A good memory is not as good as a bad pen — what is the reasoning?

Rote memorization—mechanically memorizing without understanding—is a function of the mind consciousness. What has been memorized has not yet been infused into the manas; the manas still does not understand it. How can one effectively infuse the manas so that the manas comprehends and can recall things anytime and anywhere thereafter? One must keep writing. Writing is actual practice; writing is very slow, and while writing, one is simultaneously infusing the manas. In this way, the manas can easily come to understand.

Writing slowly is itself meditative concentration (samādhi), enabling focus; the manas can then digest and absorb the content. Later, when encountering this material, one will understand it without needing to deliberately memorize it. Content that has been deliberately memorized without understanding is easily forgotten and unreliable; in future lives, it cannot even be recalled. When the manas understands, one can derive benefit even in future lives.

Rote memorization means that the manas has not understood the material being studied, and everything relies on the mind consciousness's forced memorization and recitation. No matter how fluently the mind consciousness recites, the manas still does not comprehend. But when the manas and mind consciousness truly understand the material being studied, there is no need to memorize or remember it at all; when it is needed, it naturally comes forth and can be applied with ease. People with poor comprehension like to memorize; people with good wisdom, once they have understood, let it go.

The difference between working with the mind consciousness and working with the manas is enormous. The wisdom of the manas is true wisdom; the wisdom of the mind consciousness is false wisdom.