Importance of Memory in Dharma

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Motova
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Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

How important is memory in practicing Dharma?

What did the Buddha say about memory?

Do you have any tricks to develop a good memory?
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
Simon E.
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Simon E. »

Not a trick exactly.
But I find the more present I am the better my memory functions.

The enemy of memory is prapanca.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
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dzogchungpa
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by dzogchungpa »

It's worth knowing that the Buddhist term which has come to be translated as 'mindfulness', i.e. 'smṛti' or 'dran pa' in Tibetan, basically means remembering or memory.
There is not only nothingness because there is always, and always can manifest. - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

Has anyone read this?

https://www.amazon.ca/Mirror-Memory-Ref ... +of+memory

It's still sitting in my google library unread. :emb:
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

This one looks interesting: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/019933 ... YIK6Y9EEQB

Butt sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet :toilet: , it's expensive.
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
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Virgo
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Virgo »

dzogchungpa wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 6:09 pm It's worth knowing that the Buddhist term which has come to be translated as 'mindfulness', i.e. 'smṛti' or 'dran pa' in Tibetan, basically means remembering or memory.
It denotes a kind of keeping in mind, so it can help you be aware of a present phenomena, or recall something, etc.

Kevin
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Virgo
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Virgo »

Motova wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:38 pm How important is memory in practicing Dharma?

What did the Buddha say about memory?

Do you have any tricks to develop a good memory?
Fundamentally, one should keep the three humours balanced. One can apply certain herbs and remedies and so on if one needs to. A person should see a doctor of Tibetan Medicine or Ayurveda for these purposes. The mind is very precious and we must maintain it and keep it in tact.

Kevin
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

Inspiring story, but the writer comes across as an asshole sometimes. It has some practical use, but mostly it's just inspirational: https://www.amazon.ca/Moonwalking-Einst ... h+einstein

This one is good if you already have a foundation in mnemonics and are looking for how to adapt it to different kinds of information:

https://www.amazon.ca/How-Develop-Brill ... H3QV112RGN

This one reads like a polite, practical and inspirational friend, I would skip the first two and go for this one instead.

https://www.amazon.ca/Unlimited-Memory- ... H3QV112RGN

I am in the process of reading these two:

https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Memory-How-W ... E8YWQM6JSE

https://www.amazon.ca/Make-Stick-Scienc ... E8YWQM6JSE

...

I've only read the first chapter of: https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Memory-How-W ... E8YWQM6JSE

And if I had to hazard a guess, it's probably the best and you won't need any others.
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
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PuerAzaelis
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by PuerAzaelis »

Motova wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:18 pm Has anyone read this?

https://www.amazon.ca/Mirror-Memory-Ref ... +of+memory

It's still sitting in my google library unread. :emb:
I don’t remember.
Generally, enjoyment of speech is the gateway to poor [results]. So it becomes the foundation for generating all negative emotional states. Jampel Pawo, The Certainty of the Diamond Mind

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Virgo
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Virgo »

PuerAzaelis wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:16 pm
Motova wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:18 pm Has anyone read this?

https://www.amazon.ca/Mirror-Memory-Ref ... +of+memory

It's still sitting in my google library unread. :emb:
I don’t remember.
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

Virgo wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:21 pm
PuerAzaelis wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:16 pm
Motova wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 7:18 pm Has anyone read this?

https://www.amazon.ca/Mirror-Memory-Ref ... +of+memory

It's still sitting in my google library unread. :emb:
I don’t remember.
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »



To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »





To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
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weitsicht
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by weitsicht »

Memories are not for enlightened beings. Enlightened beings don't remember because, for them, there is no past. Past - and for that matter present and future - are for being like us who use the past as a reference and then expect and assume that the future will come.
DJKR
So until enlightened I guess we function on the Basis of some Kind of memory.
However it is neither helpful not unhelpful on the path.

If I see holes in my Memory, I don't try to reconstruct not to blame myself. I look at ego's grasping for the past
Practice however has the side effect on me to increase Memory and Concentration. Since a side effect, I also do not try to look into that neither. It just is.
Ho! All the possible appearances and existences of samsara and nirvana have the same source, yet two paths and two results arise as the magical display of awareness and unawareness.
HO NANG SRI KHOR DAE THAMCHE KUN ZHI CHIG LAM NYI DRAE BU NYI RIG DANG MA RIG CHOM THRUL TE
Simon E.
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Simon E. »

dzogchungpa wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 6:09 pm It's worth knowing that the Buddhist term which has come to be translated as 'mindfulness', i.e. 'smṛti' or 'dran pa' in Tibetan, basically means remembering or memory.
It does. CTR used several words to capture the meaning in translation. One was 'recollection' in the original sense of re-collecting our scattered thoughts and bringing them back to the present.
“You don’t know it. You just know about it. That is not the same thing.”

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche to me.
Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

weitsicht wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:47 am
However it is neither helpful not unhelpful on the path.
Can you please explain why?
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
dzoki
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by dzoki »

Motova wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:38 pm How important is memory in practicing Dharma?
Memory is important to retain Dharma in our mind. If we recieve teachings but then forget them instantly what use are they? If we do not remember teachings we cannot apply them, because we do not remeber what to do and how to do. Patrul Rinpoche speaks about this in his Kunzang Lame Shallung.
Bad memory is a sign of scattered mind.
Motova wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:38 pm Do you have any tricks to develop a good memory?
There are several things one can do, for example - 1. train in shamatha and attain at least approach samadhi, when one is familiar with samadhi, the mind becomes sharper and it is much easier to remember things and to recall them, upon attaining and stabilizing first dhyana, one should be able to recall any past moment of the mind. 2. Do the practice and recitation of Manjushri mantra and Manjshurinamasamgiti tantra. 3. Do the recitation of mantra of purification of elements.
Pero
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Pero »

I got Make It Stick some months ago but haven't read it yet. How do you find it?
Although many individuals in this age appear to be merely indulging their worldly desires, one does not have the capacity to judge them, so it is best to train in pure vision.
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Motova
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by Motova »

Pero wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 4:40 pm
I got Make It Stick some months ago but haven't read it yet. How do you find it?
I'll tell you when I finish it, I have only read the preface and intro.
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
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weitsicht
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Re: Importance of Memory in Dharma

Post by weitsicht »

Motova wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:47 pm
weitsicht wrote: Fri Dec 15, 2017 9:47 am
However it is neither helpful not unhelpful on the path.
Can you please explain why?
The path is about realization (and hence a lot by letting go), not about memorization.
Just work with the resources available to you. Don't pimp them.

W
Ho! All the possible appearances and existences of samsara and nirvana have the same source, yet two paths and two results arise as the magical display of awareness and unawareness.
HO NANG SRI KHOR DAE THAMCHE KUN ZHI CHIG LAM NYI DRAE BU NYI RIG DANG MA RIG CHOM THRUL TE
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