Samskara & The Brain

Metabolically the brain is a very expensive organ. Representing only 2 percent of body mass, it uses about 20 percent of energy in humans. Since mental activities are so costly, it is of great evolutionary advantage to have efficient information processing system to reduce the cost of thinking.  For this and other reasons, we have developed mental maps, mental models of both the interior and exterior world, to assist in efficient understanding.  The Buddha called these maps or models samskara.

The problem occurs when the maps or models become so ingrained that we misinterpret the reality around and within ourselves because it doesn't fit the samskara.