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<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Saṅkhāra – What It Really Means |
February 25, 2017; revised January 3, 2018; November 1, 2018; July 25, 2019; May 17, 2020; re-written January 23, 2021; revised January 26, 2021; December 23, 2022; last revised December 5, 2024; rewritten April 19, 2025
Saṅkhāra are our response to sensory inputs. The initial response (in the purāṇa kamma stage) happens without us being aware and determined by the unbroken saṁyojana and gati at that moment; these saṅkhāra belong to the saṅkappa category. The conscious response occurs in the nava kamma stage, where vacī saṅkhāra plays a critical role. Abhisaṅkhāra generation plays a role in both stages.
Saṅkhāra Only Refers to Immoral Actions, Speech, and Thoughts
1. The word saṅkhāra comes from “saŋ” + “khāra” or actions that involve “saŋ” (rāga, dosa, or moha); see “What is “Saŋ”? Meaning of Sansāra (or Saṁsāra)”. All saṅkhāra arise in the mind.
▪Attachment to sensory experiences is the root cause of generating thoughts with rāga, dosa, or moha. Such thoughts also lead to immoral speech and actions, which bring their results (vipāka) in the future.
▪Immoral thoughts could be mano saṅkhāra or vacī saṅkhāra. Vacī saṅkhāra are the more potent and cause immoral speech and actions.
▪By the way, “kāya saṅkhāra”, in most cases, does not refer to kamma accumulation via bodily actions; here, “kāya” does not refer to the physical body. I may have stated so in old posts, but I will explain this in upcoming posts.
2. Only mano saṅkhāra arises automatically when a new sensory input occurs at the “purāṇa kamma” stage. That happens without us being aware of it, and will be automatic if the corresponding saṁyojana are intact. Those mano saṅkhāra have a special name, saṅkappa. For example, as long as kāma rāga saṁyojana is not broken, kāma saṅkappa will arise automatically. That is stated by “Saṅkappa rāgo purisassa kāmo” in the “WebLink: suttacentral: Nibbedhika Sutta (AN 6.63).”
[Here are some notable suttas where saṅkappa is a central theme:
🧠 1. MN 117 – Mahācattārīsaka Sutta (The Great Forty) [WebLink: suttacentral: Mahācattārīsaka Sutta (MN 117)]
▪Context: This discourse provides an in-depth analysis of the Noble Eightfold Path, distinguishing between the mundane and supramundane paths.
▪Relevance to saṅkappa: It elaborates on sammā-saṅkappa (right intention), describing it as intentions of renunciation, non-ill will, and harmlessness.
🧘 2. MN 19 – Dvedhāvitakka Sutta (Two Kinds of Thought) [WebLink: suttacentral: Devedāvitakka Sutta (MN 19)]
▪Context: The Buddha recounts his practice before enlightenment, categorizing thoughts into those that lead to affliction and those that do not.
▪Relevance to saṅkappa: The term vitakka (thought) is closely related to saṅkappa, and the sutta discusses the cultivation of wholesome intentions.
🗣️ 3. AN 4.14 – Saṅkappa Sutta (Intentions) [WebLink: suttacentral: Saṅkappa Sutta (AN 4.14)]
▪Context: This discourse lists four types of intentions that lead to the arising of unwholesome states.
▪Relevance to saṅkappa: It directly addresses the role of intentions in ethical behavior and mental development.
🧘 4. SN 45.8 – Maggaṅga Sutta (Factors of the Path) [WebLink: suttacentral: Maggaṅga Sutta (SN 45.8)]
▪Context: This sutta outlines the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path.
▪Relevance to saṅkappa: It includes sammā-saṅkappa as a crucial component of the path leading to liberation.
🧘 5. DN 22 – Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (The Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness) [WebLink: suttacentral: Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (DN 22)]
▪Context: This comprehensive discourse details the practice of mindfulness.
▪Relevance to saṅkappa: In the contemplation of the mind, the presence or absence of thoughts of renunciation, non-ill will, and harmlessness (sammā-saṅkappa) are observed.
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▪The automatic arising of kāma saṅkappa cannot be avoided if the mind has not eliminated kāma rāga saṁyojana. That is not possible with sheer willpower; one must comprehend that the “distorted kāma saññā” is the root cause for kāma rāga. This is why ancient yogis like Āḷāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta could not eliminate kāma rāga.
▪If the sensory input is strong, the mind advances to the “nava kamma” stage, where conscious thinking with vacī saṅkhāra occurs. Those conscious thoughts lead to new kamma accumulation via the mind, speech, and bodily actions. Ancient yogis like Āḷāra Kālāma were able to suppress the nava kamma stage by isolating themselves in deep jungles, but until the purāṇa kamma stage is stopped from arising, kāma rāga saṁyojana will never be broken.
▪For details, see “Purāṇa and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation .”
Arahants Generate only “Pure Saṅkhāra”
3. Any living being without a magga phala is a satta (in Pāli, the singular is “satto”). As one attains higher magga phala, one’s mind will move away from the “satta state.” An Arahant has fully overcome the “satta state”.
▪In the “WebLink: suttacentral: Satta Sutta (SN 23.2)”: “Rādha, when there is desire (chanda), rāga, and a perception of high value (nandī) of material form (rūpa), there is clinging (satto), strong clinging (visatto) for form, and then an ignorant living-being (satto) is spoken of. Similarly, when there is desire (chanda), rāga, and a perception of high value (nandī) of vedanā … saññā … saṅkhāra … viññāṇa, then an ignorant living-being (satto) is spoken of.”
▪In other words, as long as there is upādāna for pañcakkhandhā (i.e., as long as there is pañcupādānakkhandhā), there is an “ignorant living being” or a “satta.” That living being has not comprehended the “real nature of this world” or “yathābhūta ñāṇa.”
▪See “Five Aggregates and Tilakkhaṇa – Introduction” for details.
4. However, since an Arahant also experiences sensory inputs with vedanā, saññā, etc., it may appear that an Arahant also generates saṅkhāra.
▪An Arahant experiences citta saṅkhāra (devoid of rāga, dosa, moha, but with “distorted saññā”) in the “kāma dhātu” stage.
▪However, the mind of an Arahant will not advance to the “kāma bhava” where the mind attaches to that “distorted saññā” and citta saṅkhāra turn into mano saṅkhāra with rāga, dosa, moha. See the chart and discussion in #6 (and #4) of “Purāṇa and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation.”
▪Such citta saṅkhāra that arises in an Arahant are also called “suddha (pure/undefiled) saṅkhāra”: “WebLink: suttacentral: Vajirā Sutta (SN 5.10).” This is a short and succinct sutta. The English translation is incorrect, especially for the verse, “Suddha saṅkhāra puñjoyaṁ, nayidha sattupalabbhati,” which says, “(an Arahant) who generates suddha saṅkhāra is not a satta.”
▪Thus, all saṅkhāra generated in an Arahant are kammically neutral. All others can generate saṅkhāra with kammic consequences. Buddha Dhamma is concerned with only those with kammic consequences.
Saṅkhāra Arise With Sañcetanā – Connection to Kammic Energy
5. In the “WebLink: suttacentral: Nibbedhika Sutta (AN 6.61),” the Buddha declared, “Cetanāhaṁ, bhikkhave, kammaṁ vadāmi. Cetayitvā kammaṁ karoti—kāyena vācāya manasā” OR “It is defiled intention that I call kamma. After making a defiled intention, one engages in kamma generation with the body, speech, and mind.
▪In almost all cases, “cetanā” in the suttās refers to “sañcetanā” or “defiled intention.”
▪“Cetanā” means “to construct a citta” with cetasika. Certain cetasika called sobhana cetasika (beautiful mental factors) lead to “moral/good” cittās. On the other hand, asobhana cetasika (non-beautiful mental factors) lead to “immoral/bad” cittās.
▪See “Cetasika (Mental Factors).”
▪Which type of cetasika are incorporated into a citta depends on one’s unbroken saṁyojana and gati at that moment.
Sañcetanā Arise Due to “Distorted Saññā”
6. In the “WebLink: suttacentral: Upādānaparipavatta Sutta (SN 22.56)”, the Buddha equated saṅkhāra to sañcetanā.
▪There, the Buddha pointed out that saṅkhāra refers to the six types of “defiled intentions”: rūpa sañcetanā, sadda sañcetanā, gandha sañcetanā, rasa sañcetanā, phoṭṭhabba sañcetanā, dhamma sañcetanā.
▪That is consistent with the fact that sañcetanā (defiled intentions) arise due to “distorted saññā”, as we have discussed in many posts (see, for example, “Fooled by Distorted Saññā (Sañjānāti) – Origin of Attachment (Taṇhā).”)
▪Six types of “distorted saññā” arise via the six types of sensory inputs, as stated in the “WebLink: suttacentral: Rūpasaññā Sutta (SN 25.6)”: “Rūpasaññā, bhikkhave, aniccā vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī; sadda saññā, gandha saññā, rasa saññā, phoṭṭhabba saññā, dhamma saññā.” That is why they are all “aniccā vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī,” which is explained in the post “Aniccaṁ Vipariṇāmi Aññathābhavi – A Critical Verse.”
▪I have systematically addressed how this “distorted saññā” is built into our bodies as well as to the external objects, and that is why even Arahants experience it with all six types of sensory inputs; but since they have comprehended how it arises via Paṭicca Samuppāda, their minds are not fooled by it: “Worldview of the Buddha.”
▪It is critical to see all these “interconnections.” It is a good idea to keep notes where one can add/revise such interconnections while reading new posts. The more “interconnections” one can see, the better one understands.
Sañcetanā Lead to Three Types of Saṅkhāra
7. All our defiled thoughts (cittās) initially arise based on vedanā/saññā that occur automatically and without us even noticing. The mind is like an automated machine (“Mind Operates Like a Machine According to Nature’s Laws”) in this initial stage called the “purāṇa kamma” stage. Here, “purāṇa” means “initial” and “purāṇa kamma” means “base-level of kamma generation.”
▪Such initial saṅkhāra (which arise without us even noticing) that arise in the “purāṇa kamma” stage have a special name of saṅkappa.
▪If they are strong enough, we generate more potent vacī saṅkhāra consciously and willingly in the “nava kamma” stage. This is where javana cittās that can generate potent kammic energies arise. This is where we consciously generate kamma via mind, speech, and body (i.e., generate mano, vacī, and kāya kamma).
▪See “Purāṇa and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation” for details.
▪All types of saṅkhāra that arise in either the “purāṇa kamma” or the “nava kamma” stage are abhisaṅkhāra. Here, “abhi” does mean “strong” but “subtle and involving rāga, dosa, or moha. They do not arise in an Arahant. Let us briefly look into the definition of abhisaṅkhāra.
8. The “WebLink: suttacentral: Khajjanīya Sutta (SN 22.79)” explain saṅkhāra in another (related) way.
▪“Kiñca, bhikkhave, saṅkhāre vadetha?” means “bhikkhus, why do we call them saṅkhāra?” (as in many cases, the English translation of “saṅkhāra” as “choices” is wrong; as we discussed above, in the “purāṇa kamma” stage, we don’t have the ability to “choose.”)
▪The answer is: “Saṅkhatamabhisaṅkharontīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘saṅkhārā’ti vuccati.” Most times, Pāli words are lumped together. We can see the meaning once we separate words in “saṅkhatamabhisaṅkhārontīti” as “saṅkhatam abhisaṅkhārontī ti.” As we know, a “saṅkhata” is a “prepared” by the mind and belongs to the world; an Arahant does not make any “saṅkhata.”
▪Here, what is being “prepared” is a “defiled citta.” Initial “defiled cittās” arise in the “purāṇa kamma” stage. They are further defiled in the “nava kamma” stage. In both cases, abhisaṅkhāra generation (with rāga, dosa, or moha) is responsible, regardless of whether it happens automatically or consciously.
▪Note that “suddha saṅkhāra” of an Arahant (discussed in #4 above) is NOT abhisaṅkhāra.
Puññābhi, Apuññābhi, and Āneñjābhi Saṅkhāra
9. Everything in the world is a “saṅkhata,” “prepared” by the mind. The initial stage of that preparation happens in the mind with the generation of kammic energy in the javana citta. Then such kammic energies lead to rebirths in “good” and “bad” realms. That kammic energy creates not only the living beings, but also the environment that sustains them. That is the deeper aspect of Buddha’s teachings. See “Worldview of the Buddha.”
▪The types of abhisaṅkhāra can be divided into three categories based on that basis.
▪Those abhisaṅkhāra that lead to rebirths in the four lowest realms (apāyās) are apuñña abhisaṅkhāra.
▪Those that lead to rebirths in the human, Deva, and rūpa loka Brahma realms are puñña abhisaṅkhāra.
▪Then there is a third category that leads to rebirths in the four arūpa loka Brahma realms called āneñja abhisaṅkhāra (āneñjābhisaṅkhāra).
▪See “Kamma are Done with Abhisaṅkhāra – Types of Abhisaṅkhāra” for details.
Why Do “Good Saṅkhāra” Also Arise With Avijjā?
10. “WebLink: suttacentral: Paṭiccasamuppāda Vibhaṅga (Abhidhamma Vb 6)” explains the step “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra” as, “Tattha katame avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā? Puññābhisaṅkhāro, apuññābhisaṅkhāro, āneñjābhisaṅkhāro.”
Translated: “What is meant by ‘avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā?’ It means Puññābhisaṅkhāra, apuññābhisaṅkhāra, āneñjābhisaṅkhāra.”
▪So, how can puññābhisaṅkhāra and āneñjābhisaṅkhāra arise due to avijjā, if they are “good saṅkhāra?”
▪This CRITICAL point differentiates “living a moral life” from “working towards Nibbāna.”
Avijjā Is Ignorance About the Four Noble Truths!
11. One can be engaged in “moral deeds” and cultivate anāriya jhāna without comprehending the Four Noble Truths/Paṭicca samuppāda/Tilakkhaṇa.
▪That is why ANY living being living today has been born in the higher realms (as well as in suffering-filled lower realms) an uncountable number of times.
▪Some of us are living in a good realm today, but we will not be released from future rebirths in the apāyās until we comprehend the Four Noble Truths/Paṭicca Samuppāda/Tilakkhaṇa.
▪That is the CRITICAL point to understand.
The Way to Purify the Mind
12. As we can see from the above discussion, the mind is not pure UNTIL the automatic generation of saṅkappa (initial mano saṅkhāra) is stopped from arising in the “purāṇa kamma” stage. Anusaya and “defiled gati” would have been removed from the mind when that is accomplished.
▪That is achieved by being mindful at all times and following the three critical steps in meditation: (1) stopping bad vacī saṅkhāra, (2) cultivating good vacī saṅkhāra, and — most importantly — (iii) comprehending the Four Noble Truths/Paṭicca Samuppāda/Tilakkhaṇa.
▪Comprehending the Four Noble Truths/Paṭicca Samuppāda/Tilakkhaṇa makes one understand the dangers in the rebirth process. With the understanding, one’s goal will change from “enjoying life” to “seeking Nibbāna.”
▪For that to happen, one must “see” the hidden dangers in sensory pleasures. Then the “tendency to attach” will decrease.
▪ That is why Sammā Diṭṭhi (comprehending Buddha’s worldview) is the first step. The deeper aspects are discussed in “Worldview of the Buddha.”
13. The following “wise words” summarize the foundation for “cleansing the mind”:
▪Watch your conscious thoughts (vacī saṅkhāra) – they become words.
▪Watch your words – they become immoral deeds/actions.
▪Watch your actions – they become habits (gati.)
▪Watch your habits – they become your character (stronger gati.)
▪Watch your character – it becomes your destiny via strengthening saṁyojana.
Once controlling conscious thoughts (vacī saṅkhāra) is attained to some extent, it becomes easier to comprehend the deeper aspects of Buddha’s teachings, attain Sammā Diṭṭhi, and become a Sotāpanna.