Saññā is a critical mental factor (cetasika) that does not have a direct English translation (even though it is commonly and erroneously translated only as “perception”). Saññā is necessary for the survival of any living being, but it also plays a critical role in perpetuating or extending the rebirth process, and thus, future suffering. A “misleading/false perception” (saññā) that sensory inputs are pleasurable is built into the minds of all sentient beings via Paṭicca Samuppāda.
June 22, 2025
(This post replaces “Two Aspects of Saññā – Beneficial and Dangerous” and is an extended version of it.)
World Is Real
1. The Buddha never said the world is not real. The sentient beings and their environments are real.
- Furthermore, any sukha or dukkha vedanās one experiences through the physical body are real. They materialize via the nervous system attached to the physical body. The physical body arises via Paṭicca Samuppāda to bring such vedanā.
- There are also “pleasant and unpleasant sensations” one feels due to sights, sounds, tastes, smells, body touches, and thoughts. Such sensations are real, too. Those are due to (distorted) saññā” arising via Paṭicca Samuppāda.
- However, a deeper “ultimate reality” (paramatta dhamma) discovered by the Buddha explains that one’s existence in this world can be stopped because it arises due to “mental/kammic energy.” Something created by the mind cannot last forever. That is the “grand illusion” described by the Buddha: “Fooled by Distorted Saññā (Sañjānāti) – Origin of Attachment (Taṇhā).”
“Paṭi+icca” = To Attach to “Root Causes”
2. Paṭicca = paṭi + icca; here, “paṭi” is bonding, and “icca” (pronounced “ichcha”) is liking.
- Thus, Paṭicca is “bonding to something willingly” or “getting attached to something through a liking for it.”
- However, one tends to attach to the result, but what counts is the root cause of that attachment. This is a critical point to understand.
- As we will see, a root cause of attachment is saññā! The root causes of rāga, dosa, and moha (of which everyone is aware) arise based on saññā built into our bodies and the external environment. This is a key aspect that is hidden in Buddha’s teachings. Although it is implied (and sometimes directly stated) in many suttās, most people remain unaware of it.
“Sama+Uppāda” = Corresponding Births/Rebirths
3. Samuppāda = “sama” (same or similar) + “uppāda” (generation), i.e., an existence (bhava) of a similar/comparable kind. Here, “similar in kind” refers to the connection to the root causes, not the result one expected.
- Thus, samuppāda means leading to existence or experience corresponding to defilements that made one attach to the situation (ārammaṇa) in the first place.
- The “generation” of existence (or mindset) happens while engaging in that activity (see below). Furthermore, that activity generates kammic energy to bring a future corresponding existence in the rebirth process.
“Paṭi+ichcha” Leads to “Sama+uppāda“
4. Now, we combine the two terms: “paṭi+ichcha” leads to “sama+uppāda,” i.e., “willingly attaching to the root causes” leads to “corresponding (re)births.” Even if it is a “bad rebirth,” that existence is made appealing through the built-in “distorted/false saññā“ as we discuss below.
- One would not like to be born an animal. However, if one acts like an animal (an example of lobha, dosa, moha), an animal rebirth is unavoidable! Furthermore, that animal perceives its world to be appealing. That is why any living being is afraid to die.
- In the same way, if one cultivates “moral gati” (an example of mundane alobha, adosa, amoha), one is likely to be reborn as a human or a Deva. Yet, those existences are also based on “mental energy,” and thus, cannot last forever.
- Thus, “Paṭicca Samuppāda” means “attachment to something with six root causes leading to the generation of a ‘corresponding bhava’.“
- For details, see “Paṭicca Samuppāda – ‘Pati+ichcha’ + ‘Sama+uppāda’.”
- What makes one behave like an animal? Think about the following examples: One is tempted to rape (or sexual misconduct in general) because of kāma rāga that arises due to kāma saññā. One kills with anger, and it arises due to paṭigha saññā.
- Now, we must examine an aspect that has received insufficient attention in recent years. Our external world is also “designed” via Paṭicca Samuppāda to generate such saññā according to one’s realm of existence. For example, Brahmas’ environment does not have sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and bodily sensations that can trigger kāma saññā.
Deeper Aspect of Paṭicca Samuppāda – Role of Saññā
5. Most of us are familiar with the following aspect of Paṭicca Samuppāda. A given sentient being (especially a human) cultivates certain types of gati because of their attachment to specific types of sensory experiences (based on particular types of attachment). For example, those who engage in immoral activity like sexual misconduct or raping develop “animal gati.” They are likely to have “corresponding births” as animals. That is one aspect of “paṭi” is bonding, and “icca” leading to “sama+uppāda.”
- However, animal rebirths require an environment suitable to sustain them. This is the second aspect of Paṭicca Samuppāda.
- For example, a cow cannot be born into an environment where grass does not grow. Furthermore, a cow needs to have the instinct to eat grass; this instinct is “built-in saññā“!
- As we discussed in “Loka – Each Person Perceives the “External World” Differently” (see #11 – #13 there), cows have a complex mechanism for digesting grass: They have a four-chambered stomach (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum). Such a complex mechanism of digestion is necessary because grass is hard to break down to extract its nutrients. Although scientists claim that the stomachs of cows have evolved, it is difficult to imagine how this could be possible. Why was it necessary for any living being to eat grass if nutrients can be extracted much more easily from other food sources?
- It is the other way around, according to the Buddha’s Dhamma. The environment with grass and the bodily functions of the cows arise via Paṭicca Samuppāda. Animal births are associated with more suffering. Thus, the birth of a cow (with a rough life) requires both a physical environment to provide grass and a cow’s body (with a complex digestion mechanism) to extract nutrients from grass. A cow spends most of the day eating and digesting (after eating grass, they must extract the eaten grass from one of the four chambers in the stomach and re-chew it)! That is how they “pay for the bad kamma done to be born a cow.”
Saññā – A Critical Concept in Buddha Dhamma
6. “Saññā” and “vedanā” are two Pāli words critical in understanding Buddha’s teachings. They define the sensory experience (the “vipāka aspect”). Based on that experience, we respond with thoughts, speech, and actions. Saññā, depending on the context/situation, can be separated into THREE categories:
- “innate sense” of recognition of the sensory input,
- “innate sense” of finding one’s way in the world to optimize survival, and
- “innate sense” of “distorted evaluation/description” of sensory experiences, leading to a joyful or depressed state of mind. Here, based on saññā (but simultaneously), vedanā (loosely translated as “feelings”) arise.
- In the above, “innate sense” means you don’t need to think about it; it comes automatically to the mind as a “fact.” This is tied to the mental/physical body one is born with. Humans and animals have different types of saññā associated with them, with many variations even within the animal realm. In this post, we will briefly address all three categories.
Recognition Aspect of Saññā
7. The FIRST aspect of saññā is “to recognize” the subject of sensory experience, the first category in #6 above. The sequence of first through third is NOT based on importance but rather on introducing the different aspects/meanings of saññā.
- In several suttās, it is described as the ability to recognize colors, for example. See “Khajjanīya Sutta (SN 22.79).” However, that is only a very basic aspect of saññā.
- In the same way, recognizing a sensory object, such as a tree, a human (and whether it is a male, one’s father, etc.), sound, taste, color, etc., is all done with saññā. Without this capability, life would not be possible.
- Saññā (recognition, in this case) arises automatically. When we see a friend on the street, we don’t need to think about who it is; simultaneously with seeing, we recognize precisely who it is, and many features associated with her come to our mind. That involves the mind automatically recalling past events related to her, utilizing the manasikāra cetasika, which also arises with all cittas.
- This aspect is common to all. Even animals recognize things in their environment. A dog instinctively identifies its owner, for example.
- See “Amazingly Fast Time Evolution of a Thought (Citta).”
Some “Built-In” Saññā Are Species-Dependent and Helpful
8. The SECOND major category of saññā is common among animals. Different species have different types of “built-in saññā” for their survival. Humans generally do not have this type of “built-in” saññā.
- The following short video is about migrating birds, which helps explain the concept of “built-in saññā.”
- Migratory birds know when to start and which direction to fly in their long migrations based solely on an “innate sense” of initiation, direction, and length of travel.
- Scientists have discovered that the birds have “built-in” magnetic field receptors. But how did they acquire such receptors?
- The explanation in the Buddha Dhamma is straightforward. Migrating birds have built-in mechanisms (via kammic energy/Paṭicca Samuppāda) to provide navigation. A matching external environment (Earth’s magnetic field) is made to work with the built-in magnetic receptors in birds. Of course, the Earth’s magnetic field serves other purposes as well. There are many interconnected aspects that we cannot even begin to understand.
9. Another example is how ants build sophisticated “cities.”
- However, unlike humans, the ability to do so does not stem from ingenious minds; ants have been doing it for eons. It is a “characteristic” naturally associated with the “ant bhava.” Each ant instinctively “knows” what to do. Even though there is no “supervisor” to direct individual ants, their efforts (based solely on innate saññā) lead to the final product of a “megacity” with all required facilities (farms, storage facilities, etc.) that sustain the whole colony for years to come.
10. Another example is the baby turtles that rush to the sea immediately after hatching.
- To evade the vultures looking for an easy meal, they must get to the sea before they are spotted. They have an “innate sense” to run towards the sea as soon as they hatch.
- Think about it: They do not run in random directions. How do they know which direction the sea is? It is a built-in saññā, just like that of a migrating bird or an ant in an ant colony, which instinctively knows what to do.
- There are many other examples, such as how dogs can find their way home even when released hundreds of miles away.
- I described the second category in detail, as it provides a good idea of “saññā,” which is difficult to explain in words.
Built-In “Distorted Saññā“
11. The THIRD and MOST IMPORTANT aspect of saññā varies widely between species, leading to a distorted or false impression of sensory inputs built into sentient beings.
- As I have pointed out many times, the taste of honey or the smell of a rose is a saññā and not a vedanā in a strict sense. However, that difference is not emphasized in the suttās because Abhidhamma was fully developed after the Buddha’s Parinibbāna.
- Most of our decisions are based on this category of distorted or false saññā.
- Only bodily contacts directly lead to feelings (vedanā) of pleasure or pain/distress. All other sensory experiences (sights, sounds, tastes, smells) only lead to saññā of like/dislike, tasty/bitter, etc.; they appear to be the same as vedanā. That is clearly distinguished in Abhidhamma.
- However, there can be differences among humans about the level of “like or dislike” associated with a given sensory input. For example, while all recognize a beautiful woman as such, some may be more attracted to a specific woman than others.
12. This “distorted saññā” is not real/objective in “ultimate reality.” If it were, it would be common to all living beings. However, as we saw above, types of saññā in the second and third categories (discussed above) vary widely.
- Humans and animals experience pain and pleasure through physical contact in a similar manner. They all feel pain if hit with a stick or if they are injured.
- However, when it comes to other forms of sensory experiences, “human saññā“ is different from “animal saññā.“
- Furthermore, different animals generate different types of saññā. While humans and bears like the taste of honey (they seem to give a sukha vedanā), cows and pigs get a sukha vedanā from eating grass and garbage, respectively. All those are examples of built-in “distorted/false saññā”!
Some Types of “Distorted Saññā“ Are Not Built-in
13. Another critical aspect of saññā is the following. We tend to think certain people or objects bring us joy when we see them. If a certain person or object can bring happiness, then anyone should experience that joy in the same way.
Suppose three people A, B, C, are sitting in a small coffee shop. They are all facing the door, and person X walks in. Suppose that person X is a close friend of A, the worst enemy of B, and that C does not know X. We will also assume that all are males.
- Let’s see what happens within a split second. A recognizes X as his friend, and a smile comes to his face. B recognizes X as his enemy, and his face darkens wth anger arising in his mind.
- On the other hand, C’s mind does not register anything about X, and X is just another person to him. He immediately goes back to whatever he was doing.
- Such fast “recognition” is possible because of the “saññā” (a mental factor or a cetasika) that arises with every citta (loosely translated as a thought). See “Saññā Gives Rise to Most of the Vedanā We Experience.”
14. Now, suppose a few days after that event, A and X have a disagreement about something, and they become enemies (for example, A found out that X was having an affair with his girlfriend). Think about what happens when A sees X. Instead of joy, anger would arise in A whenever he sees X.
- Thus, it was not something associated with the physical constituents of X that was responsible for the change.
- That change occurred instantaneously (the moment A found out about the affair)!
- Thus, this type of “distorted saññā“ is NOT “built-in.” They can change with time based on the prevailing conditions.
Even the Built-in “Distorted Saññā“ Can be Overcome
15. Even though the built-in “distorted/false saññā“ discussed in #11 and #12 above cannot be removed from the mind, one can overcome the desire to attach to them!
- For example, one born with a human body will always taste honey to be sweet or roses to smell good. Those are built-in “distorted/false saññā.“
- Even an Arahant would taste honey to be sweet or roses to smell good.
- However, they have overcome the tendency to attach to such built-in “distorted/false saññā“ by fully comprehending how that “distorted/false saññā“ arises via Paṭicca Samuppāda. Nothing in this world has an intrinsically beautiful or ugly, or tasty or distasteful nature in ultimate reality.
- Don’t be distracted by additional complexities associated with issues like how we see using physical eyes and light. A human in the gandhabba state (outside the physical body and thus needing no eyes or light) also sees a beautiful woman as such, or a particular sound to be pleasing. Physical bodies only relay external signals to the “seat of the mind” located in the gandhabba. (Of course, a gandhabba cannot smell, taste, or touch because dense, physical bodies are required to experience those three sensory inputs.)
Saññā is a complex and essential concept for understanding the deeper aspects of the Buddha’s teachings. More on saññā: “Saññā – What It Really Means”
