Skandha

In Buddhism, skandha (Sanskrit: स्कन्ध; Pali: khandha), often translated as "aggregate," "heap," "bundle," or "group," refers to the five aggregates of existence that constitute what is conventionally regarded as a "person" or "self." These five aggregates are:

• Rupa (Form or Matter): This encompasses all physical and material aspects of existence, including the body and the external world perceived through the senses. It includes the four elements (earth, water, fire, and air) and their derivatives.

• Vedana (Feeling or Sensation): This refers to the sensations experienced as a result of contact between the senses and their objects. These sensations can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.

• Sanna (Perception or Discrimination): This is the cognitive function that recognizes and identifies objects based on sensory input. It involves distinguishing features and assigning labels.

• Sankhara (Mental Formations or Volition): This is the aggregate of mental formations, volitions, impulses, and dispositions that drive action and shape experience. It includes intentions, habits, biases, and karma-forming activities. Often translated as "conditioning," it shapes how we respond to our experiences.

• Vijnana (Consciousness): This is the faculty of awareness or cognizance that arises in dependence on the other four aggregates. It is the awareness of sensory input, thoughts, and feelings. Consciousness is not a permanent entity but a constantly changing stream of awareness.

According to Buddhist teachings, understanding the nature of the skandhas is crucial for realizing the impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta) of all phenomena. The clinging to these aggregates as "self" is considered a fundamental cause of suffering. Through insight into the empty nature of the skandhas, practitioners can weaken and ultimately overcome attachment, leading to liberation (Nirvana). The analysis of experience through the framework of the five skandhas is a central aspect of Buddhist philosophical analysis, particularly within the Theravada and Sarvastivada schools.