सङ्खार
Saṅkhāra
Formations / Volitional activities / Conditioned things
行
Grammar 語法
masculine noun (a-stem, usually plural: saṅkhārā): saṃ + karoti (to make/do)
Definition 釋義
The fourth aggregate and second link of Dependent Origination — the volitions, impulses, and conditioning forces that shape experience and generate kamma. As an aggregate, saṅkhārā includes all 50 mental factors except vedanā and saññā. As a link of D.O., it refers specifically to volitional activities (cetanā) conditioned by ignorance (avijjā) that plant seeds in consciousness. The term also broadly means 'conditioned things' — all phenomena conditioned by causes — hence 'Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā' (All conditioned things are impermanent).
Canonical Example 典籍例句
Avijjāpaccayā saṅkhārā; saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇaṃ.
With ignorance as condition, formations [arise]; with formations as condition, consciousness [arises].
Source: SN 12.1
At a Glance
- Pali
- Saṅkhāra
- IAST
- Saṃskāra
- Devanagari
- सङ्खार
- Chinese
- 行
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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