Hi Hoseki
चेतना (
cetanā, volition) is the primary force in the creation of karma. "The mind with which we act" seems a pretty good way of putting it or, as we might say in common English, our
intention. Do we mean perform an act with malice or with good intentions?
As Josho Pat goes on to explain:
In the Pali Canon there is a sutta known as the Volition or Intention Sutta (Cetanā Sutta):
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....038.than.html
Volition is also a major part of the fourth skandha (aggregate) which is
saṅkhāra (mental or volitional formations or fabrications). In the Khajjaniya Sutta it is described thusly:
More simply, these are the mental conditioning which cause someone to act i.e. to create karma, when they come into contact with certain sense objects. They are categorised into six classes of volition (
cetanākaya) as related on each of the six senses, so hearing volition, seeing volition etc.
Saṅkhāra is also the second link in the twelve
Nidānas demonstrating the sequence of dependent-arising and itself giving rise to consciousness.
Is that helpful or were you looking more for something Zen? Mostly, I think of volition as related to descriptions in early Buddhism which is why it is more commonly spoken of in Pali suttas.
Apologies for length on this.
Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-