First of all this is my first activity , I would like to bring in the concept of Thought Documentation , which plays a vital role in preservation of pristine dhamma for years to come, well my observation is during the Buddhist Councils the recollection of the dhamma verbatim was perfect as the thought process of the sangha was of very high levels and also of the upasakas of Lord Buddhas’ time wherein as the dispensation of dhamma entering in the more modernised world , the common man is finding it difficult to contemplate the teachings in its nativity.
I observe that the thought process of the contemplative mind is vitiated due to the importance given to the materialistic nature of mind.
2 Likes
Welcome to Sutta Central.
Could you explain what you meant by the concept of thought documentation?
Is that memorising Sutta?
Thanks for your observation, well thought documentation to some extent deals with memorization, since memories are not frozen in time and new information and suggestions may become incorporated into old memories overtime period.
My observation was that the thought process during the Lord Buddha period was of well refined in nature in the sense that consciousness arising associated with thought process was favorable in thought documentation because of the wholesome merits accumulated in previous lives , also the dhamma penetration was intense due to the thought process was invariably influenced by the wholesome merits of previous lives .So the dhamma in its pristine form forms the basis for its preservation into modern era due to this nature, well the present period requires physical documentation of thoughts , as the penetration levels are low due to mundane views which acts as catalyst for the thought process.
So what is your suggestion?
Thought Documentation is core aspect of sutta central translations while going through translations category I noted discussion on some wrong translations being discussed so my view on translation depends on good thought documentation which shall reflect in translations / transliterations/ Paraphrasing .
Welcome to the SC community! 
So, people living now didn’t acquire any merits in their previous lives? How did all that merit get wasted, how does that work? Didn’t people acquire even more merit when hearing and contemplating the Dhamma and how did this merit get spent along the way? I mean, if we admit that hearing and contemplating Dhamma generates much merit, it is a bit hard to see why the appearance of the Buddhavacana didn’t start an exponentially growing chain reaction of merit generation.
Thanks for your observation, well due to their merits they are born as humans but due to the ignorance and materialistic nature of thinking and selfishness their accumulated merits does not act as catalyst for the penetration of dhamma, moreover at this juncture easy way of gaining merit is through Dana or generosity but the majority of individuals are having wrong cetana or volition. Self Policing of our thoughts which is required at this point of time.
How did this nature arise? Was it not there in the Ancient India in the Buddha’s times? Why did it serve as a catalyst back then? Sorry for so many questions, I just want to fully understand your idea 
Now I see your point except the merit you are talking about it.
Say I am not an Arahant but start translating Tipitaka from Pali to English.
According to you, I will miss translate, because I do not have merits or the knowledge?
