Buddha’s Law of Cause and Condition: A Study

            

Sumanapal Bhikkhu

The Law of Dependent Origination is the most fundamental concept of Buddha's teachings.    It expresses Buddha's solution to the problem of suffering. It establishes that everything in the world has Dependent Origination and hence they are impermanent. The Law embodies the principle cause of exis­tence in their order of succession. The phenomenon of birth leading to  death in respect of a sentient being in the world upto the ignorance or want of true knowledge are a nice a or impermanent, Samkhara or non-eternal products, paticca samupanna or dependently originated. Kayadhamma or subject to destruction, Vyayadhamma or decay, viriyadhamma or repul­sion and nirodhadhamma or cessation. According to the traditions preserved in Pali and Sanskrit in India, Gotama Buddha achieved Enlightenment as soon as He realized the real nature of the empirical world through-the Law of Depen­dent Origination. The principle of conditionally, relati­vity and interdependence, the whole existence of life, its continuity and its cessation are explained in a detailed formula which is called Patriccasamuppada or the Law of Dependent Origination.

The analysis regarding the origination of the beings in the empirical world made by Buddha could explore a new dimension in understanding the self-nature (svabhava) or origination, sustenance and destruction of the beings as a whole. The Law of Dependent Origination is so closely connected with the Four Noble Truths that sometimes it becomes identified with them. Similarly theory of Impermanence and the Doctrine of or No-self theory are almost dependent on it. The concept of four Noble Truths and the concept of Nibbana without being associated with the ‘Law’ become ‘vague’. The ‘law’ can be observed everywhere at every single moment. In understanding a problem that we have to face, we have to look at it through the teachings of the ‘Law’. The 'Law' is regarded as the ‘cardinal’ doctrine of Buddhist philosophy¹. Emphasis on it is, therefore, necessary. There are many works published on the Law of Dependent Origination. The present study will include an analytical and comprehensive observation on the 'Law', so that one may get all possible information about it.

Facets   of   Buddha's   Law of Dependent origination

The Law of Dependent Origination; has different synonyms. In Pali this is known as the Paticcasamuppada of which Sanskrit equivalent is Pratltyasamutpada. It is also known as Dyada-sangika Pratityasamutpada. The term is rendered into English as the Chain of Causation, Conditioned Genesis, The Principle of Conditionally, The Law of Relativity, The theory of Causa­lity, The Law of Dependent Origination, the Law of Cause and Effect, The Law of Interdependent Origination and The Formula of Twelve-links.

The etymological meaning of the Sanskrit term Pratityasamutpada is that everything is subject to be dissolved which appear again and again,  whereas the term prati means  ‘every^’,   itya  means 'dissolution' and samutpada means 'appearance².

Some mere attenpts have been made to derive pratitya and samutpada separately and in compound form,   such as:  pratitya = prati + the verb root in = ya (yap).    The verb root in means ‘to go^’; in changes into i + t + y= itya; Prati+itya; prati+in+kvip+yat. According to stcherbatsky pratitya means ‘with regard to’, ‘on account of’, ‘conditional’, ‘dependent’ and samutpada means ‘co-production’, ‘combined origination’. In the Pali version of the term ‘Law of Dependent Origination’ i.e. Paticcasamuppada the term paticcca literally means   'follow­ing from anything as a necessary result and  the term samuppada means   'arising^’  or   'production'  or   'origination^’3. The implication of the terra paticca is that a thing originates by depending on other things   (paccayasamaggim paticca) as a fruition (phalavaharena). Thus the term Paticcasamuppada means   'causal origination^’ and it implies that a cause leads to an effect unalterably, the cause and the effect are inseparable and they are mutually dependent.⁴

The meaning of the Law of Dependent Origination has been expre­ssed in the following words: 

'When this is present that is present from the arising of this, that arises when this is absent, that is absent on the cessation of this, .that ceases'⁵. According to Buddhaghosa the Law of Dependent Origination suggests that the origination of an effect (dhamma) being caused with   (saka) or concurred by (samam) paccaya-samaggi or phenomenon to be caused.⁶

The   Law of   Dependent   Origination has described  as the chain of  twelve  factors   in  the  following way; "conditioned by ignorance, brethren, (are) activities; conditioned by   activities consciousness, conditioned by consciousness name and shape, conditioned by   name   and  shape   sense, conditioned by sense  contact,   conditioned  by   contact  feeling,   conditioned by  feeling craving, conditioned by  craving  grasping, condi­tioned by grasping becoming, conditioned by becoming birth, conditioned by birth (are) old age and death  sorrow, lament­ing, suffering, despair.  Such is the uprising of this entire mass of   ill.     This,   monks   is   called (causal)   happening (Kindre Sayings   ii,   i.).

Avijja or Ignorance covers up Vijja or knowledge. Its usual meaning is noncomprehension of the Four Noble Truths. In the Abhidharrrna it means noncomprehesion of the world-beginning (pubbanta) and world-end (aparanta), eternalism (sassata) and annihilationism   (uccheda)   and of this conditioned nature of objects (idapaccayata).⁷

From Ignorance arises sankhara or Activities the function of which is to produce the thought with which a being is reborn (patisandhi-Virnnaana or citta) and the mental states (vinnanas) that follow the patisandhi citta which are all dependent on deeds (Kammapacaccayo) of the past life.⁸

From activities arises Vinnana or Consciousness which again leads to Nama-rupa or Name and matter. It is said that vinnana is the cause of Nama-rupa, while Nama also includes Vinnana along with Sanna, Vinnana and sankhara. It is to be noted that Vinnana means not only 'mind^’ but also the 'mental states' derived through the sense organs_. From Nama-rupa or Name and matter arises Salayatana or six sense organs. Phassa or Sense Contact arises as a result of these six senses organs. Sense contact leads to "Vedana or   feeling. Tanha or Craving arises from feeling. There are six kinds of craving corresponding to six objects of the sense organs. Each kind of Craving may be of three Kinds-karma, bhava and abhava. "When the tanha creates a taste for the objects, rupa, sadda, etc., it is called kama. When it is associated with the belief that the world is eternally existing (sassata) and produces an attachment (raga) for future existence, it is called bhavatanha. When it is   associated with the belief that there is no after life (uccheda) and one becomes   regardless of this life, it is called vibhava-tanha.⁹

From Craving arises Grasping or Upadana. There are four kinds of Upadana–kama-ditthi, silabbata and attavada. The first one is the craving for an object not obtained and firm adherence to an object already obtained. The second one is the firm belief in wrong views.     The third loads one to believe that rituals or ascetic practices lead to liberation. Finally Attavadupadana is the firm belief that the soul is identified with one of the five khandhas.¹⁰ From Grasping arises Bhava or Becoming. It has two meanings Kammabhava, i.e. existence according to one's past deeds and Uppattibhava i.e. the plane of existence wherein a being is   reborn. From Becoming arises Birth or Jati which is influenced by Kammabhava. From Birth arises Jaramarana-Soka-Parideva-dukkha-domanassa or old age, death, grief, lamentation and sorrow_.

History of Buddha's Law of Dependent Origination

The originality of the formulation of this 'Law' by Gotama Buddha has been mentioned in some Buddhist texts. These texts bear the evidence that the 'Law^’ was discovered by Buddha while he was meditating under the Bodhi Tree after the attainment of Enlightenment. But it has also been recorded in the Samyutta-nikava   (Vol.II, PTS, p.10) that this   idea of causa­tion flashed in his mind when he was still a Bodhisatta.

Since the Law of Dependent Origination is a discovery, not   an invention  and the  discovery  goes to the credit of "Vipassi, the Exalted One, Arahant, Buddha Supreme" who came  ninety-one aeons ago. It was told by Gotama Buddha to His disciples referred in Mahapadana Suttanta.¹¹ The further description of Vipassi, the first among the seven Buddhas, have been given as: to His father was Bandhuma, mother was Bandhumati birth-place was  Bandhumati, Khand  and Tissa were His two chief  disci­ples and the  name of usual attended was  Bhikkhu Asoka.¹²  But apart from this description as referred to as told by Gotama Buddha it is difficult to get any historical evidence in support of the story. So for the sake of convenience the credit of discovery of the Law of Dependent Origination has been properly given to Gotama Buddha. And it has  been  remarked that  the  Law is  the "first  clear-cut  theory of  natural  causa­tion which  appeared or the Indian philosophical  scene"¹³.

Ethical aspect of the Law

The understanding of the Law of Dependent Origination is necessarily connected with the understanding of Buddhist ethics. Being isolated from the 'Law^’, the value of Buddhist ethics becomes meaningless. An endeavor will be made to discuss the ethical aspect the Law of Dependent Origination.

The 'Law’ underlies the Four noble Truths. When Cause of Suffering (Samudaya) is present,   Suffering (Dukkha) is present; when cause of Suffering is absent, Suffering is absent. The absence of Suffering is equated with the cessation of Suffering (Nirodha). The fact of Suffering leads one towards its end. Once person realizes suffering as one of the Four Noble Truths, he or she is prescribed to follow Ariya Atthangika Magqa or the Noble Eight fold Path which reveals   the course of practices for one to be emancipated. This course is divided into three stages -Sila, Samadhi and Panna. Sila denotes physical discipline. It consists of Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. Next comes mental discipline generally known as Samadhi which consists of Right Thought, Right Effort Right Mindfulness and right concentration. Panna or intellectual discipline is denoted by right View. If a person can realise the true import of Ariya Atthangika maga or the Noble Eight fell Path and accept it whole heartedly, it will lead him or her to the cessation of Suffering and thereby to Nibbana or Enlightenment_.

Philosophy of the 'Law'

Our study will endeavour to interpret the 'Law’ in different ways. The Law of Dependent Originations represents the momentary character of all things. Everything all beings and objects of the world, has depen­dent origination and is originated by the sequence of causes and conditions. They are impermanent. The constituted world is this impermanent and is   never static even for a single moment; rather it is only a series of point-instants (khana).

The Law of Dependent Origination represents the continuity of the order of becomings. It explains the fixed unchangeable and idapaccayata or thus-conditioned nature of all beings   and objects. The 'Law' represents the idea, of inter-relation between cause and effect. The main features .of causality, i.e.; Nece­ssity, Invariability end Conditionality, are already implicit in the Law of Dependent origination. The Law, infect, works out all the main conditions which are independently necessary for the presence of the ‘mass of ill.’ Cause and effect are invariably connected-it has been explicitly emphasized in the 'law^’.

Conditionality has been enumerated throughout the Law. "No single factor is mentioned as   cause but numerous conditions are shown as operating together to bring out any particular effect.¹⁴" For an event or a thing to take place there may be several factors for its arising.     Among the factors arising together there may be a predominant factor which again depends upon other contributory factors arising together. It should be remembered that each of the factors in the Paticcasamuppada is conditioned or paticcasamupanna as well as conditioning or paticcasamuppada. The fore all the factors are relative/interdependent and interconnected. In this way the occurrences which are thus causally connected are considered to have the one-one correlation which can-be exemplified as 'when A is present, B is present and when A is absent, B is absent’. It implies that B does not occur if A is not present, and occurs only when it is present,

From the above formula it can be said; from the arising of A, B arises, from the cessation of A, B ceases. Principle of ‘Identity’ the logical principle has been recognized as implicit in the ‘Lew’. It may be interpreted as ‘Being is’ non-being is not, ‘that which is, is, that which is   not, is not’. The Principle of Identity has been expressed in Logic as necessary for correct and consistent thinking. The Law of Dependent Origination has been proved valuable in the field of correct reasoning.

Comparison between Buddha’s Law of Dependent origination and causal relations

Apart from the Law of Dependent Origination Buddha has also said of Causal Relation.     Any two factors may be related to each other in one or more than one of the following twenty four Relations or paccava as mentioned in the patthana:

 (1)  Root Condition or Hetu paccaya, (2) Object Condition or arammana-paceaya, (3)  Predominance Condition or Adhipati-Paccaya, (4) contiguity condition or Aanantara-Paccaya, (5) immediacy condition or Sananatara paccaya, (6) Conascence condition or Sahajata-paccava, (7) Mutuality (or Reciprocity) condition or Annamanna Paccaya, (8)     Dependence condition or Nissaya Paccaya, (9) Powerful Dependence (or Sufficing) condition or Upanissaya paccaya, (10) Pre-nascence (or Antecedence) condition or Purejata Paccaya,      (11) Post nascence (or post occurrence) condition or Pacchajata Paccaya, (12) Repetition  (or Habitual Recurrence) condition or Asevana paccaya, (13) Kamma condition or Kamma Paccaya, (14) Effect condition or Vigata paccaya, (15) Nutriment condition or Ahara Paccaya, (16) Control condition or Indriva paccaya, (17) Jhana condition or Jhana Paccaya,   (18) Path condition or Magga Paccaya, (19) Association condition or sampayutta paccaya,    (20) Dissocia­tion condition or Vippayutta Paccaya, (21)  Presence condition or Atthi paccaya, (22) Absence condition or Natthi paccaya, (23) Speration condition or Vigata paccaya and  (24)   Non separation condition or Avigata Paccaya.

It may be noted that “the law of Dependent Origination is marked by the simple   happening of a state dependent on its antecedent state. The Law of Causal Relation is said with reference to the existence of conditions that relate to one another.¹⁵" Paccaya or the causal Relation has been explained as that from which an effect derived from a cause¹⁶. It has the characteristics of rendering service¹⁷. Thus paccaya or Causal Relation is not only relating thing but also an assisting agency (Upekkha).

Two consecutive links may be related to each other in one or Causal Relations, e.g.  Vinnana or consciousness is related to Namarupa or name and matter as Annammanna or Mutuality condition; Jati or birth is related to jaramarana or old age and death as Purejata paccaya or Antecedent condition and Upanissaya Paccaya or sufficing condition and so forth." The law implies that any two links should be taken up for consideration for realizing the Idagaccayata of worldly objects.¹⁸ A comparison between the two nayas, i.e. Paticcasamuppadanaya and patthana-naya may be made as follows:

1. Because of A, B arises. Because of B, C arises. When there is no A there is no B. When there is no B there is no C¹⁹ This is the pat paticcasamuppada-naya.

2. When we say that A is related to B in the way of Co-existence’, ‘interdependence’ we get an illustration of Patthana-naya.²⁰

The Law of Dependent Origination and the theory of Causal Relations are closely connected.    While the former describes the things that are related, the latter describes the way in which things are too related. Therefore these two are said/constitute one consistent whole, the one supplementing the other.

The Law of Dependent Origination as Interpreted by the Buddhist Philosopher's

The Madhyamikas and Vijlnanavadins, the two important schools of the Mahayana, accept the Philosophy of Nagarjuna who has introduced a new interpretation of the Law of Dependent Origination. According to Nagarjuna, the term" Pratityasamutpada does not mean the origination of one succeeding entity Independence of another preceding one. It means mutual dependence of objects. Because they originate only in depending upon others. According to Nagarjuna all worldly objects are without own individual essence. So these can be considered as neither originated (anutpanna) nor to become extinct (niruddha).

The question may arise as to how we can apply any designation to any object when all worldly objects are unreal. To answer this we may quote from Vigrahavyayartani of Nagarjuna: “….. Carriage, pot, and cloth etc. are indeed empty of their essence because they are produced depending upon others; they however, work for their own purposes such as carrying woods, grass, and soil, getting filled with honey, water and milk, and protecting people from the cold, wind,  and heat etc. .....” (p. 122/11.10-15).

Being uncaused and unconditioned Nirvana is only real. There can be nothing existent between real and unreal, thus he formulated the theory of nonexistence of worldly objects (dharmasunyata). The Law of Dependent Origination refers mainly to the "relative but apparent existence of phenomenal objects" which are different in form but really are one substance, i.e. Sunyata or Attributeless Substratum. The worldly objects may be designated as "originated" or "become extinct" in accordance with the conventional usage of the words (Samvrtya).

Nagarjuna formulated, the Theory of Dharmasunyata i.e. emptiness of own essence in every single element, entity, or any kind of structure. The term Sunyata literally means emptiness, but it never means non-existence of things. The function of Sunyata is to quiet down the discriminative thought which is,  according to Nagarjuna, basically the cause of suffering and misery and which oan only be rooted out by realizing the nature of Sunyata, which is nothing but the final state or the state of tho guiscenc of discriminative thought.

Conclusion

An outline will be added revealing the relevance of this Law in the present world, we may find the application of this formula to various psychological and physical problems that man is faced with. It has been seen how several factors have brought about illness - both  physical and "mental. For an illness there is no one cause - one effect relationship. Rather it is natural that several factors arise together for an illness to take place.  In understanding particularly a psychological patient what is important is to find the influencing factors that may help in rebuilding the balanced personality. It is true that in the present day all the phenomena which go against peace and harmony are originated in the notion of Avijja or Ignorance.

The term Avijja means 'absence of knowledge', but it signifies 'misconception^’ misunderstanding or wrong view (miccha-ditthi) through which peace and harmony are disturbed and hence the lives on this earth become miserable. If ignorance becomes the first link among the twelve ones an in the Law of Dependent Origination gradually sorrow, lamentation pain grief despair follow: from it. The later ones are responsible for mundan_e suffering which is very much physical apart from being solely psychological. If the human beings could eliminate ignorance, the activities would also cease to appeal and thus in this negative process gradually peace and harmony would be restored in this world through the cessation of the entire aggregate of suffering. Since avijja could be destroyed by Avijja all the subsequent links of the chain would also be destroyed and release from all types of sufferings would be attained.

The realization of the fact that everything is impermanent even the present moment is impermanent - is supposed to be forgotten in our day to day life. If it was not so, the attitude towards our own lives and also towards the environment may undergo a change -and the present world would not face conflict war and disharmony. An observation will be added, if possible, revealing the relevance of the Law of Dependent Origination in contemporary Society.

     Notes and References:

1.      Dhirasekera, Jotiya. (ed.)  Encyclopadia of Buddhism, Vol. IV, Fasc, 1, p.1.

2.       Dutta, N, Early Monastic Buddhism, p. 218.

3.      Childers, R.C. A Dictionary of the Pali Language, .pp.359-442.

4.       Dutta,  N. Early Monastic Buddhism, p. 219.

5.      Imasmim Sati idam hoti, Imassupada' idam uppajjati, Imasmim asati idam na hoti, Imassa nirodha idam nirujjhati.

6.      Paccayasamaggim paticca samam saka ca paccayuppanne  dhamme uppdetiti   (Visuddhi Magga, p.441.

7.      Dutta, N, Early Monastic Buddhism, p. 211.

8.      Ibid. p. 222.

9.      Dutta, N, Early Monastic Buddhism, p. 225.

10.  Dutta, N, Early Monastic Buddhism, p. 226.

11.  Rhys Davids, T.W. and C. A. F. (tr). Dialogues of the Buddha. p. 5.

12.  Ibid.  p. 1.

13.  Dhirasekera, Jotiya. (ed.)  Encyclopadia of Buddhism, Vol. IV, Fasc, p. 21,

14.  Dhirasekera, Jotiya. (ed.)  Encyclopadia of Buddhism, Vol. IV, Fasc, 1, p. 4-5.

15.  Narada Mahathera. A Manuel of Abhidhamma, pp.  354 - 358.

16.  Paticca etesmaeteti paccayo.

17.  Upakarako lakkhano paccayo.

18.  Dutta, N, Early Monastic Buddhism, p. 217.

19.  “This being so that is; this is not being so, that is not.’’

20.  Sadaw, Ledi, ‘on the philosophy of Relation’, Journal of Pali Text Society (1915-16), pp. 22-23.

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