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 mundane 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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