➥ saññā and sañjānāti.

• for saññā:
  • notion
  • idea
  • attitude
  • mental image
  • mental imagery
  • perception
  • modes of perception
  • state of refined awareness
• for sañjānāti:
  • to label
  • to perceive
• for papañcasaññā:
  • entrenched perception

Mental images: purifying or defiling

Mental imagery can be purifying or defiling:

1) Three varieties of spiritually unwholesome mental images: sensuous mental images, unbenevolent mental images, malicious mental images.

Tisso akusalasaññā: kāmasaññā vyāpādasaññā vihiṁsāsaññā.

2) Three varieties of spiritually wholesome mental images: unsensuous mental images, benevolent mental images, compassionate mental images.

Tisso kusalasaññā: nekkhammasaññā avyāpādasaññā avihiṁsāsaññā. (DN iii 215)

Sensual mental imagery ceases in first jhāna

Sensual mental imagery ceases in first jhāna:

• Secluded from sensuous pleasures and spiritually unwholesome factors, he enters and abides in first jhāna, which is accompanied by thinking and pondering, and rapture and physical pleasure born of seclusion [from sensuous pleasures and spiritually unwholesome factors]. For him the mental imagery of previous sensuous pleasure ceases.

So vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Tassa yā purimā kāmasaññā sā nirujjhati. (DN i 182)

Mental images are the source of thought

Mental images are the source of thought:

• Because of mental imagery of visible objects, thought about visible objects arises

Rūpasaññaṁ paṭicca uppajjati rūpasaṅkappo. (SN ii 144)

Ascetics must overcome unvirtuous mental imagery

Ascetics must overcome unvirtuous mental imagery:

• If any ascetic or Brahmanist does not quickly abandon, dispel, put an end to, and eradicate unvirtuous mental imagery that has arisen in him, he abides unhappily in this very lifetime.

yo hi koci samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā uppannaṁ visamagataṁ saññaṁ na khippameva pajahati vinodeti vyantīkaroti anabhāvaṁ gameti so diṭṭhe ceva dhamme dukkhaṁ viharati. (SN ii 152)

• ‘One who abstains from sensuous mental imagery, who has transcended all ties to individual existence, with spiritually fettering delight in individual existence destroyed, he does not sink in the deep.’

Virato kāmasaññāya sabbasaṁyojanātigo
Nandibhavaparikkhīṇo so gambhīre na sīdati. (Snp 175)

Arahants have overcome unvirtuous mental images

Arahants have overcome unvirtuous mental images:

• Friend, in the eighty years since I went forth [into the ascetic life] I do not recall a sensuous mental image having ever arisen in me.

Asīti me āvuso kassapa vassāni pabbajitassa nābhijānāmi kāmasaññaṁ uppannapubbaṁ. (MN iii 125)

This is in accordance with the fact that:

• All spiritually unwholesome factors stem from uninsightfulness into reality, emanate from uninsightfulness into reality, and all are abolished when uninsightfulness into reality is abolished.

Evameva kho bhikkhave ye keci akusalā dhammā sabbe te avijjāmūlakā avijjāsamosaraṇā. Avijjāsamugghātā sabbe te samugghātaṁ gacchanti. (SN ii 263)

Arahants perceive without mental images

Arahants perceive objects as they are, without any associated mental images:

• He does not conceive the slightest mental image regarding what is seen, heard, sensed, or cognised.

Tassīdha diṭṭhe vā sute mute vā pakappitā natthi aṇu pi saññā. (Snp 802)

Arahants are susceptible to virtuous mental images

Arahants are nonetheless susceptible to virtuous mental images:

• Just as the Veramba wind blows clouds in the rainy season, so [in the city of Veramba] mental images connected with physical seclusion [would] overwhelm me.

Yathā abbhāni verambo vāto nudati pāvuse
Saññā me abhikīranti vivekapaṭisaṁyuttā. (Tha 589)

The Buddha was fully conscious of mental images

The Buddha was fully conscious of mental images:

• In this regard, Ānanda, the arising, continuance, and vanishing of sense impressions (vedanā), mental images (saññā), and thoughts (vitakkā) is known by the Perfect One.

Idhānanda tathāgatassa viditā vedanā uppajjanti. Viditā upaṭṭhahanti. Viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Viditā saññā uppajjanti viditā upaṭṭhahanti. Viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. Viditā vitakkā uppajjanti. Viditā upaṭṭhahanti. Viditā abbhatthaṁ gacchanti. (MN iii 124)

The arahant is free of unvirtuous and deluding mental images

So when the suttas say that the arahant is free of mental images, this would mean that he is free of:

1) unvirtuous mental images, and

2) deluding images

We parenthesise accordingly. This is justified, because in the Madhupiṇḍika Sutta, where the following quote comes from, the Buddha explains how his teaching does not lead to unwholesome consequences. This rationally means that the mental images he is condemning are those which are unwholesome. The usual combination of words used in the scriptures to capture unwholesome connotations is pāpakā akusala, i.e. ‘unvirtuous and spiritually unwholesome.’ We use this parenthesis here, for example:

• [I proclaim] a doctrine, friend, such that… one does not abide quarrelling with anyone in the world; such that for the Brahman who abides emancipated from sensuous pleasures, free of uncertainty [about the excellence of the teaching], free of anxiety, free of craving for all states of individual existence, [unvirtuous and spiritually unwholesome] mental images do not lurk within him.

yathāvādī kho āvuso… na kenaci loke viggayha tiṭṭhati yathā ca pana kāmehi visaṁyuttaṁ viharantaṁ taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ akathaṅkathiṁ chinnakukkuccaṁ bhavābhave vītataṇhaṁ saññā nānusenti. (MN i 108)

Solving the Kalahavivāda Sutta

To solve the puzzle of the Kalahavivāda Sutta (Snp 873-4), we render saññā as ‘mental images,’ as follows:

[Question:] ‘For one attained to what state does bodily form vanish? Whether pleasant or painful, how does it vanish? Tell me this, how does it vanish? My objective is that we should know this.’

Kathaṁ sametassa vibhoti rūpaṁ sukhaṁ dukkhaṁ vāpi kathaṁ vibhoti
Etaṁ me pabrūhi yathā vibhoti taṁ jāniyāmāti me mano ahu (Snp 873)

[Answer:] ‘He does not perceive mental images [of what is seen, heard, sensed, or cognised]. He does not perceive [what is seen, heard, sensed, or cognised] with deranged perception. He is not without perception. He does not perceive what has vanished. For one arrived at such a state, bodily form vanishes. Mental images are indeed the source of entrenched conception.’

Na saññasaññī na visaññasaññī no pi asaññī na vibhūtasaññī
Evaṁ sametassa vibhoti rūpaṁ saññānidānā hi papañcasaṅkhā. (Snp 874)

➥ saññāya: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: saññāya, notion

Apart from the mere notion of it, there are not many and various Perfect Truths in the world

Na heva saccāni bahūni nānā aññatra saññāya niccāni loke. (Snp 886)

➥ saññaṁ: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: saññaṁ, notion

Inquiring, relying on a dogmatic view, bewildered by what you are attached to, you cannot comprehend the simplest notion. Thus you regard this teaching as foolish.

Diṭṭhañca nissāya anupucchamāno samuggahītesu pamohamāgā
Ito ca nāddakkhi aṇumpi saññaṁ tasmā tuvaṁ momuhato dahāsi. (Snp 841)

Illustration: saññaṁ, idea

Then the Blessed One, mindful and fully conscious, lay down on his right side in the lion’s posture with his feet placed together, having contemplated the idea of rising.

Atha kho bhagavā dakkhiṇena passena sīhaseyyaṁ kappesi pāde pādaṁ accādhāya sato sampajāno uṭṭhānasaññaṁ manasikaritvā. (DN ii 134-5)

Illustration: saññā, attitude

Thoroughly dispelled the attitude of repugnance towards either internal things or external things.

Ajjhattabahiddhā ca me dhammesu paṭighasaññā suppaṭivinītā. (SN v 315)

Illustration: saññā, attitude

He would not wish for another’s suffering out of anger, or from an attitude of repugnance.

Na paro paraṁ nikubbetha nātimaññetha katthaci naṁ kañci
Vyārosanā paṭighasaññā nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya. (Snp 148)

Illustration: saññā, attitude

An attitude of disillusionment with all originated phenomena will be as present to me as it might in relation to a murderer with a drawn sword

sabbasaṅkhāresu ca me nibbidasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā bhavissati seyyathā pi ukkhittāsike vadhake. (AN iii 443)

Illustration: saññā, attitude

Assuming what attitude do spiritually unwholesome factors flourish and spiritually wholesome factors fade?

kathaṁrūpaṁ bhante saññāpaṭilābhaṁ sevato akusalā dhammā abhivaḍḍhanti kusalā dhammā parihāyanti

In this regard, some person is

• greedy and abides with a greedy attitude

idha bhante ekacco abhijjhālu hoti abhijjhāsahagatāya saññāya viharati

• unbenevolent and abides with an unbenevolent attitude

vyāpādavā hoti vyāpādasahagatāya saññāya viharati

• malicious and abides with a malicious attitude.

vihesavā hoti vihesāsahagatāya saññāya viharati. (MN iii 50-1)

➥ saññaṁ: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: saññaṁ, mental image

But if by abiding thus you do not shake off that torpor, then focus on the mental image of light, concentrate on the mental image of day. As by day, so at night; as at night, so by day.

No ce te evaṁ viharato taṁ middhaṁ pahīyetha tato tvaṁ moggallāna ālokasaññaṁ manasikareyyāsi divāsaññaṁ adhiṭṭheyyāsi yathā divā tathā rattiṁ yathā rattiṁ tathā divā. (AN iv 86)

Illustration: saññā, mental images

Sensuous pleasures in this lifetime and in the hereafter, mental images of sensuous pleasures of this lifetime and of the hereafter, both alike are Māra’s realm, Māra’s domain, Māra’s bait, Māra’s hunting ground.

Ye ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmā ye ca samparāyikā kāmā yā ca diṭṭhadhammikā kāmasaññā yā ca samparāyikā kāmasaññā ubhayametaṁ māradheyyaṁ mārassesavisayo marassesanivāpo mārassesagocaro.

They lead to unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome mental states such as greed, ill will, and aggressiveness, which arise for the spiritual obstruction in this world of the noble disciple in training.

Etthete pāpakā akusalā mānasā abhijjhāpi vyāpādāpi sārambhāpi saṁvattanti. Teva ariyasāvakassa idhamanusikkhato antarāyāya sambhavanti. (MN ii 261-2)

Illustration: saññā, mental images

How should a bhikkhu here abundantly dwell that, five floods crossed, he crosses the sixth? How should he apply himself so sensuous mental images are kept at bay and fail to grip him?

Kathaṁ vihārī bahulodha bhikkhu pañcoghatiṇṇo atarīdha chaṭṭhaṁ
Kathaṁ jhāyiṁ bahulaṁ kāmasaññā paribāhirā honti aladdha yo tanti. (SN i 126)

Illustration: saññā, mental imagery

On attaining first jhāna, sensuous mental imagery is ended.

paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpannassa kāmasaññā niruddhā hoti. (DN iii 266)

Illustration: saññā, mental images

[I proclaim] a doctrine, friend, such that…

yathāvādī kho āvuso…

[unvirtuous and spiritually unwholesome] mental images do not lurk within him

saññā nānusenti;

This is my doctrine; this is what I proclaim.

evaṁ vādī kho ahaṁ āvuso evamakkhāyī ti. (MN i 108)

COMMENT:

The Buddha explained this statement as follows:

• For whatever the reason that entrenched perception and conception assail a man, if there is found nothing there to be delighted in, welcomed, or clung to, this is the end of the proclivity to attachment etc

Yatonidānaṁ bhikkhu purisaṁ papañcasaññāsaṅkhā samudācaranti ettha ce natthi abhinanditabbaṁ abhivaditabbaṁ ajjhositabbaṁ esevanto rāgānusayānaṁ

This sutta therefore confirms the relationship between mental images and entrenched perception and conception. Other suttas say:

• Mental images are indeed the source of entrenched conception.

saññānidānā hi papañcasaṅkhā. (Snp 874)

➥ saññānaṁ: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: saññānaṁ, mental images

Recognising this danger, that suffering arises dependent on karmically consequential deeds, with the quelling of karmically consequential deeds, and the ending of mental images, in this way is there the destruction of suffering.

Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā dukkhaṁ saṅkhārapaccayā
Sabbasaṅkhārasamathā saññānaṁ uparodhanā
Evaṁ dukkhakkhayo hoti (Snp 732)

Illustration: saññā, mental imagery

Possessed of six factors a bhikkhu abides unhappily in this very lifetime, with distress, vexation, and anguish, and at death a bad bourne can be expected. What six?

Chahi bhikkhave dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu diṭṭheva dhamme dukkhaṁ viharati savighātaṁ saupāyāsaṁ sapariḷāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā duggati pāṭikaṅkhā. Katamehi chahi:

Thoughts of sensuous pleasure, ill will, and maliciousness; sensuous mental imagery, unbenevolent mental imagery, and malicious mental imagery.

Kāmavitakkena, vyāpādavitakkena, vihiṁsāvitakkena, kāmasaññāya, vyāpādasaññāya, vihiṁsāsaññāya. (AN iii 429)

Illustration: saññā, mental imagery

Because of the phenomenon of sensuous pleasure, sensuous mental imagery arises

Kāmadhātuṁ bhikkhave paṭicca uppajjati kāmasaññā

Because of sensuous mental imagery, sensuous thought arises,

Kāmasaññaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāmasaṅkappo

Because of sensuous thought, sensuous hankering arises

Kāmasaṅkappaṁ paṭicca uppajjati kāmacchando. (SN ii 151)

Illustration: saññā, mental imagery

Because of the phenomenon of ill will, unbenevolent mental imagery arises.

vyāpādadhātuṁ bhikkhave paṭicca uppajjati vyāpādasaññā.

Because of unbenevolent mental imagery, unbenevolent thought arises

vyāpādasaññaṁ paṭicca uppajjati vyāpādasaṅkappo.

Because of unbenevolent thought, unbenevolent desire arises.

vyāpādasaṅkappaṁ paṭicca uppajjati vyāpādacchando. (SN ii 151)

Illustration: saññā, mental imagery

And which, carpenter, are spiritually unwholesome thoughts?

Katame ca thapati akusalasaṅkappā

Sensuous thought, unbenevolent thought, malicious thought. These are called spiritually unwholesome thoughts.

kāmasaṅkappo vyāpādasaṅkappo vihiṁsāsaṅkappo ime vuccanti thapati akusalasaṅkappā.

And what, carpenter, is the origin of these spiritually unwholesome thoughts? Their origin is spoken of too. Their origin is in mental imagery, one should reply.

ime ca thapati akusalasaṅkappā kiṁsamuṭṭhānā: samuṭṭhānampi nesaṁ vuttaṁ. Saññāsamuṭṭhānātissa vacanīyā.

Which mental imagery? For mental imagery is manifold, multiplex and diverse:

Katamā saññā? Saññāpi hi bahū anekavidhā nānappakārakā

Sensuous mental imagery, unbenevolent mental imagery, malicious mental imagery: arising from these are spiritually unwholesome thoughts.

kāmasaññā vyāpādasaññā vihiṁsāsaññā ito samuṭṭhānā akusalā saṅkappā. (MN ii 27)

Illustration: saññā, mental images

What is the meditation which developed and cultivated that leads to mindfulness and full consciousness?

Katamā cāvuso samādhibhāvanā bhāvitā bahulīkatā satisampajaññāya saṁvattati?

In this regard the arising, continuance, and vanishing of

• sense impressions

viditā vedanā uppajjanti… upaṭṭhahanti… abbhatthaṁ gacchanti

• mental images

viditā saññā uppajjanti… upaṭṭhahanti… abbhatthaṁ gacchanti

• thoughts

viditā vitakkā uppajjanti… upaṭṭhahanti… abbhatthaṁ gacchanti

is known by the bhikkhu. (DN iii 223)

Illustration: saññā, mental image

When the mental image of a skeleton is developed and cultivated it is of great fruit and benefit.

aṭṭhikasaññā bhikkhave bhāvitā bahulīkatā mahapphalā hoti mahānisaṁsā. (SN v 129)

Illustration: saññā, perception/mental image

Beings do not know according to reality that:

1) This perception/ mental image leads to worsening.

imā hānabhāgiyā saññā ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti

2) This perception/ mental image leads to stasis.

Imā ṭhitibhāgiyā saññā ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti.

3) This perception/ mental image leads to distinction.

Imā visesabhāgiyā saññā ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti

4) This perception/ mental image leads to the profound understanding [and destruction of the great masses of greed, hatred, and undiscernment of reality].

Imā nibbedhabhāgiyā saññā ti yathābhūtaṁ nappajānanti

This is the cause and reason for some beings here not realising the Untroubled in this lifetime.

Ayaṁ kho āvuso ānanda hetu ayaṁ paccayo yena midhekacce sattā diṭṭheva dhamme na parinibbāyantī ti. (AN ii 167)

COMMENT:

The six perceptions leading to the profound understanding [and destruction of the great masses of greed, hatred, and undiscernment of reality] are:

1) the perception of the unlastingness [of the five aggregates] (aniccasaññā)

2) the perception that what is unlasting is intrinsically unsatisfactory (anicce dukkhasaññā)

3) the perception that what is intrinsically unsatisfactory is void of personal qualities (dukkhe anattasaññā)

4) the perception of the abandonment [of sensuous thoughts, unbenevolent thoughts, malicious thoughts, and unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors] (pahānasaññā)

5) the perception of the passing away [of originated phenomena] (virāgasaññā)

6) the perception of the ending [of originated phenomena] (nirodhasaññā)

Cha nibbedhabhāgiyā saññā: Aniccasaññā anicce dukkhasaññā dukkhe anattasaññā pahānasaññā virāgasaññā nirodhasaññā. (DN iii 251)

COMMENT:

When:

1) the mental image of a skeleton (aṭṭhikasaññā)

2) the mental image of a maggot-infested corpse (puḷavakasaññā)…

3) the mental image of a discoloured corpse (vinīlakasaññā)

4) the mental image of a cut up corpse (vicchiddakasaññā)

5) the mental image of a bloated corpse (uddhumātakasaññā)

is developed and cultivated it is of great fruit and benefit. (SN v 129-134)

COMMENT:

‘The profound understanding [and destruction of the great masses of greed, hatred, and undiscernment of reality]’: Nibbijjhati means ‘to pierce,’ which we call ‘to profoundly understand.’ At SN v 88 nibbijjhati is linked to padāleti (to destroy), and to lobhakkhandhaṁ dosakkhandhaṁ mohakkhandhaṁ.

➥ papañcasaññā: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: papañcasaññā, entrenched perception

Thinking, Lord of the Devas, arises from entrenched perception and conception.

Vitakko kho devānaminda papañcasaññāsaṅkhānidāno…

When they are present, thinking arises; when they are absent, thinking does not arise.

papañcasaññāsaṅkhāya sati vitakko hoti papañcasaññāsaṅkhāya asati vitakko na hotī ti. (DN ii 277)

Illustration: papañcasaññā, entrenched perception

For whatever the reason

yatonidānaṁ

that entrenched perception and conception assail a man

purisaṁ papañcasaññāsaṅkhā samudācaranti

if there is found nothing there to be delighted in, welcomed, or clung to

ettha ce natthi abhinanditabbaṁ abhivaditabbaṁ ajjhositabbaṁ

this is the end of the proclivity to attachment…

esevanto rāgānusayānaṁ…. (MN i 109)

➥ viparītasaññaṁ: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: viparītasaññaṁ, distorted perception

Although contact with sensuous pleasures is unpleasant,

dukkhasamphassesuyeva kāmesu

they acquire the distorted perception that it is pleasant.

sukhami ti viparītasaññaṁ paccalatthuṁ. (MN i 507-8)

➥ sañña: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: sañña, perception

And why do you call it perception? One perceives therefore it is called perception. And what does one perceive?

Kiñca bhikkhave saññaṁ vadetha sañjānātī ti kho bhikkhave tasmā saññā ti vuccati kiñca sañjānāti:

One perceives blue, one perceives yellow, one perceives red, one perceives white. .

nīlampi sañjānāti; pītakampi sañjānāti; lohitakampi sañjānāti. Odātampi sañjānāti;. (SN iii 87)

Illustration: sañña, perception

There are certain devas called ‘beings without perception.’ When perception arises in them, those devas fall away from that group.

Santi bhikkhave asaññasattā nāma devā. Saññuppādā ca pana te devā tamhā kāyā cavanti. (DN i 28)

Illustration: saññā, modes of perception; saññā, perception

Ānanda, if you tell the bhikkhu Girimānanda ten modes of perception (dasasaññā bhāseyyāsi) it may cure his illness. Which ten?

1) The perception of the unlastingness [of the five aggregates]

aniccasaññā

2) the perception of the voidness of personal qualities [in the six senses and their objects]

anattasaññā

3) the perception of the unloveliness [of the body]

asubhasaññā

4) the perception of the danger [of the body]

ādīnavasaññā

5) the perception of the abandonment [of sensuous thoughts, unbenevolent thoughts, malicious thoughts, and unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors]

pahānasaññā

6) the perception of the passing away [of originated phenomena]

virāgasaññā

7) the perception of the ending [of originated phenomena]

nirodhasaññā

8) the perception of disgust for the whole world [of phenomena]

sabbaloke anabhiratasaññā

9) the perception of the unlastingness of all originated phenomena

sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccasaññā

10) mindfulness with breathing.

ānāpānasati. (AN v 108-9)

Illustration: saññā, states of refined awareness; sañjānāti, perceives

Bhikkhus, there are four states of refined awareness. Which four?

Catasso imā bhikkhave saññā katamā catasso:

• One being perceives what is limited.

parittameko sañjānāti

• One being perceives what is exalted.

mahaggatameko sañjānāti

• One being perceives what is limitless.

appamāṇameko sañjānāti

• One being perceives the state of awareness of nonexistence, where one perceives that there is [nowhere] anything at all.

natthi kiñcī ti ākiñcaññāyatanameko sañjānāti. (AN v 63)

Illustration: saññā, perception; saññā, state of refined awareness

Secluded from sensuous pleasures and spiritually unwholesome factors, he enters and abides in first jhāna, which is accompanied by thinking and pondering, and rapture and physical pleasure born of seclusion [from sensuous pleasures and spiritually unwholesome factors].

So vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.

For him the mental imagery of previous sensuous pleasure ceases.

Tassa yā purimā kāmasaññā sā nirujjhati.

And at that time there is a subtle but true perception of the rapture and physical pleasure born of seclusion [from sensuous pleasures and spiritually unwholesome factors]. He is one with a subtle but true perception of the rapture and physical pleasure born of seclusion [from sensuous pleasures and spiritually unwholesome factors].

Vivekajapītisukhasukhumasaccasaññā tasmiṁ samaye hoti. Vivekajapītisukhasukhumasaccasaññī yeva tasmiṁ samaye hoti.

In this way one state of refined awareness arises through the training, and one state of refined awareness ceases through the training. And that is the training, said the Blessed One.

Evampi sikkhā ekā saññā uppajjati. Sikkhā ekā saññā nirujjhati. Ayaṁ sikkhā ti bhagavā avoca. (DN i 184)

➥ saññānaṁ: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: saññānaṁ, states of refined awareness

Some [ascetics and Brahmanists] proclaim that the state of awareness of nonexistence, limitless and imperturbable, where one perceives that there is [nowhere] anything at all, is the purest, highest, best, and greatest of those states of refined awareness, whether refined material states of awareness, or immaterial states of awareness, or states of refined awareness involving mental cognisance alone, or involving the external senses.

Yā vā panetāsaṁ saññānaṁ parisuddhā paramā aggā anuttariyā akkhāyati yadi rūpasaññānaṁ yadi arūpasaññānaṁ yadi ekattasaññānaṁ yadi nānattasaññānaṁ natthi kiñci ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ eke abhivadanti appamāṇaṁ āneñjaṁ.

But that [state of refined awareness] is originated and self-evident. And there is a ending of originated phenomena. Knowing the truth of this, seeing the deliverance [from originated phenomena] the Perfect One has gone beyond it.

Tayidaṁ saṅkhataṁ oḷārikaṁ. Atthi kho pana saṅkhārānaṁ nirodho atthetanti iti viditvā tassa nissaraṇadassāvī tathāgato tadupātivatto. (MN ii 229-230)

➥ sañjānanti: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: sañjānanti, label

How does there not come to be stubborn attachment to the conventional expressions of one particular country’s language and non-overriding of local terminology?

Katañca bhikkhave janapadaniruttiyā ca anabhiniveso hoti samaññāya ca anatisāro:

In this regard, in different countries they label the same thing a ‘dish’: a ‘bowl,’ a ‘vessel,’ a ‘saucer,’ a ‘pan,’ a ‘pot,’ or a ‘basin.’

idha bhikkhave tadavekaccesu janapadesu pātī ti sañjānanti pattan ti sañjānanti vitthan ti sañjānanti. Sarāvan ti sañjānanti dhāropan ti sañjānanti poṇan ti sañjānanti pisīlavan ti sañjānanti.

Whatever they label the thing in one particular country, he thinks ‘It seems these reverences are speaking with reference to this,’ and speaks likewise without grasping the terminology.

Iti yathā yathā naṁ tesu tesu janapadesu sañjānanti: idaṁ kira me āyasmanto sandhāya voharantī ti. Tathā tathā voharati aparāmasati. (MN iii 235)

➥ sañjānāti: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: sañjānāti, label

‘Ascetics, ascetics,’ so people label you and you, on being asked: ‘Who are you?’ should acknowledge: ‘We are ascetics.’

Samaṇā samaṇāti vo bhikkhave jano sañjānāti. Tumhe ca panake tumhe ti puṭṭhā samānā samaṇāmhā ti paṭijānātha. (MN i 271)

Illustration: sañjānanti, perceive

And those beings who had uprisen there perceived one another by means of this radiance, and thought: ‘Indeed there are other beings who have arisen here.’

yepi tattha sattā upapannā tepi tenobhāsena aññamaññaṁ sañjānanti aññepi kira bho santi sattā idhūpapannāti. (MN iii 124)

Illustration: sañjānanti, perceive

Now there are, brahman, some ascetics and Brahmanists who perceive night to be the same as day and who perceive day to be the same as night. Of these ascetics and Brahmanists I declare that they are abiding in delusion. For I, brahman, perceive night to be the same as night, I perceive day to be the same as day.

Santi kho pana brāhmaṇa eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā rattiṁyeva samānaṁ divā ti sañjānanti divāyeva samānaṁ rattī ti sañjānanti idamahaṁ tesaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ sammohavihārasmiṁ vadāmi. Ahaṁ kho pana brāhmaṇa rattiṁyeva samānaṁ rattī ti sañjānāmi divāyeva samānaṁ divā ti sañjānāmi. (MN i 21)

➥ sañjānāmi: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: sañjānāmi, perceived to be

From the time when I had complete faith in the Blessed One, from then on for a long time I have perceived that I will not be reborn in the plane of damnation, that I will not [go to] the plane of damnation.

Yadagge ahaṁ bhante bhagavati ekantagato abhippasanno tadagge ahaṁ bhante dīgharattaṁ avinipāto avinipātaṁ sañjānāmi. (DN ii 206)

➥ sañjānāti: (main article see: saññā)

Illustration: sañjānāti, perceives

What one experiences, one perceives. What one perceives, one thinks about. .

Yaṁ vedeti taṁ sañjānāti. Yaṁ sañjānāti taṁ vitakketi. (MN i 111)