tion of ideas by way of
naming. The former is called perception of resistance, or opposition
(_patigha-sanna_). This, writes Buddhagho@sa, is perception on
occasion of sight, hearing, etc., when consciousness is aware of the
impact of impressions; of external things as different, we might
say. The latter is called perception of the equivalent word or
name (_adhivachana-sanna_) and is exercised by the _sensus communis_
(mano), when e.g. 'one is seated...and asks another who
is thoughtful: "What are you thinking of?" one perceives through
his speech.' Thus there are two stages of sanna-consciousness,
1. contemplating sense-impressions, 2. ability to know what they
are by naming [Footnote ref 1]."

About sa@nkhara we read in _Sa@myutta Nikaya_ (III. 87) that it
is called sa@nkhara because it synthesises (_abhisa@nkharonti_), it is
that which conglomerated rupa as rupa, conglomerated sanna
as sanna, sa@nkhara as sa@nkhara and consciousness (_vinnana_)
as consciousness. It is called sa@nkhara because it synthesises
the conglomerated (_sa@nkhatam abhisa@nkharonti_). It is thus a
synthetic function which synthesises the passive rupa, sanna,
sa@nkhara and vinnana elements. The fact that we hear of 52
sa@nkhara states and also that the sa@nkhara exercises its synthetic
activity on the conglomerated elements in it, goes to show
that probably the word sa@nkhara is used in two senses, as mental
states and as synthetic activity.

Vinnana or consciousness meant according to Buddhagho@sa,
as we have already seen in the previous section, both the stage
at which the intellectual process started and also the final
resulting consciousness.

Buddhagho@sa in explaining the process of Buddhist psychology
says that "consciousness(_citta_)first comes into touch (_phassa_) with
its object (_aramma@na_) and thereafter feeling, conception (_sanna_)
and volition (_cetana_) come in. This contact is like the pillars of
a palace, and the rest are but the superstructure built upon it
(_dabbasambharasadisa_). But it should not be thought that contact

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[Footnote 1: _Buddhist Psychology_, pp. 49, 50.]

97

is the beginning of the psychological processes, for in one whole
consciousness (_ekacittasmi@m_) it cannot be said that this comes
first and that comes after, so we can take contact in association
with feeling (_vedana_), conceiving (_sanna_) or volition (_cetana_);
it is