Sans

The term originates from Sanskrit, derived from the prefix "sam" (meaning "together," "completely") and the root "kr" (meaning "to do," "to make"). It signifies that which is "completely made" or "put together," referring to compounded phenomena or volitional formations. Its earliest appearances are found in Vedic and Upanishadic texts.

Chin. Diet.) The 12 links stand thus in their enumeration. (1) Jdti, or birth, according to one of the four modes of entering the stream of life and reincarnation — or Chatur Yoni (q.v.), each mode placing the being born in one of the six Gati (q.v.) (2) Jardrnarana, or decrepitude and death, following the maturity of the Skandhas (q.v.). (3) Bhava. the Karmic agent which leads every new sentient being to be born in this or another mode of existence in the Trailokya and Gdti. (4) Upaddna, the creative cause of Bhava which thus becomes the cause of Jdti which is the effect; and this creative cause is the clinging to life. (5) Trishnd, love, whether pure or impure. (6) Veddna, or sensation; perception by the senses, it is tlie 5th Skandha. (7) Sparsa, the sense of touch. (8) Chaddyatana, the organs of sensation. (9) Ndmarupa, personality, i.e., a form with a name to it, the symbol of the unreality of material phenomenal appearances. (10) Vijndna, the perfect knowledge of every perceptible thing and of all objects in their concatenation and unity. (11) Samskdra, action on the plane of illusion. (12) Avidyd, lack of true perception, or ignorance. Tiie Nidanas belonging to the most subtle and abstruse doctrines of the Eastern metaphysical system, it is impossible to go into the subject at any greater length.

Blavatsky's enumeration of the twelve links of dependent origination, while detailing the mechanics of existence, points to the profound significance of Samskara. This term, often translated as "mental formations" or "volitional impulses," is more than just a residue of past actions; it is the engine of karma, the psychic energy that propels consciousness through the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Mircea Eliade, in his studies of comparative religion, recognized such concepts as universal archetypes of cosmic cycles and human destiny, where past actions inevitably shape future experiences.

Carl Jung, in his exploration of the collective unconscious, might see Samskaras as deeply ingrained archetypal patterns that manifest as recurring motifs in myths, dreams, and individual psyches. These are not mere memories but active forces that predispose us to certain behaviors and perceptions, like the subtle scent of sandalwood that clings to a wooden box long after the incense has burned out. They are the invisible threads woven into the fabric of our being, dictating the colors and patterns of our reality.

The practice implied by understanding Samskara is one of profound mindfulness and intentionality. It is about recognizing that each thought, each word, each deed is not an isolated event but a seed planted in the fertile ground of consciousness, destined to sprout. As D.T. Suzuki illuminated the Buddhist understanding of emptiness, so too does the concept of Samskara reveal the impermanence and conditioned nature of all phenomena, including the self. By becoming aware of these volitional formations, we gain the possibility of transforming them, of choosing not to be merely reactive to the past but to actively sculpt the future.

This is not a passive surrender to fate, but an active engagement with the forces that shape us. It is the understanding that liberation lies not in escaping the cycle, but in understanding its mechanisms, in purifying the intention behind our actions, and in cultivating a consciousness that is less driven by old habits and more guided by wisdom. The challenge, then, is to recognize the subtle ways these imprints shape our perception and to consciously choose to create new, more luminous ones.