Memory : To Sarah And KKT

Dear Sarah And KKT

How are you?

KKT asked:

"If memory is a cetasika
  and lasts a very brief instant
  and then falls away then
  how does << recollection >>
  or << recognition >> work?"

KKT gave an example:

"Suppose I meet Mr. X,
an image of X is a cetasika
making a mark in my 'mind'
but lasts only a fleeting moment."

Sarah has already given a very good answer to KKT's question.

I merely wanted to add a little bit. Hope it did not look like adding
too much sugar!

When we see Mr X, it is true that the first visual consciousness
lasts only a fleeting moment. But, to cover the whole of Mr X, the
first visual consciousness alone is not enough. There is an
uncountable number of visual consciousness cognitive series
called "cakkhuviññaanaviithi" to process Mr X.

And each cognitive series comes with additional supportive
consciousnesses in addition to the visual consciousness. This means
that all consciousnesses within each cognitive series come with
successive emergences of memory. This also means that there emerge
countless reinforcing instances of memory to process Mr X.

In short, there has been sufficient mental processing time for the
image of Mr X to be available for future retrieval.

Now, how could an entirely new future memory in a totally new future
consciousness recollect, and recognize an image of Mr X?

The answer is to do with the fact that each of us is merely a mental
chain that operates as a systemic whole. Every event that happens in
one part of the system affects every other part of it.

When our visual consciousnesses first processed Mr X, our minds also
performed various other actions in addition to merely seeing Mr X.
Some of these other actions are efficacious ones
called "javanacittas" that are capable of giving rise to future
results. As these results are associated with Mr X, even though those
results happen in totally new future mental events in totally new
future circumstances, an image of Mr X becomes available for new
instances of memory to retieve, recollect and recognize.

By the way, it pays to remember the function of memory in this
context.

The function of memory is to retrieve, recollect and recognize the
past events. A particular mental phenomenon comes to receive the
name "memory" precisely because it is capable of performing the
function of memory, which is connecting the present consciousness
with the past events (Retrieval, recollection, and recognizing). The
lack of such capability is called dementia, a form of mental illness.

Therefore, nothing can prevent a future instance of memory from
retrieving and remembering the work and result of a past memory as
long as the past memory and future memory emerge within the same
mental chain.


With best wishes,

Suan Lu Zaw

http://www.bodhiology.org

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