[wheettebott]

Dear forum

I was doing a little meditation recently and the mind became focused on the dhammas of the created (sankhara) and the uncreated (asankhata, visanhkhara).

It was then drawn to the passage in the Khajjaniya Sutta, as follows:

"And why do you call them 'fabrications'? Because they fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.' What do they fabricate as a fabricated thing? For the sake of form-ness, they fabricate form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness, they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of perception-hood... For the sake of fabrication-hood... For the sake of consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated thing. Because they fabricate fabricated things, they are called fabrications.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu Buddhadasa translates this with a different nuance, as follows:

Bhikkhus, why do they speak of sankhara? Bhikkhus, this nature naturally concocts concocted things (abhisankharonti), for this reason it is called "sankhara." What does it concoct? It concocts rupa as something concocted with "formness," it concocts vedana as something concocted with "feelingness," it concocts sanya as something concocted with "recognition-ness," it concocts sankhara as something concocted with "concoctingness," it concocts vinyana as something concocted with "cognition-ness." Bhikkhus, this nature naturally concocts concocted things, for this reason it is called "sankhara."

Genuine Pubbenivasanusattinyana In Anapanasati: Unveiling the Secrets of Life, Buddhadasa states:

I would like to take this opportunity to discuss all the meanings of the term "sankhara." This is a very common and important word in the Pali scriptures, but many people have problems with it due to its different uses and meanings. Languages are like that, uncertain and seemingly unreliable. The single word "sankhara" can mean "conditioner," the cause that conditions; it can mean "condition," the result of the action of conditioning; and it can mean "'conditioning," the activity or process of conditioning. We use the same word for the subject of the conditioning, "the concocter," as well as the object, "the concoction." We even use it for the activity, "the concocting," itself. This may be a bit confusing for you, so please remember that "sankhara" has three meanings. The correct meaning depends on the context. This knowledge will be valuable in your further studies. In the Khajjaniya Sutta, sankhara aggregate is functionally described as "conditioner" or "fabricator". It is mental function that fabricates or creates, rather than the process of fabricating or the fabrication fabricated.

But, still, in the Khajjaniya Sutta, is described each of the three meanings of sankhara Buddhadasa refers to. The sutta states:

"And why is it called 'fabricator'? Because it fabricates fabrications, thus it is called 'fabricator.' In fact, the whole sutta follows this descriptive structure, when saying:

And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel?

"And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive?

"And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? What I am suggesting is the general translation of sankhara khanda as "mental formations" or "fabrications" does not reflect reality.

Again, just like the 2nd link of dependent origination, sankhara is probably best rendered "fabricator".

Is this really important?

Personally, I find it very important when seeing clearly the mind (citta) or the source which produces fabrications and alternately remains in cessation of fabricating.

From the perspective of empty mind, "it fabricates", "it manufactures", "it becomes (bhava)", it creates or imputes "thing-ness" or "it-ness".

For your consideration.

With metta

E