  The radially excited pseudoscalar state $\eta(1295)$ is still poorly
understood [as well as its $SU(3)$ partners $\pi(1300)$ and $K(1460 )$] and we
want to attract attention experimenters to its comprehensive study. As for the
main three-body decay $\eta(1295)\to \eta\pi\pi$, here the main interest is the
measurements of the shapes of the $\eta\pi $ and $\pi\pi$ mass spectra in which
the contributions from the $a_0(980)$ resonance and the large $\pi\pi$ $S$ wave
($\sigma$) should manifest themselves. To describe these mass spectra, we
propose to use a simple isobar model with a single fitting parameter
characterizing the relative intensity of the $a_0 (980)$ and $\sigma$ state
production. Our main goal is to discuss the dynamics of the isospin-breaking
decays $\eta(1295)\to\pi^+ \pi^-\pi^0$ and $\eta(1295)\to3\pi^0$, whose
experimental studies could continue the impressive story of isospin violations
in the decays of light isoscalar mesons $\omega\to2\pi$, $\eta\to3 \pi$,
$\eta'\to3\pi$, $\eta(1405)\to3\pi$, and $f_1(1285)\to3\pi$. We estimate the
widths of the isospin-breaking decays $\eta(1295)\to 3\pi$ produced via the
mixing of the $\pi^0-\eta$ and $a^0_0(980) -f_0(980)$ states and also due to
the $\pi^0(1300)-\eta(1295)$ mixing. Processes that have the potential for
detecting $\eta(1295) \to3\pi$ decays are discussed.
