[AromeWahmaron]

Nāma-rūpa is best understood in the context of its interplay as ‘recognition of form’ (rūpa as both embodiment and objects of sense). Ñāṇananda Bhikkhu has somewhere in his writings (Nibbāna sermons?) given a nice analogy of this as nāma-rūpa likened to a reflection or mirage cast over viññāṇa. This is helpful for the practitioner of Dhamma because it is precisely this dynamic of illusion intrinsic to mental impressions, mood and internal dialog at sensate events that one must experience with contemplative knowing for release of the cause of dukkha.

In Concept and Reality, Ñāṇananda mentions this:

“The interdependence between viññāṇa and nāmarūpa in the case of the worldling is such that the one turns back from the other (paccudāvattati) refusing to go further (nāparaṃ gacchati). This is the vortex proper of all saṃsāric currents (ettāvatā vaṭṭaṃ vaṭṭati) which sooner or later engulfed all pre-Buddhist attempts at crossing the fourfold flood. [n3. kāma (sense-desire), bhava (becoming), diṭṭhi (view), avijjā (ignorance).] Hence a permanent solution had to be effected at this very vortex, and an approach to the seething mass was rendered possible by the fact that all pathways of concepts and designations converged on it, providing sufficient scope for wisdom to work its way through (ettāvatā paññāvacaraṃ).” (Concepts, pp. 78-9) This ‘pathways of concepts and designations converged on it,…’ is the same dynamic we find in AN. 10.2.1.8/8.2.4.3 (Kiṃmūlaka Suttas’) where such ‘concepts and designations’ are the sabbe dhammā ‘all things’ which ‘converge at sensations’ (vedanā samosaraṇa), the basis of which are in nāma-rūpa and diversity are in the 18 dhātus of saḷāyatana (AN.9.1.2.4. – Samiddhi Sutta), and are led by the contemplative through the pathway of samādhi and sati to the utmost of wisdom and release into the deathless of nibbāna.