Which aggregate "contains" memory?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Spiny,

If you're interested in the Abhidhamma classification (or possible lack thereof) for memory, see...

Chapter 4, Page 111
Appendix: The omission of memory in the list
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhistudy.pdf

Metta,
Retro.

[Spiny le Norman]

Greetings Spiny,

If you're interested in the Abhidhamma classification (or possible lack thereof) for memory, see...

Chapter 4, Page 111
Appendix: The omission of memory in the list
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhistudy.pdf

Metta,
Retro.

Thanks, I had wondered about the Abhidharma.  It seems a bit inconclusive though?

Spiny

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Spiny,

Yes... I suspect it's because sati has a broader meaning than any English equivalent... hence its rendering as anything from mindfulness to memory.

Metta,
Retro.

[Spiny le Norman]

Yes... I suspect it's because sati has a broader meaning than any English equivalent... hence its rendering as anything from mindfulness to memory.

Yes, I see.  I usually think of sati as mindfulness, ie remembering to pay attention.  

Spiny

[ground]

Is it "in" the perception aggregate?  I say this because memory is a large factor in perception.   What do you think?

CP

Beware of reifying the aggregates. Aggregates are just a heuristic method of categorizing "experience". If the Buddha would have just applied the term "experience" the exposition of dependent arising would have been impossible.
So the categorization using the names of the aggregates is a means to deal with "experience" analytically.

As to "memory". "memory" is nothing other than the cascade of dependent origination. Therefore "memory" arises in dependence on all aggregates.

First there is a "stirring" dependent on form/body which may be called "sankhara". Only if there is attention this "stirring" develops further until it "crystallizes" (implying alleged "concreteness"). If there is contact perception and feeling and papanca and volitional formations ensue.
The sense bases involved are one or more of the physical senses and the mind base. Mind base entails determining consciousness which  necessarily implies "memory".


Kind regards

[samahita]

Agree:
Memory = remembrance of past experiences
is best classified as old = past perception (sanna)

[catmoon]

I think it is engraved on the brain, simply because we do not carry memories forward from life to life. If there is recall, I think it is because information has been re-discovered one way or another.

[Amitabha]

I think it is engraved on the brain, simply because we do not carry memories forward from life to life. If there is recall, I think it is because information has been re-discovered one way or another.

If brain does engrave with memories, you may slice open the brain of a dead man to check for list of records.
Aggregates varies according to past, present karmic. It has been compartmentalised in certain degrees. More often than not, badies are in sorry state of aggregates that only remember bad days. Better aggregates remembered good days, higher grade aggregates remembered fond memories in all aggregates. Middle/Super classes like one returner, bodhisavattas and buddha are free from aggregates.

[Hanzze]

I would say its heaviest connections are into sankhāra-kkhandha, it's a mind formation. Good question to watch about! *smile*

Maybe we could say that it is a construct o out of will (cetanā) and an awareness impression (phassa). The mental picture (memory) would be simply an awareness impression. Without cetana there would be no rebuilding of this impression.

Pure fantasy *smile* ...wonderful to look at this disaster of interwovement of this aggregates.

[Bodhisatta2012]

This is an interesting question, because aggregates:

1 the materiality group khandha rūpa-khandha,
2 the feeling group vedanā-khandha,
3 the perception group saññā-khandha,
4 the mental-construction group sankhāra-khandha,
5 the consciousness-group viññāna-khandha

....Mental factors, which is where physical memories reside, involve: 2 the feeling group, 4 the mental-construction group, and 5 the consciousness-group all involve memories.

The fact ought to be emphasized here that these 5 groups, correctly speaking, merely form an abstract classification by the Buddha, but that they as such, i.e. as just these 5 complete groups, have no real existence, since only single representatives of these groups, mostly variable, can arise with any state of consciousness. For example, with one and the same unit of consciousness only one single kind of feeling, say joy or sorrow, can be associated and never more than one. Similarly, two different perceptions cannot arise at the same moment. Also, of the various kinds of sense-cognition or consciousness, only one can be present at a time, for example, seeing, hearing or inner consciousness, etc. Of the 50 mental constructions, however, a smaller or larger number are always associated with every state of consciousness, as we shall see later on.

resource:  http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/dic3_k.htm#khandha

[Hanzze]

Nice to meet you Ron *smile*

Let me ad some points. Vedana may give rice to the production of memories (especial if the mind is not trained)  or it might be one result of memories but I don't think we can call it a part of memory it "self".  While consciousness could be called the observer of if, or let me say the craftsmen. So I can not see consciousness as a part of memory it "self". For sure its heavily involved in the quality of its reconstruction as well as its inspection/meditation. 

If we talk about involvement, I think we need to refer all khandha as part of the memory. *smile*