Samkhara

The term originates from Sanskrit, derived from the root "sam" (together, completely) and "kri" (to do, to make). It signifies something "made together" or "put together," referring to the compounded nature of mental formations and karmic seeds.

"Tendencies of mind" (See "Skandhas"). Sarama Sambuddha (I'ali). Tlie recollection of all of one's past incarnations; a yoga phenomenon.

Blavatsky's definition, linking samkhara to "tendencies of mind" and "recollection of all of one's past incarnations," points toward a profound understanding of consciousness as a cumulative entity. The term, rooted in the Sanskrit "sam" (together) and "kri" (to do), speaks to the intricate weaving of mental impressions, the psychological sediment of our volitional acts. In Buddhist thought, samkhara is a fundamental component of the skandhas, the five aggregates that comprise what we mistakenly perceive as a unified self. These are the mental formations, the volitions, the karmic seeds that propel the wheel of samsara. Mircea Eliade, in his exploration of archaic techniques of ecstasy, often touches upon the power of deeply ingrained mental patterns to shape perception and experience, a concept resonant with samkhara.

These are not passive relics of the past but active forces, shaping our present inclinations and future possibilities. They are the subtle biases, the unexamined assumptions, the deeply etched grooves of habit that guide our reactions before conscious thought even intervenes. Think of them as the invisible currents beneath the surface of awareness, constantly pulling us in familiar directions. The practice of meditation, in many traditions, is an attempt to observe these currents, to understand their origin, and to loosen their grip. Carl Jung's concept of the archetype, while different in scope, shares a similar resonance in its exploration of inherited psychic structures that influence our behavior. The purification or transcendence of samkhara, whether through yogic discipline, mindful observation, or profound insight, is the path to liberation from the cycle of conditioned existence. It is the arduous but ultimately liberating process of disentangling oneself from the automatic responses that bind us to a limited view of reality.

The true challenge lies not in erasing these imprints, but in understanding their impermanent and constructed nature, thereby freeing oneself from their compulsive influence and opening the possibility for new, unconditioned responses.