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51-525: The Paṭṭhāna consists of three divisions (Eka, Duka, and Tīka). It provides a detailed examination of causal conditioning , (the Buddhist belief that causality — not a Creator deity — is the basis of existence ), analyzing the 24 types of conditional relations ( paccaya ) in relation to the classifications in the matika of the Dhammasangani . This book emphasizes the point that — apart from nirvana , which

102-409: A chain, conditioning and depending on each other. When certain conditions are present, they give rise to subsequent conditions, which in turn give rise to other conditions. Phenomena are sustained only so long as their sustaining factors remain. The most common one is a list of twelve causes ( Pali : dvādasanidānāni, Sanskrit: dvādaśanidānāni ). Bucknell refers to it as the "standard list". It

153-450: A nature to cease." SA 296 describes them simply as "arising thus according to causal condition, these are called dharmas arisen by causal condition." Regarding the arising of suffering, SN 12.10 discusses how before the Buddha's awakening, he searched for the escape from suffering as follows: "when what exists is there old age and death? What is a condition for old age and death?", discovering

204-399: Is "a principle of causal regularity, a Basic Pattern (Dhamma) of things" which can be discovered, understood and then transcended. The principle of conditionality, which is real and stable, is contrasted with the "dependently arisen processes", which are described as "impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, of a nature to be destroyed, of a nature to vanish, of a nature to fade away, of

255-489: Is a condition for craving. This is the origin of suffering … [the same formula is repeated with the other six sense bases and six consciousnesses, that is, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind] Other depictions of the chain at SN 12.52 and its parallel at SA 286, begin with seeing the assada (taste; enjoyment; satisfaction) which leads to craving and the rest of the list of nidanas. Meanwhile, in SN 12.62 and SA 290, dependent origination

306-493: Is a key doctrine in Buddhism shared by all schools of Buddhism . It states that all dharmas (phenomena) arise in dependence upon other dharmas: "if this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist". The basic principle is that all things (dharmas, phenomena, principles) arise in dependence upon other things. The doctrine includes depictions of the arising of suffering ( anuloma-paṭiccasamuppāda , "with

357-511: Is absolute — all other phenomena are relative ( dependently arisen ) in one way or another. The Paṭṭhāna is the most popular paritta (protective text) in Myanmar. In Burmese Buddhism , the scripture is ritually recited by monks and laypeople for protection, and Burmese Buddhists believe the Paṭṭhāna can guard against threats and dangers, please helpful gods, and ward off evil spirits. According to

408-447: Is action ( karma ) and result ( vipāka )" there is "no actor agent" ( kāraka ). It also states that dharmas of dependent origination are classified as conventional. The Kaccānagottasutta and its parallel also associates understanding dependent origination with avoiding views of a self (atman). This text states that if "you don't get attracted, grasp, and commit to the notion 'my self', you'll have no doubt or uncertainty that what arises

459-489: Is depicted with just two nidanas, contact ( phassa ) and feeling ( vedana ). SN 12.62 says that when one becomes disenchanted with contact and feeling, desire fades away. The Kalahavivāda Sutta of the Sutta Nipāta (Sn. 862-872) has the following chain of causes (as summarized by Doug Smith): Nid%C4%81na Nidāna ( निदान ) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "cause, motivation or occasion" depending on

510-682: Is followed by a description of the location and occasion on which the Buddha gave a particular teaching. The other primary use of nidāna in the Buddhist tradition is in the context of the Twelve Nidānas , also called the "Twelve Links of Dependent Origination". These links present the mechanistic basis of repeated birth, saṃsāra , and resultant duḥkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness) starting from avidyā (ignorance, misconceptions). The term nidāna appears in numerous ancient and medieval Hindu texts wherein it means "first cause, primary cause, original or essential cause". This includes

561-584: Is found in section 12 of the Samyutta Nikaya and its parallels, as well as in other suttas belonging to other Nikayas and Agamas. This list also appears in Mahasamghika texts like the Salistamba Sutra and in (later) works like Abhidharma texts and Mahayana sutras . According to Eviatar Shulman, "the 12 links are paticcasamuppada, " which is a process of mental conditioning. Cox notes that even though

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612-617: Is just suffering arising, and what ceases is just suffering ceasing." Similarly, the Mahānidānasutta (DN 15) associates understanding dependent origination with abandoning various wrongs views about a self, while failing to understand it is associated becoming entangled in these views. Another sutra, SĀ 297, states that dependent origination is "the Dharma Discourse on Great Emptiness", and then proceeds to refute numerous forms of "self-view" ( ātmadṛṣṭi ). SN 12:12 (parallel at SĀ 372)

663-576: Is said to be Nirvana , "the stopping, or transcending, of conditioned co-arising" (Harvey). In the Mahānidānasutta (DN 15) the Buddha states that dependent origination is "deep and appears deep", and that it is "because of not understanding and not penetrating this teaching" that people become "tangled like a ball of string" in views ( diṭṭhis ), samsara, rebirth and suffering. SN 12.70 and its counterpart SA 347 state that "knowledge of Dhamma-stability" ( dhamma-tthiti-ñānam ) comes first, then comes knowledge of nirvana ( nibbane-ñānam ). However, while

714-431: Is that they describe the process of a sentient being's rebirth in saṃsāra , and the resultant duḥkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness), and they provide an analysis of rebirth and suffering that avoids positing an atman (unchanging self or eternal soul). The reversal of the causal chain is explained as leading to the cessation of rebirth (and thus, the cessation of suffering). Another interpretation regards

765-467: Is the "best of all conditioned states" (AN.II.34). Therefore, according to Harvey, the four noble truths "can be seen as an application of the principle of conditioned co-arising focused particularly on dukkha." In the early Buddhist texts , dependent origination is analyzed and expressed in various lists of dependently originated phenomena (dhammas) or causes (nidānas) . Nidānas are co-dependent principles, processes or events, which act as links on

816-491: The Kaccānagottasutta (SN 12.15, parallel at SA 301), the Buddha states that "this world mostly relies on the dual notions of existence and non-existence" and then explains the right view as follows: But when you truly see the origin of the world with right understanding, you won't have the notion of non-existence regarding the world. And when you truly see the cessation of the world with right understanding, you won't have

867-624: The Paccaya sutta (SN 12.20 and its parallel in SA 296) , dependent origination is the basic principle of conditionality which is at play in all conditioned phenomena. This principle is invariable and stable, while the "dependently arisen processes" ( paṭiccasamuppannā dhammā ) are variable and impermanent. Peter Harvey argues that there is an "overall Basic Pattern that is Dhamma" within which "specific basic patterns (dhammas) flow into and nurture each other in complex, but set, regular patterns.". According to

918-518: The Paccaya sutta (SN 12.20) and its parallel, this natural law of this/that conditionality is independent of being discovered by a Buddha (a " Tathāgata "), just like the laws of physics . The Paccaya sutta states that whether or not there are Buddhas who see it "this elemental fact ( dhātu , or "principle") just stands ( thitā ), this basic-pattern-stability ( dhamma-tthitatā ), this basic-pattern-regularity ( dhamma-niyāmatā ): specific conditionality ( idappaccayatā )." Bhikkhu Sujato translates

969-503: The dharma : "One who sees dependent origination sees the Dharma. One who sees the Dharma sees dependent origination." And these five grasping aggregates are indeed dependently originated. The desire, adherence, attraction, and attachment for these five grasping aggregates is the origin of suffering. Giving up and getting rid of desire and greed for these five grasping aggregates is the cessation of suffering. A well-known early exposition of

1020-715: The early Buddhist texts . It is the main topic of the Nidana Samyutta of the Theravada school's Saṃyuttanikāya (henceforth SN). A parallel collection of discourses also exists in the Chinese Saṁyuktāgama (henceforth SA). Dependent origination is a philosophically complex concept, subject to a large variety of explanations and interpretations. As the interpretations often involve specific aspects of dependent origination, they are not necessarily mutually exclusive to each other. Dependent origination can be contrasted with

1071-740: The nidānas can be found in the Pali SN 12.2 ( Vibhaṅga "Analysis" sutta ) and in its parallel at SA 298. Further parallels to SN 12.2 can be found at EA 49.5, some Sanskrit parallels such as the Pratītyasamutpādādivibhaṅganirdeśanāmasūtra (The Discourse giving the Explanation and Analysis of Conditional Origination from the Beginning) and a Tibetan translation of this Sanskrit text at Toh 211. A Glossary of Pali and Buddhist Terms : "Becoming. States of being that develop first in

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1122-450: The Buddha is asked a series of questions about the self (who feels? who craves? etc.), the Buddha states that these questions are invalid, and instead teaches dependent origination. SĀ 80 also discuss an important meditative attainment called the emptiness concentration ( śūnyatā­samādhi ) which in this text is associated contemplating how phenomena arise due to conditions and are subject to cessation. According to early suttas like AN 3.61,

1173-440: The Buddha understood experiences as "processes subject to causation". Bhikkhu Bodhi writes that specific conditionality "is a relationship of indispensability and dependency: the indispensability of the condition (e.g. birth) to the arisen state (e.g. aging and death), the dependency of the arisen state upon its condition." Peter Harvey states this means that "nothing (except nirvāna) is independent. The doctrine thus complements

1224-559: The Paṭṭhāna dhamma, all corporeal and mental phenomena are dependent upon some combination of 24 possible conditions. These conditions or paccayas are: All of these 24 conditions may in fact be reduced to only four conditions: Object ( ārammana paccaya ), Decisive support ( upanissaya paccaya ), Karma ( kamma paccaya ), and Presence ( atthi paccaya ). Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da Pratītyasamutpāda ( Sanskrit : प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद, Pāli : paṭiccasamuppāda ), commonly translated as dependent origination , or dependent arising ,

1275-458: The appearance of name and form. The standard listing then follows. SN 12.38 (and the parallel at SA 359) contain a much shorter sequence, it begins with willing as above which leads to consciousness, then following after consciousness it states: "there is in the future the becoming of rebirth ( punabbhavabhinibbatti )", which leads to "coming-and-going ( agatigati )", followed by "decease-and-rebirth ( cutupapato )" and following that "there arise in

1326-472: The arising (uppada) of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be. With the cessation (nirodha) of this, that ceases. According to Paul Williams "this is what causation is for early Buddhist thought. It is a relationship between events, and is what we call it when if X occurs Y follows, and when X does not occur Y does not follow." Richard Gombrich writes that this basic principle that "things happen under certain conditions" means that

1377-442: The basic description of the stability of dependent origination as "the fact that this is real, not unreal, not otherwise". The Chinese parallel at SA 296 similarly states that dependent origination is "the constancy of dharmas, the certainty of dharmas, suchness of dharmas, no departure from the true, no difference from the true, actuality, truth, reality, non-confusion". According to Harvey, these passages indicate that conditionality

1428-502: The basic principle of causality is said to have led to the stream entry of Sariputta and Moggallāna . This ye dharmā hetu phrase, which appears in the Vinaya (Vin.I.40) and other sources, states: Of those dharmas which arise from a cause, the Tathagata has stated the cause, and also their cessation. A similar phrase is uttered by Kondañña , the first convert to realize awakening at

1479-420: The chain of conditions as expressed in the twelve nidanas and other lists. MN 26 also reports that after the Buddha's awakening, he considered that dependent origination was one of the two principles which were "profound ( gambhira ), difficult to see, difficult to understand, peaceful, sublime, beyond the scope of mere reasoning ( atakkāvacara ), subtle." The other principle which is profound and difficult to see

1530-529: The chain with both consciousness and name and form conditioning each other in a cyclical relationship. It also states that "consciousness turns back, it goes no further than name and form." SN 12.67 also contains a chain with consciousness and name and form being in a reciprocal relationship. In this sutta, Sariputta states that this relationship is like two sheaves of reeds leaning on each other for support (the parallel at SA 288 has three sheaves instead). There are also several passages with chains that begin with

1581-688: The classic Western concept of causation in which an action by one thing is said to cause a change in another thing. Dependent origination instead views the change as being caused by many factors, not just one or even a few. The principle of dependent origination has a variety of philosophical implications. Pratītyasamutpāda consists of two terms: Pratītyasamutpāda has been translated into English as dependent origination , dependent arising , interdependent co-arising , conditioned arising , and conditioned genesis . Jeffrey Hopkins notes that terms synonymous to pratītyasamutpāda are apekṣasamutpāda and prāpyasamutpāda . The term may also refer to

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1632-580: The context. The word is derived from the Sanskrit prefix ni- ( नि ; "down", "into") plus the root dā ( दा ; "to bind"), forming the verb nidā ( निदा ; "to bind on, fasten"). This in turn yields the noun nidāna ( निदान ; lit. "a band, rope or halter"). It appears in the Rigveda , such as hymn 10.114.2, and other Hindu scriptures, wherein it means "primary or first cause, linked cause"; in other contexts such as Rigveda 6.32.6, nidāna refers to

1683-457: The early scriptures contain numerous variations of lists, the 12 factor list became the standard list in the later Abhidharma and Mahayana treatises. The most common interpretation of the twelve cause list in the traditional exegetical literature is that the list is describing the conditional arising of rebirth in saṃsāra , and the resultant duḥkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness). An alternative Theravada interpretation regards

1734-499: The end of the first sermon given by the Buddha : "whatever has the nature to arise ( samudaya dhamma ) also has the nature to pass away ( nirodha dhamma )." The early Buddhist texts also associate dependent arising with emptiness and not-self. The early Buddhist texts outline different ways in which dependent origination is a middle way between different sets of "extreme" views (such as " monist " and " pluralist " ontologies or materialist and dualist views of mind-body relation). In

1785-456: The flavour in enfettering dharmas ( saññojaniyesu dhammesu ), there comes the appearance ( avakkanti ) of consciousness." There then follows the standard list. Then it states that if someone abides by seeing the danger ( adinavanupassino ) in the dharmas (the Chinese has seeing impermanence ), there is no appearance of consciousness (Chinese has mind ). SN 12.65 and 67 (and SA 287 and 288) begin

1836-530: The four categories of self, other, both or neither (non-causality)." A related statement can be found in the Paramārtha­śūnyatāsūtra (Dharma Discourse on Ultimate Emptiness, SĀ 335, parallel at EĀ 37:7), which states that when a sense organ arises "it does not come from any location...it does not go to any location", as such it is said to be "unreal, yet arises; and on having arisen, it ends and ceases." Furthermore this sutra states that even though "there

1887-463: The future birth, ageing-and-death, grief, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair." Another short sequence is found at SN 12. 66 and SA 291 which contain an analysis of dependent origination with just three factors: craving ( tanha ), basis ( upadhi , possibly related to upadana), and suffering ( dukkha ). In SN 12.59 and its counterpart SA 284, there is a chain that starts by saying that for someone who "abides in seeing [the Chinese has grasping at ]

1938-411: The grain", forward conditionality) and depictions of how the chain can be reversed ( paṭiloma-paṭiccasamuppāda , "against the grain", reverse conditionality). These processes are expressed in various lists of dependently originated phenomena, the most well-known of which is the twelve links or nidānas (Pāli: dvādasanidānāni, Sanskrit: dvādaśanidānāni ). The traditional interpretation of these lists

1989-511: The list as describing the arising of mental formations and the resultant notion of "I" and "mine," which are the source of suffering. Understanding the relationships between these phenomena is said to lead to nibbana , complete freedom from the cyclical rebirth cycles of samsara . Traditionally, the reversal of the causal chain is explained as leading to the cessation of mental formations and rebirth. Alex Wayman notes that "according to Buddhist tradition, Gautama discovered this formula during

2040-468: The lists as describing the arising of mental processes and the resultant notion of "I" and "mine" that leads to grasping and suffering. Several modern western scholars argue that there are inconsistencies in the list of twelve links, and regard it to be a later synthesis of several older lists and elements, some of which can be traced to the Vedas . The doctrine of dependent origination appears throughout

2091-405: The literal meaning of a rope or band that links, binds or fastens one thing to another, such as a horse to a cart. The word has been borrowed into modern languages such as Hindi and Marathi to mean "diagnosis" or "primary cause" among others. Nidāna is the term used to describe the standard introduction of a Buddhist sutra , where the formula " Thus have I heard " (attributed to Ānanda )

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2142-424: The mind and can then be experienced as internal worlds and/or as worlds on an external level." There are various interpretations of what this term means. The twelve branched list, though popular, is just one of the many lists of dependently originated dharmas which appear in the early sources. According to Analayo, the alternative lists of dependently arisen phenomena are equally valid "alternative expressions of

2193-426: The night of Enlightenment and by working backward from "old age and death" in the reverse of the arising order." Wayman also writes that "in time, the twelve members were depicted on the rim of a wheel representing samsara." The popular listing of twelve nidānas is found in numerous sources. In some of the early texts, the nidānas themselves are defined and subjected to analysis ( vibhaṅga ). The explanations of

2244-512: The notion of existence regarding the world. The Kaccānagottasutta then places the teaching of dependent origination (listing the twelve nidanas in forward and reverse order) as a middle way which rejects these two "extreme" metaphysical views which can be seen as two mistaken conceptions of the self. According to Hùifēng, a recurring theme throughout the Nidānasamyutta (SN 12) is the Buddha's "rejection of arising from any one or other of

2295-481: The process which leads to nirvāna is conditioned, nirvāna itself is called "unborn, unbecome, unmade, unconstructed" ( Ud . 80–1). The Milinda Panha compares to how a mountain is not dependent on the path that leads to it (Miln. 269)". According to Harvey, since it is "not co-arisen ( asamuppana ) ( It . 37–8), nirvāna is not something that is conditionally arisen, but is the stopping of all such processes." MN 28 associates knowing dependent origination with knowing

2346-422: The same principle." Choong notes that some discourses (SN 12.38-40 and SA 359-361) contain only 11 elements, omitting ignorance and starting out from willing ( ceteti ). SN 12.39 begins with three synonyms for saṅkhāra, willing, intending ( pakappeti ) and carrying out ( anuseti ). It then states that "this becomes an object ( arammanam ) for the persistence of consciousness ( viññanassa-thitiya )" which leads to

2397-435: The second and third noble truths of the four noble truths are directly correlated to the principle of dependent origination. The second truth applies dependent origination in a direct order, while the third truth applies it in inverse order. Furthermore, according to SN 12.28, the noble eight-fold path (the fourth noble truth) is the path which leads to the cessation of the twelve links of dependent origination and as such

2448-414: The six sense spheres ( ayatana ). They can be found in SN 12. 24, SA 343, SA 352-354, SN 12. 13-14 and SN 12. 71-81. Another one of these is found in SN 35.106, which is termed the "branched version" by Bucknell because it branches off into six classes of consciousness: Eye consciousness arises dependent on the eye and sights. The meeting of the three is contact. Contact is a condition for feeling. Feeling

2499-416: The teaching that no permanent, independent self can be found." Ajahn Brahm argues that the grammar of the above passage indicates that one feature of the Buddhist principle of causality is that "there can be a substantial time interval between a cause and its effect. It is a mistake to assume that the effect follows one moment after its cause, or that it appears simultaneously with its cause." According to

2550-450: The twelve nidānas , Pali : dvādasanidānāni, Sanskrit: dvādaśanidānāni, from dvādaśa ("twelve") + nidānāni (plural of " nidāna ", "cause, motivation, link"). Generally speaking, in the Mahayana tradition, pratityasamutpada (Sanskrit) is used to refer to the general principle of interdependent causation, whereas in the Theravada tradition, paticcasamuppāda (Pali) is used to refer to

2601-465: The twelve nidānas. In the early Buddhist texts , the basic principle of conditionality is called by different names such as "the certainty (or law) of dhamma" ( dhammaniyāmatā ), "suchness of dharma" (法如; * dharmatathatā ), the "enduring principle" ( ṭhitā dhātu ), "specific conditionality" ( idappaccayatā ) and "dhammic nature" (法爾; dhammatā ). This principle is expressed in its most general form as follows: When this exists, that comes to be. With

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