Can reading suttas aloud be considered a formal meditative practice?

The Watercooler
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Does reading a sutta aloud daily constitute a form of meditation capable of leading to stream-entry or higher stages?
Is there evidence for this in the Early Buddhist Texts?

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Ooohh, yes, I would like to hear some responses to this inquiry.

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I’m thinking in the realm of Vegas nerve, etc. There seems to be a connection in that way.

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There were no Suttas in “books” at the Buddha’s time. But hearing Dhamma or thinking and pondering about Dhamma, or even teaching Dhamma may lead to strem entery. Yamaka Bhikkhu understood Dhamma and attained liberation by listening to Ven Sariputta.

Usually in the preset time people do not read aloud. So it could be kind of practice, but for example in my case, I would be more concentrated on the fact of reading aloud than the meaning of the words. But perhaps in other reading aloud would not disturb reflecting skills, which I think is the most important factor in sotapati


I think Ven Nanadipa practised reading the Suttas aloud.

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Please see the bolded passage below.

And how does a noble disciple have seven good qualities? It’s when a noble disciple has faith in the Realized One’s awakening: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

They have a conscience. They’re conscientious about bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and conscientious about having any bad, unskillful qualities.

They exercise prudence. They’re prudent when it comes to bad conduct by way of body, speech, and mind, and prudent when it comes to acquiring any bad, unskillful qualities.

They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s entirely full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, rehearsing them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.

They live with energy roused up for giving up unskillful qualities and embracing skillful qualities. They’re strong, staunchly vigorous, not slacking off when it comes to developing skillful qualities.

They’re mindful. They have utmost mindfulness and alertness, and can remember and recall what was said and done long ago.

They’re wise. They have the wisdom of arising and passing away which is noble, penetrative, and leads to the complete ending of suffering. That’s how a noble disciple has seven good qualities.

-MN 53

So, reciting alone is not enough. If it were, parrots could become enlightened. The Buddha is encouraging us to investigate, to think, to reflect, to really taking an interest in understanding his teachings and applying them to our lives. Our kamma has led us to be born as human beings with the blessings of intelligence and language and the whole corpus of the Dhamma available on the internet and in the form of wise living teachers. We should use these gifts while we have them. Death will come and take them away, assuredly. Whether we gain them again, gain even better circumstances, or end up in a place of loss depends on what we do in this life.

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In addition to the above, I would say that it is Dhamma practice, but not meditation. It is the training of another faculty to lead to enlightenment. You will need to train in many ways.

Reading suttas can also bring the mind to peace and bring joy, so it’s a good way to practice before you sit down to meditate.

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Also see this thread for some resources:

I think it’s a criminally underinvestigated aspect of the Buddhist culture - the effects of sutta recitation and listening.

Also, there’s some interesting theories on Insight / Meditation practice dichotomy, and whether the spontaneous enlightenment descriptions in the suttas constitute samadhi.

  • So, it’s hard to argue if they’re a Bhāvanā practice.
  • For Sati, it’s debatable.
  • If reciting suttas can result in Samadhi, I think there’s some evidence in the suttas that spontaneous samadhi / enlightenment is observed with people listening to Dharma.
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I also don’t think it can be classed as “meditation” but that doesn’t mean it’s useless.

Consider the incident of someone becoming enlightened by his own Dhamma sermon: Khemaka SN22.89

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Thanks, Everyone.
My query assumes that one should read aloud a sutta they understand. Regarding this: if listening to dharma is a form of meditative practice, why not read aloud a sutta that you have studied and understood?

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What do you mean by “listening to dharma is a form of meditative practice”? For what Pāli word are we talking when saying “Meditation”, or what sutta formula are you referring to? :slight_smile:

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I am working at the moment, but I can look up some references later if anyone can assist me. They do exist; I just want to get confirmation from our professors first.

Please @Jasudho , @Sunyo , @Brahmali , @sujato :

I would really appreciate your input on this query; it will benefit many beings.

For example, I experience a deep and distinct shift in my mind while reading the Aniccasutta (this is an example), and I feel I can better integrate those truths through continuous repetition. I need to confirm if this is a valid practice, a valid meditative practice, or it is simply a personal, intuitive impression without a solid basis.

Thanks.

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This is a valid practice insofar as that’s literally how monks studied and kept alive the suttas in the memory for millenia. :slight_smile:

It is also oft repeated in the stock formula:

They’re very learned, remembering and keeping what they’ve learned. These teachings are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, meaningful and well-phrased, describing a spiritual practice that’s totally full and pure. They are very learned in such teachings, remembering them, reciting them, mentally scrutinizing them, and penetrating them theoretically.

But meditation can mean a lot things. :slight_smile: It’s arguably impossible in jhanas and strictly impossible in ayatanas to recite suttas.

We could also argue whether recitation and/or Dharma listening can induce samadhi, by showing people who’ve enlightened without “practising jhana & ayatana”.

Since the “main goal” of progressive “meditation” practice is the suspension of experience (nirodha samapatti), it’s hard to see how that’s compatible with doing anything at all.

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I think nirodha-samāpatti serves as a base for reflection only after the experience. Without right view, breath meditation alone may not lead to arahantship.

On the other hand, repeating and integrating understandable truths through suttas seems to deepen one’s insight. This leads to my question: is the daily recitation of Early Suttas, performed with clear comprehension, considered a form of meditation?

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Again, I’ll need to ask you to define what Pāli word you mean with meditation. :slight_smile: Sati? Bhāvana? Jhāyati? Samādhi?

Reciting suttas could be called Dhammanussati practice. Probably not what Buddha refers to when he says “Samādhiáč, bhikkhave, bhāvetha.” (Develop concentration, monks.)

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Hello friend,

Do you understand what the sutta (s) is/are saying? Do you contemplate the meaning of the sutta while reading it aloud? Do you do what the sutta is saying to do? (Following the precepts, being fully established on the precepts, restrain the senses, develop understanding of certain themes)


With Metta

C.

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I’m not sure if I’m doing this perfectly, but I’m trying. I do understand the Suttas—at least some of them.
If there is a prior understanding of the Sutta, can reading it aloud be considered a form of formal meditation?"

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Let me rephrase please:

Reading an Early Buddhist sutta aloud, with understanding, is a form of meditation that is sufficient to lead to stream-entry or higher stages?
Are there suttas that say yes? Which ones? If not, why not?

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The suttas themselves give a nice answer to your question, especially AN 5.26. Yes?

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No. It is not enough to attain stream entry.

What you call ‘understanding’ is surface level until you are a stream enterer. This kind of understanding combined with the experience of jhāna/right immersion/samādhi and then reviewing (paccavekkhaáč‡Ä) your experience within the context of your ‘book knowledge’ is what will lead to stream entry.

When there is no right immersion, one who lacks right immersion has destroyed a vital condition for true knowledge and vision. AN7.65

PS. Please show a bit of respect and don’t tag a list of monastics to summon them to the thread.

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Thanks.
But my query assumes understanding and only after that recitation to deepen the understanding.