Skandha (_khanda_ in Pâli) literally means “aggregate” or “agglomeration”, and, according to the Chinese exegetists, it is called so, because our personal existence is an aggregate of the five constituent elements of being, because it comes to take a definite individual form when the skandhas are brought together according to their previous karma. The first of the five aggregates is matter (_rûpa_), whose essential quality is thought to consist in resistance. The material part of our existence in the five sense-organs called _indryas_: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and the body. The second skandha is called sensation or sense-impression (_vedanâ_), which results from the contact of the six vijñânas (senses) with the viṣaya (external world). The third is called _samjñâ_ which corresponds to our conception. It is the psychic power by which we are enabled to form the abstract images of particular objects. The fourth is _sanskâra_ which may be rendered action or deed. Our intelligent consciousness, {151} responding to impressions received which are either agreeable or disagreeable or indifferent, acts accordingly; and these acts bear fruit in the coming generations. Sanskâra, the fourth constituent of being, comprises two categories, mental (_caitta_) and non-mental (_cittaviprayukta_). And the mental is subdivided into six: fundamental (_mahâbhûmi_), good (_kuçala_), tormenting (_kleça_), evil (_akuçala_), tormenting minor (_upakleça_), and indefinite (_aniyata_). It may be interesting to enumerate what all these sankâras are, as they shed light on the practical ethics of Buddhism. There are ten fundamental sanskâras belonging to the category of mental or psychic activities: 1. cetanâ (mentation), 2. sparça (contact), 3. chanda (desire), 4. mati (understanding), 5. smṛti (recollection), 6. manaskara (concentration), 7. adhimokṣa (unfettered intelligence), 8. samâdhi (meditation). The ten good sanskâras are: 1. çraddhâ (faith), 2. vîrya (energy), 3. upekṣa (complacency), 4. hrî (modesty), 5. apatrapâ (shame), 6 alobha (non-covetousness), 7. adveṣa (freedom from hatred), 8. ahimsa (gentleness of heart), 9. praçradbhi (mental repose), 10. apramâda (attentiveness). The six tormenting sanskâras are as follows: 1. moha (folly), 2. pramâda (wantonness), 3. kâusidya (indolence), 4. açrâddhya (scepticism), 5. styāna (slothfulness), 6. âuddhatpa (unsteadiness). The two minor evil sanskâras are: 1. ahrîkatâ, state of not being modest, or arrogance, or self-assertiveness, {152} and 2. anapatrapa, being lost to shame, or to be without conscience. The ten minor tormenting sanskâras are: 1. krodha (anger), 2. mrakṣa (secretiveness), 3. mâtsarya (niggardliness), 4. îrṣya (envy). 5. pradâça (uneasiness), 6. vihimsâ (noxiousness), 7. upanâha (malignity), 8. mâyâ (trickiness), 9. çâthya (dishonesty), 10. mada (arrogance).