Kalayanamitta1 said: “When somebody says Sankara and Sabba Sankara. Is there are a difference between the two. Is there any Sanakara that we can reference externally that is outside of 5 aggregates.”
Welcome to the forum, Kalayanamitta1!
Sankhara is very broad. One can get an idea of that by looking at “pada nirukti”: “san” + “kara”.
– As we know “san” is anything that is do with this world of 31 realms. When we eat, walk, talk, etc all those are sankhara.
– “Sabba sankhara” means ALL sankhara, the ones in this broad category.
Those that involve dasa akusala OR dasa kusala (i.e., involve moral/immoral values) have a special prefix of “abhi”; they are abhisankhara.
– One should first see the anicca nature (i.e., not suitable/ dangerous) of those worst abhisankhara that could lead to rebirth in the apayas; the Sotapanna Anugami/Sotapanna stages).
– Then, one should see the anicca nature of those abhisankhara (done with craving for sense pleasures) that could lead to rebirth in the human realm (Sakadagami stage), and any realm in kama loka (at Anagami stage).
– In the above cases, we discard only apunnabhisankhara (apunna abhi sankhara or immoral), AND cultivate punnabhisankhara (punna abhi sankhara or moral). This is important to remember.
– When one becomes an Arahant, one would have seen the anicca nature of ALL sankhara. This is what is stated as “sabba sankharesu anicca sanna” in the Sabbasava sutta. So, we all don’t need to worry about the anicca nature of sabba sankhara yet!
– At the Arahant stage, one will still do punna kriya to help others, and will still engage in sankhara (to live), but has comprehended the anicca nature of all sankhara.
Make sure to know the real meaning of sankhara: “Sankhāra – What It Really Means“.