Volitional formations (saṅkhāra)
Indeterminate qualities / Five Aggregates / Volitional formations
Part of key topic Dependent Origination
Also a subtag of Dependent origination
See also: Volition
37 excerpts, 1:51:16 total duration

All excerpts (37) Most relevant (23) Questions about (22) Answers involving (14) Quotes (1) Readings (1) References (1)

Metta Retreat, Session 4 – Sep. 12, 2008

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6. “For most of the time on this retreat, I’ve tried to work with a persistent problem from a variety of angles, but as I work with it it seems to get worse; it seems obsessional. Any suggestions?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation retreats] [Everyday life] [Goodwill] [Proliferation] // [Volitional formations] [Habits] [Spiritual friendship] [Patience]


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9. “What is the difference between awareness and consciousness?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Knowing itself] [Consciousness] // [Aggregates] [Sense bases] [Volitional formations] [Volition] [Conditionality] [Discernment]


Tudong Stories at Spirit Rock, Session 2 – Jun. 2, 2011

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9. “I have an internal voice that’s concerned whether I’m doing it right; if I’m not doing it right, then I won’t get where I want to go. Is this delusion?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Eightfold Path] [Perfectionism] [Delusion] // [Suffering] [Fear] [Mindfulness of body] [Volitional formations]


Abhayagiri 2014 Winter Retreat, Session 19 – Feb. 1, 2014

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4. “What Pāli word do you think Ajahn Geoff is translating as thought formations?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Pāli] [Translation] [Ajahn Ṭhānissaro] // [Volitional formations] [Thai]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6 – Nov. 27, 2014

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6. “I’m wondering why the chanting says, ‘for me there is no other refuge, the Buddha is my excellent refuge,’ and the same for the Dhamma and the Sangha when all three are refuges. Also, why are the Dhamma and the Sangha referred to as ‘Lord?’ Thank you.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Chanting] [Three Refuges]

Reference: Amaravati Chanting Book, p. 13: Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā [Volitional formations] [Impermanence]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 7 – Nov. 28, 2014

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15. “Is the ego the same as self? If different, in what ways?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Self-identity view] [Western psychology] // [Conceit] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality] [Ignorance] [Cause of Suffering]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 22 – Feb. 2, 2015

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4. “What does “know the mind as mind; know feeling as feeling” mean?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Mindfulness] [Relinquishment] // [Proliferation]

Comment: Self-view forms around the feeling from sense contact. [Sense bases] [Contact] [Feeling] [Self-identity view]

Sutta: MN 18: Madhupiṇḍika Sutta, The Honeyball.

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Volitional formations] [Perception]

Sutta: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta. [Mindfulness of breathing]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 25 – Feb. 8, 2015

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1. “In Right Mindfulness, Ajahn Ṭhānissaro focuses on how the first three tetrads apply to high states of concentation. How can these be useful in more mundane levels of meditation?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Mindfulness] [Mindfulness of breathing] [Jhāna] // [Investigation of states] [Rapture] [Volitional formations] [Heart/mind]

Commentary: Path of Purification by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, p. 137: Five levels of pīti.


Jhāna: A Practical Approach, Session 3 – Oct. 10, 2015

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6. “If there isn’t an intention, [meditation] isn’t useful for the goal?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Meditation] [Volition] [Jhāna] // [Volitional formations] [Kamma]


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24. “In the jhāna similies (MN 39.15), ‘He makes...’ seems very active. In dropping away things, is it a conscious dropping or an allowing?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo. [Right Concentration] [Relinquishment] [Jhāna] // [Volitional formations] [Conditionality] [Right Effort]

Quote: “Ajahn Chah emphasizes the doing within a sphere of detachment and letting go.” [Ajahn Chah]


Suttas You've Never Heard Of, Session 2 – Jun. 25, 2016

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12. Comments about ongoing Dhamma practice and coming back to the heart. [Long-term practice] [Suffering] [Cessation of Suffering] [Ill-will] [Forgiveness] [Mindfulness of mind]

Response by Ajahn Pasanno. [Merit]

Quote: “We’re making choices all the time anyway; we may as well choose to be happy.” [Volitional formations] [Happiness]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 7 – Nov. 25, 2016

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7. “Generally, is right intention a subset of kamma or is it the whole enchilada?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Right Intention] [Volition] [Kamma] // [Volitional formations]


The Path of Practice, Session 1 – Jun. 15, 2019

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3. “You spoke of experiencing the breath and experiencing feelings and mind. Are you suggesting that we experience the mind knowing the breath or when it’s doing other things?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Mindfulness of breathing] [Mindfulness of feeling] [Mindfulness of mind] // [Right Mindfulness] [Volitional formations] [Conditionality]

Suttas: MN 118: Ānāpānasati Sutta; MN 10: Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta


Madison Insight Retreat 2023, Session 1 – Oct. 13, 2023

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6. “Could you give a Dhamma talk about the Five Aggregates?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Aggregates] // [Cause of Suffering] [Form] [Feeling] [Perception] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness]

Simile: A dog tied to a post (SN 22.100). [Similes] [Self-identity view]