saññā: 1. 'perception', is one of the 5 groups of existence (khandha, q.v.), and one of the 7 mental factors (cetasika) that are inseparably bound up with all consciousness (s. cetanā). It is sixfold as perception of the 5 physical sense-objects and of mental objects. It is the awareness of an object's distinctive marks ("one perceives blue, yellow, etc.," S. XXII, 79). If, in repeated perception of an object, these marks are recognized, saññā functions as 'memory' (s. Abh. St., p. 68f.).
2. saññā stands sometimes for consciousness in its entirety, e.g. in n’eva-saññā-n’āsaññāyatana, 'the realm of neither-perception-nor- non-perception'; further, in asaññā-satta, 'unconscious beings'. In both cases reference is not to 'perception' alone, but also to all other constituents of consciousness. Cf. D. 9.
3. saññā may also refer to the 'ideas', which are objects of meditation, e.g. in a group of 7 ideas, of impermanence (anicca-s. ), etc. (A. VII, 46); of 10: impurity (asubha-s.), etc. (A. X, 56), and another set of 10 in A. X. 60; or to wrong notions, as in nicca-, subha-s. (the notion of permanence, beauty), etc.
saññā (f.), sense; perception; mark; name; recognition; gesture.
Saññā (f.) [fr. saŋ+jñā] (pl. saññāyo and saññā -- e. g. M i.108) 1. sense, consciousness, perception, being the third khandha Vin i.13; M i.300; S iii.3 sq.; Dhs 40, 58, 61, 113; VbhA 42. -- 2. sense, perception, discernment, recognition, assimilation of sensations, awareness M i.293; A iii.443 (nibbāna˚); S iii.87; Sn 732 (saññāya uparodhanā dukkhakkhayo hoti; expld as "kāmasaññā" SnA); Miln 61; Dhs 4; DhsA 110, 200 (rūpa˚ perception of material qualities). -- 3. consciousness D i.180 sq.; M i.108; Vbh 369 (nānatta˚ c. of diversity: see nānatta); Miln 159; J iv.391; is previous to ñāṇa D i.185; a constituent part of nāma S ii.3, cp. Sn 779; according to later teaching differs from viññāṇa and paññā only as a child's perceiving differs from (a) an adult's, (b) an expert's Vism 436 sq.; Dhs. trsln 7 n. 2, 17 n. 2. -- nevasaññā -- nâsaññā neither consciousness nor unconsciousness D iii.224, 262 sq.; M i.41, 160; ii.255; iii.28, 44; Ps i.36; Dhs 268, 582, 1417; Kvu 202; Nett 26, 29; Vism 571. -- 4. conception, idea, notion D i.28; iii.289 (cp. Dial. iii.263: "concept rather than percept"); M iii.104; S i.107; Sn 802, 841; J i.368 (ambaphala saññāya in the notion or imagining of mango fruit); Vism 112 (rūpa˚ & aṭṭhika˚). saññaŋ karoti to imagine, to think J ii.71; to take notice, to mind J i.117. -- 5. sign, gesture token, mark J i.287; ii.18; paṇṇa˚ a mark of leaves J i.153; rajjusaññā a rope used as a mark, a guiding rope, J i.287; rukkha -- saññaŋ pabbata -- saññaŋ karonto, using trees and hills as guiding marks J iv.91; saññaŋ dadāti to give the sign (with the whip, for the horse to start) J vi.302. -- 6. saññā is twofold, paṭighasamphassajā and adhivacanasamphassajā i. e. sense impression and recognition (impression of something similar, "association by similarity," as when a seen person calls up some one we know), Vbh 6; VbhA 19 sq.; threefold, rūpasaññā, paṭighasaññā, and nānattasaññā A ii.184; S ii.211; cp. Sn 535; or kāma˚, vyāpāda˚, vihiŋsā˚ (as nānatta˚) Vbh 369, cp. VbhA 499; fivefold (pañca vimutti -- paripācaniyā saññā); anicca˚, anicce dukkha˚, dukkhe anatta˚, pahāna˚, virāga˚ D iii.243, cp. A iii.334; there are six perceptions of rūpa, sadda, gandha, rasa, phoṭṭhabba, and dhamma, D ii.309; S iii.60; the sevenfold perception, anicca -- , anatta -- , asubha -- , ādīnava -- , pahāna -- , virāga -- , and nirodha -- saññā, D ii.79; cp. A iii.79; the tenfold perception, asubha -- , maraṇa -- , āhāre paṭikkūla -- , sabbaloke anabhirata -- , anicca -- , anicce dukkha -- , dukkhe anatta -- , pahāna -- , virāga -- , nirodha -- saññā A v.105; the one perception, āhāre paṭikkūlasaññā, Cpd. 21. -- 7. See further (unclassified refs.): D i.180; ii.277 (papañca˚); iii.33, 223; S ii.143; A ii.17; iv.312; Nd1 193, 207; Nett 27; Vism 111, 437, 461 sq. (in detail); VbhA 20 (pañca -- dvārikā), 34; VvA 110; and on term Cpd. 40, 42.
-- gata perceptible, the world of sense M i.38. -- bhava conscious existence Vism 572; VbhA 183. -- maya= arūpin M i.410 (opp. manomaya=rūpin). -- vedayitanirodha cessation of consciousness and sensation M i.160, 301; iii.45; A i.41; Kvu 202; S ii.212. -- viratta free from consciousness, an Arahant, Sn 847. -- vimokkha emancipation from consciousness Sn 1071 sq.; Miln 159=Vin v.116.
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