / purple / discolored [corpse] –perception |
Vic-chiddaka-saƱƱaį¹ | Full-of-holes [a fissured corpse] -perception |
uddhumÄtaka-saƱƱaį¹. | swollen [bloated corpse] -perception |
(AN 6.29 connects the idea with corpse meditation, impermanence to realize not self)
(as with 31 body parts, what you're really shooting for is memorizing visual images that you can vividly bring to mind, and not just the words that invoke the image)
7. Seventh breath: 10 precepts to cover the vinaya / discipline / virtue ideas that need to be frequently recollected
A condensed version of KN Kp 2 - that can be recited in one breath
1. pÄį¹-ÄtipÄtÄ...
2. a-dinn’-ÄdÄnÄ...
3. a-brahmacariyÄ...
4. musÄ-vÄdÄ...
5. surÄmeraya-majja-pamÄd-aį¹į¹hÄnÄ...
6. vi-kÄla-bhojanÄ...
7. nacca-gÄ«ta-vÄdita-visÅ«kadassanÄ ...
8. mÄlÄ-gandha-vilepana-dhÄraį¹a-maį¹įøana-vibhÅ«sanaį¹į¹hÄnÄ ...
9. uccÄ-sayana-mahÄ-sayanÄ...
10. jÄtarÅ«pa-rajata-paį¹iggahaį¹Ä
veramaį¹Ä«-sikkhÄ-padaį¹ samÄdiyÄmi.
Example PÄįø·i audio recording of the 7 breaths
This is part of my evening chanting program, it takes me about two minutes, and 7 breath cycles.
I breathe in, and chant on each exhale.
This is also my daily covid test. The second chant especially, is challenging to do in one exhale. No way someone with covid could do that without coughing or gasping for air.
audio link:
Recorded and released on first take, no mistakes. That's also a test of samÄdhi. I chant this fast and accurately every day, about the only time I make a mistake is if unexpected mucous or dryness in the mouth messes up my pronunciation. It's never an error in sati, sampajÄno, or samÄdhi. Everything you do, every moment, is a fun challenge to test and assess your sati, sampajÄno, samÄdhi.
If you're a serious disciple of the Buddha, you should have these 2 minutes worth of Dharma memorized by heart, and recite every day. If you can't spare two minutes for the Buddha, if there's something more important in your life to you than this, I have no words to express how I feel about that.
If I was ever going to teach meditation, before I'd even talk to a prospective student, I would expect them to have these 2 minutes memorized, and a strong familiarity with the main passages in The Raft ☸š£. You'd get a grace period to have the key portions of the raft memorized by heart, but I would quiz you to make sure you could answer any question about it.
If a prospective student were to say this is too hard, asking too much, then that just tells me they're not serious about their practice, and they have quite a different idea of which parts of Dharma are the most important to know by heart.
,
The best way to memorize these 7 breaths is to record yourself
Record yourself reading some combination of pÄįø·i and english or your preferred language, and at pace that's comfortable for you.
Make two versions - one for chanting quickly for memory retention, and a second version where you read much more slowly and add pauses generously to give yourself time to think about each word, each phrase, and savor the meaning of the Dharma.
Then as you memorize and become more familiar with it, make faster recordings as needed.
How to use your recording in your daily practice
Listen and chant along with the recording of yourself as many times in the day as you think you need.
Once you have it memorized, then I recommend what I do daily:
1. chanting fast just for memory retention (about 2 minutes or as long as you need) - this involves, sati, samÄdhi, sampajÄno and vitakka (thinking to the extent of knowing the Dharma you're chanting has been chanted accurately).
2. chant once again, this time five to ten minute version where you have long pauses between each phrase so you can can add in vicÄra (evaluating the meaning of the Dhamma you recite), and pÄ«ti, pamojja, and sukha (joy and happiness in appreciating the meaning of the words you chant).
If you got pÄ«ti and sukha going, then during those silent pauses between phrases, then you got a partial first jhÄna going. If you also feel good strong force in your body, hands, feet, the inflationary jhÄnic force (see J.A.S.I. ('Jazzy') effect), then that means you may have some partial second jhÄna or higher going as well.
During the time where you are vocally chanting, then first jhÄna would not be possible according to SN 36.11. If you pay attention to the JASI force in the body, you can feel how the force is dissipated proportionally depending on if you chant loud, soft, whisper, or just mentally recite. Then it becomes very clear why speech ceases in first jhÄna, it dissipates the jhÄnic force.
20th century simile
Just like you're taking a hot water shower and someone flushes the toilet with 5 gallons cold water, your hot shower gets a cold blast. In the same way, you pour cold water on first jhÄna when you exert force to flap your vocal cords and lips. That first jhÄna gets flushed away, but you can stop vocalizing and instantly feel the force return, like hot water returning to your shower, with practice.
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