What is Memory? – The Secret Truth of Life

What is memory?

First, we can distinguish between:

Dharma view of memory:

Observed through the 8 consciousnesses
Memory exists in all 4 consciousnesses, not just the brain (a mistake of modern science)
Regular human memory is all fake-I
- Consciousness is always fresh! Holding nothing!
- Dharma Joy memory is an ability
- Taiji is an ability

Table of Contents

Hidden consciousness
- Stores all memories but remains hidden
I consciousness
- Remembers with strong “I” feeling
- Adds relationship to the memory
- Easily confuses memory and the feeling at the time, which can change it
Brain consciousness memory
- Related to thinking
- Functions: memorize, analyze, organize, decision, intention
Subconsciousness
- Remembers without the brain
- Stores memory/emotion in the body
- Example: stepping on something sharp — foot moves away without thinking

A sound made to represent a word in human language (e.g., English) to express the feeling of an experience
Memory is the 5th part of the 5 developments
Awareness boundary = experience = memory
Memory is a blind capturing of experience/information from the 5 senses
Related to intention and ability

Original memory
Recall memory
- Explaining or recalling can slightly change a memory, unless using pure precise logic

If life is a bowl of experience/memory:
- Put more spirit in → learn more Dharma, discipline to clean
- Steam it out into pure water → become Dharma, free from blindness
- Empty out bad water and put fresh in → faster than steam, but more difficult
  - Requires holding nothing — don’t hold onto “diapers” (blind ego suffering)
No bowl = Bodhisattva level (super high)
- Example: adult and child watch a horror movie — one scared, one relaxed — same illusion
All the above represent different stages for different lives
Goal: Purify the 8 consciousnesses
Awaken each consciousness through Dharma