Forgetting, Nirodha, and Liberation

Current research in the field of memory and forgetting has reshaped our understanding in psychology and cognitive science. Philosophical research, particularly a systematic investigation into non-Western modes of thinking, is still lagging. Common themes in popular culture today, such as memory editing or selective forgetting, are not limited to fantasies alone, as they are becoming increasingly prevalent in reality. This invites questions on the morality of such practices. The focus of this paper is the classical Patañjalian approach to memory and forgetting. By engaging classical Indian philosophies and relating the arguments to contemporary research, I explore the core issues of memory and forgetting in Patañjali’s philosophy.