The principle of Dependent Origination is one of the most profound and intellectually intriguing of the Buddha's teachings. Its profundity and difficulty lie in both its theory and its interpretation. This can be observed in the following exchange with Venerable Ananda. The Buddha cautions against underestimating the profundity of the principle of Dependent Origination:
" How amazing, never before has it occurred to me, Lord. The principle of Dependent Origination, although so profound and hard to see, yet appears to me to be so simple. "
" Say not so, Ananta, say not so. The doctrine of Dependent Origination is profound and difficult to understand. It is through not knowing, not understanding and not thoroughly realizing this teaching, that sentient beings are confused like a tangled and knotted ball of twine, or like a disorderly heap, or an untended thicket of weeds, or like tangled reeds. In such ways are those sentient beings ensnared, unable to liberate themselves from Samsara, form suffering and from states of hell and downfall.
When we start looking in the depth at the twelve - linked chain of dependently arisen conditions which make up the principle standard format, we quickly encounter areas of doubt, especially in one of the two standard interpretations, as a process continuing from lifetime - to - lifetime.
Because the doctrine of Dependent Origination helps to clarify the Buddhist position concerning the false view of " Atta " or a permanent self. According to the teaching, nothing is absolute, nothing i permanent. All things arise, exist and cease depending on the cause and conditions. Since all things are conditioned, interdependent, and interrelated, the existence of a permanent self is a logical impossibility.
If we assume that " Life is suffering ", Dependent Origination or Paticcasamuppada is the best answer. Paticcasmuppada is the cardinal Buddhist teaching, dealing with the Law of Nature and the cycle of human suffering, interrelated with 12 components without First Cause.
The teaching is explained in many different forms. However, the best known mode of exposition consists in the circle which proceeds either in forward or reverse order. These 12 components will be defined as follows:
Ignorance = Lack of essential knowledge about the four Noble Truths.
Kamma formation = will, the activities of one's own volition.
Consciousness = bodily or mental recognition.
Mind and matter = body and mind, the mentality ans corporeality.
The six sense Base = 5 sensory organs and the mind.
Feeling = sensation of woe and joy or poise.
Craving = desire of form, sound, smell, taste, contact and mind object.
Chaining = attachment, grasping.
Becoming = arising of self, arising of the five Aggregates.
Decay and death = degradation and cessation of vitality.
The forward teaching begins with dependence on ignorance arises Kamma formations. Dependence of Kamma formation arise consciousness. Dependence on consciousness arises Mind and Matter. Dependence on Mind and Matter arise six sense - Bases. Dependence on the six sense Bases arises contact. Dependence on contact arise feeling. Dependence on feeling arises Craving Clinging arises Becoming. Dependence on Becoming arised Birth. Dependence on Birth arises Decay and Death. They also arise sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, thus creating the whole mass of suffering.
The general principle of Dependent Origination may be also decribed by series of twelve factors. This abstract formula shows the logic of causal law without content as follows:
1. Conditioned by ignorance [ Avijja ] is kamma formation [ sankhara ].
2. Conditioned by kamma - formation is conciousness [ vinnana ].
3. Conditioned by consciousness is name and from [ namarupa ].
4. Conditioned by name and form are the six faculties [ salayatana ].
5. Conditioned by the six faculties is contact [ phassa ].
6. Conditioned by contact is feeling [ vedana ].
7. Conditioned by feeling is desire [ tanha ].
8. Conditioned by desire is grasping [ upadana ].
9. Conditioned by grasping is becoming [ bhava ].
10. Conditioned by becoming is birth [ jati ].
11. Conditioned by birth are old age, death, grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation and despair [ jara marana soka ].
This is how life arise, exists and continues. If we put this formula in its reverse order, we come to the cessation of the process, for example, it begins with leads to the cessation of ignorance [ realized the ultimate truth ] which leads to the cessation of volitional activities or kamma formation and so on. It means that the eradication of defilements and ignorance leads us finally to the cessation of suffering because all components in process of Paticcasamuppada are causally conditioned, interrelated, impermanent and soulless without original founder or prime mover. Phra Dhammapitaka wrote that, according to the Buddhist Canon the cycle of dependent Origination or Paticcasmuppada has been interpreted in 2 ways. One was described as the evolution of the universe, the first cause, the past, the present and the future life. The other way was described in the Extra Doctrine, and was explained as an immediate mental process, occurring in the space of moments of human consciousness, to be known as " The Triple Round of Existence ", which is much more reasonable, and more in accordance with the Buddha's concept of Anatta.
If we follow the Extra Docrine, we can see that the interpretation of the process of Dependent Origination also clearly invalidates by the concept of First Cause. Each of the twelve links serves both as a conditioning as well as a conditioned factor. When all things are interconnected and interdependent, as shown by the law of Conditionality, the idea of the first Cause naturally becomes irrelevant. Following the same line of exposition, the Buddha pointed out how the whole structure ceases to be. Thus, dependent on the cessation of delusion, kamma formation ceases, which in turn leads to the cessation of consciousness, mental and physical phenomena.
The practical objective of the doctrine of Dependent Origination is to show how suffering arises and how it can be brought to an end. Likewise, by having a correct understanding of this teaching, we come to perceive how Samsara arises and continues, and most importantly, how it can be ended. Nibabana thoroughly understood the doctrine of Dependent Origination, one learns how to completely unravel the knot of suffering and become a true master of oneself. In this way, one becomes truly free and liberated.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teaching
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