How do I save and re-use any kind of mask so that it can be applied to a smart object in any file?

I want to save the effects from PSD files both as an all-in-one action, and also separately each as an action, if it cannot applied in other way, separately.

For example I don't know of a "Layer Masks" effect section in PS so if I want to save that layer mask separately from the PSD to be used as a standalone effect, I think I must create an action that applies that mask.

But how do you store the mask in an action?

I thought that the action recorder would grab the mask once pasted, and store it in the action file, and link it.

But it won't store it and link it, not from a PSB or PSD file, nor from the clipboard.

How do actions store the resources that are necessary to run the action, and where?

I see actions as executable zip files that store all the resources but I am not sure that is how it works.

But actions seem to be existed from the very first versions of PhotoShop from the early nineties, so why deliver effects as PSD files then? I think they should be delivered / sold as actions. But if I want to use the grunge effect instead of the mask, separately, maybe I don't need an action for the grunge because it could be stored as a texture or other type of standalone effect available from the PS menu?

What about the gradient map preset?

Do I need an action to re-use it as standalone effect? I think that could be used as a preset gradient map, saved to the gradients instead?

But the main question is how to get the ation stored the assets that were pasted from the clipboard as layers into the action while recording?

I built the action by copy pasting layers from the PSD and / or copy pasting the mask itself, but the action cannot see those assets when it's being run, so where are actions supposed to save them and how?

This is the effect in question, containing the layer mask.

This mask seems to be a PNG image with transparency (even though it doesn't say anywhere that is a PNG when looking at the mask), so its size should be possible to be adjusted to my target image after pasting the mask, without issues - trying to find a "fit mask to layer or to image" shortcut.

I make a smart object out of my target image, then I create a mask (that will be a full white mask by default), then Alt + click it to select it, then paste the mask that I selected and copied from the effect PSD file.

But I want to be able to insert this mask into my actions that I record anytime from the menu, or apply them as an effect anytime in on ongoing workflow, without the need to open additional files and copy/paste them from there, and without creating a new layer (because that is getting recorded in the action as an unnecessary bulk that needs to be removed later and the removal is also getting recorded by the action).

Just like patterns and brushes, I should be able to re-use and apply my masks anytime from my menu.

And further suggestions to how to do that are very welcome, thanks.

How do I store a layer mask so that it will be available from my PS menu?

Channels seem to be something specific for a file, so that is not good.