Chapter 06
Mind and Memory
Memory
Memory is something that intrigued mankind from prehistoric times. Hunters and gatherers had the capacity to wonder in the wood and return to their caves with minimum of modern roads, byways and communications. How they did was intriguing and the man’s capacity to explore and wonder around was phenomenal. Without the inherent instinct, unlike in the animals (animal also has wonderful memory) man has used its capacity of memory to populate the entire world. Memory is an endowment and lack of it is a handicap. Memory even though not permanent is something flexible and retrievable. The capacity to develop it is a gift of mankind without which the diversity of cultures would not have taken a root. Best example is how the Buddhist monks have handed down the Dhamma for many generations vocally until it was recorded on ola leaves many centuries later. Even though there is very little talk about memory and its analysis in Dhamma traditionally the Buddhist monks were the best exponent of this art of memorizing. It is pertinent that somebody should do a research on this area. There is something substantial in their methodology, lest the Buddhism would not have lasted the vagaries of history. Instead of going for western scholars and psychology we should look inward and see what we have lost in this print age and modern methods of education.
This an attempt to focus on some of the misconception about memory and give a bit of understanding to the modern students stressed with the rat race. Memory concerns with the process that records and allow its retrieval later and access to events, people and information. Memory involves acquisition (recording) of information, its storage and its retrieval when required. In simple terms it is the three R’s, Remember, Register and Repetition in practical and useful way. How one develops memory may be different but the actual process is the same. When one talks about memory, one should not forget the fact that forgetting is also a very important physiological process. I would be brief on this aspect and many people forget (there is a stress in this word) the importance of forgetting.
One example is enough. This was what I told my children soon after the tsunami. Do not panic now but think about it in three months time and plan what we can do to the children affected by tsunami then. That is what we did as a family after sharing the feelings of the all affected by tsunami direct and indirect.
This the entry point to the basic tenets of memory. There are basically two types of memory. One is short term memory of the unaffected by tsunami (who are getting on their business as nothing has happened) and the long term memory of those who were affected. But coming to the process of forgetting again, those affected ones who can forget and get on with their life, come what it may be (with or without the help) are the best adapted to help others who are going through post-traumatic syndromes.
There is another component in memory. That is sensory input whether visual, auditory or otherwise.
Sensory Stores
These are large capacity stores which hold memory information in relatively unprocessed form for very brief durations. These auditory or visual stores are described as pre-categorical and they appear to hold sensory representation of the stimulus in a physical form. This is something we do in day to day learning without much effort and with repetition in the class room or at home in front of the TV. This information fades away rapidly that is why some of us cannot remember what we ate the day before. But by repetition we know by heart, that a particular program in the radio or TV comes exactly on a particular time but not the contents of the program.
Short-term Memory
This kind of working memory with limited capacity and form which information is lost within about 15-20 seconds, although it may be retained for longer periods through rehearsal. If a student can understand the nature of this memory if one forgets a word or technical term soon after the class that should not unduly worry him. That is why students take notes. The general agreement is that short term memory is mediated by electrical activity in certain parts of the brain.
Long-term Memory
The information is selected for more permanent storage enters long-term memory. In contrast to the short term memory this has a very large capacity and stores information in some associative characteristics, such as events, episodes, languages and knowledge. It is believed that more permanent storage takes place through chemical and structural changes or both in the brain. The attempt at localizing memory to certain parts of the brain is made in physiological psychology. Certain parts of the brain seem to localize short term and long term memory but the chemical mediators (memory proteins) that are proposed as modifiers of this function are not identified convincingly as yet.
Finding from both animal and human (lesions) studies indicate that the temporal lobe and hippocampal region as brain areas involved with memory.
Ways and Means of Learning
It should be understood that even though memory is universal in its capacity it vary from individual to individual, with age, sickness and training. There is no universal theory and practice for memory enhancement. One should adapt what is natural for the individual and adapt those that fit his or her capacity. It is said that meditation helps learning. My own belief is it does not. Bhavana should be approached in a completely different perspective and any diversion from the original tenets in Buddhism is inappropriate to the true spirit of salvage. There are many other good techniques for learning and memory enhancement. “Bavana” should be a tool for concentration and getting rid of undesirable mental accompaniments associated with bad learning practices for students with difficulties in grasping learning material. One who has practiced Bavana and adept at it, learning becomes an easy task due to their ability to avoid distractions and concentrate on the task at hand.
Three R’s, Remember, Register and Repetition is my prescription. But secret of my success, if any was the ability to forget what I have learned wrong and replace that with knew knowledge. I have no prejudices but the constant reminder of my ignorance of all things. Learning is a life long process.
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Buddhist Perspective of Memory and Consciousness
It is a striking fact that there is paucity of discussion about memory in Buddhism and with Buddhist outlook it does not even end at death unless of course one has achieved Nibbana, the final goal.
As regard to the consciousness and subconscious which are relatively new terms in philosophy and psychology in Dhamma there is distinct departure from the modern way of thinking. In Buddhism it is the awareness that is more important to the practicing meditator. One has to be aware of the arising, peaking and dissolution of every moment in the thought process whether they arise from sense organs or from the mind. In Dhamma what is described is the mind attention to sensory or mental objects and thereafter either no attachment or deep attachment to them producing either Kusala or Akusala Kamma. There is an ongoing stream of thought and a process that goes on in sleep and even after death as opposed to fragments of thought moments that terminate at death. There is a significant deviation from modern psychology. This way of thinking of the mind as a stream and a continuing process is what required in describing and substantiating Sansara Cycle and the recurring birth (rebirth).
Buddhism and Dhamma 