Dependent Origination
Dependent Origination (Dvādaśa-Astanga) 因緣
arising from conditions
從緣生
vanishing from conditions
從緣滅
if I exist, everything exists
我有便有
if I ceases to exist, everything also ceases to exist
我無便無
十二緣起 The Twelve Links In The Chain Of Existence
(Skt: Dvādaśanga Pratītyasamutpāda; the Twelve Nidānas)
While he was gaining freedom from that which gives rise to our own disquietude, Śākyamuni Buddha discovered that the cause of this disquietude was a continuum of twelve phases of conditioning that appear in a regular order. These twelve links in the chain of conditioned existence are.
1. 無明 Ignorance (skt: avidyā) ignorance, or delusion, which is sometimes represented as a blind person. rebirth consciousness: ignorance, as inherited passion from the beginning-less past
2. 行 Mental Formations (skt: samskāra) action-intentions, activity, conception and dispositions, which is sometimes represented as a potter at work, or man gathering fruit. rebirth consciousness: karma, good and evil, of past lives
3. 識 Consciousness (skt: vijñāna) consciousness, which is sometimes represented as a restless monkey. rebirth consciousness: conception as a form of perception
4. 名色 Name and Form (skt: nāmarūpa) name and form, which is sometimes represented as a boat. rebirth consciousness: nāmarūpa, or body and mind evolving (in the womb)
5. 六處 The Six Sense Realms (skt: sadāyatana) the six sense organs; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, which is sometimes represented as a house. rebirth consciousness: the six organs on the verge of birth
6. 觸 Touch (skt: sparśa) contact or touch, which is sometimes represented as a man and woman sitting together. rebirth consciousness: childhood whose intelligence is limited to sparśa, contact or touch
7. 受 Sensation (skt: vedanā) sensation and feeling, which is sometimes represented as a man pierced by an arrow. rebirth consciousness: receptivity or budding intelligence and discrimination from 6 or 7 years
8. 愛 Desire (skt: trsnā) thirst, desire and craving, which is sometimes represented as a man drinking wine. Sensual pleasures and the desire for existence or non-existence as in the case of the atman and the anatman. rebirth consciousness: thirst, desire, or love, age of puberty
9. 取 Clinging (skt: upādāna) laying hold of, grasping, which is sometimes represented as a couple in union. The pull of sense objects which contain all meta-narratives such as God, Christ-consciousness, Buddha-nature, ceremony, rituals and permanence. rebirth consciousness: the urge of sensuous existence
10. 有 Existence (skt: bhava) being, existing and becoming, which is sometimes represented as existence through childbirth. rebirth consciousness: existence through childbirth
11. 生 Birth (skt: jāti) birth, which is sometimes represented as a man carrying a corpse. rebirth consciousness: birth, a man carrying a corpse
12. 老死 Old Age, Suffering and Death (skt: jarāmaraõa) old age and death, (impermanence), which is sometimes represented as an old woman leaning on a stick. rebirth consciousness: old age and death
In this order, the prior situation is the condition for the arising of the next situation. Also, in the same order, if the prior condition is extinguished, the next condition is extinguished. These twelve links are also represented in a chart, at the center of which are the serpent (anger), boar (ignorance, or stupidity), and dove (lust) representing the fundamental desires. Each catches the other by the tail, typifying the train of desire and producing the wheel of samsara.
arising from conditions
從緣生
vanishing from conditions
從緣滅
if I exist, everything exists
我有便有
if I ceases to exist, everything also ceases to exist
我無便無
十二緣起 The Twelve Links In The Chain Of Existence
(Skt: Dvādaśanga Pratītyasamutpāda; the Twelve Nidānas)
While he was gaining freedom from that which gives rise to our own disquietude, Śākyamuni Buddha discovered that the cause of this disquietude was a continuum of twelve phases of conditioning that appear in a regular order. These twelve links in the chain of conditioned existence are.
1. 無明 Ignorance (skt: avidyā) ignorance, or delusion, which is sometimes represented as a blind person. rebirth consciousness: ignorance, as inherited passion from the beginning-less past
2. 行 Mental Formations (skt: samskāra) action-intentions, activity, conception and dispositions, which is sometimes represented as a potter at work, or man gathering fruit. rebirth consciousness: karma, good and evil, of past lives
3. 識 Consciousness (skt: vijñāna) consciousness, which is sometimes represented as a restless monkey. rebirth consciousness: conception as a form of perception
4. 名色 Name and Form (skt: nāmarūpa) name and form, which is sometimes represented as a boat. rebirth consciousness: nāmarūpa, or body and mind evolving (in the womb)
5. 六處 The Six Sense Realms (skt: sadāyatana) the six sense organs; eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, which is sometimes represented as a house. rebirth consciousness: the six organs on the verge of birth
6. 觸 Touch (skt: sparśa) contact or touch, which is sometimes represented as a man and woman sitting together. rebirth consciousness: childhood whose intelligence is limited to sparśa, contact or touch
7. 受 Sensation (skt: vedanā) sensation and feeling, which is sometimes represented as a man pierced by an arrow. rebirth consciousness: receptivity or budding intelligence and discrimination from 6 or 7 years
8. 愛 Desire (skt: trsnā) thirst, desire and craving, which is sometimes represented as a man drinking wine. Sensual pleasures and the desire for existence or non-existence as in the case of the atman and the anatman. rebirth consciousness: thirst, desire, or love, age of puberty
9. 取 Clinging (skt: upādāna) laying hold of, grasping, which is sometimes represented as a couple in union. The pull of sense objects which contain all meta-narratives such as God, Christ-consciousness, Buddha-nature, ceremony, rituals and permanence. rebirth consciousness: the urge of sensuous existence
10. 有 Existence (skt: bhava) being, existing and becoming, which is sometimes represented as existence through childbirth. rebirth consciousness: existence through childbirth
11. 生 Birth (skt: jāti) birth, which is sometimes represented as a man carrying a corpse. rebirth consciousness: birth, a man carrying a corpse
12. 老死 Old Age, Suffering and Death (skt: jarāmaraõa) old age and death, (impermanence), which is sometimes represented as an old woman leaning on a stick. rebirth consciousness: old age and death
In this order, the prior situation is the condition for the arising of the next situation. Also, in the same order, if the prior condition is extinguished, the next condition is extinguished. These twelve links are also represented in a chart, at the center of which are the serpent (anger), boar (ignorance, or stupidity), and dove (lust) representing the fundamental desires. Each catches the other by the tail, typifying the train of desire and producing the wheel of samsara.
It is important to realize that when one link of the chain appears, all others are there. When one link of the chain disappears, they all disappear. Our human existence in any given moment is dependent on the situation of everything in the cosmos at that moment. Buddha said it this way.
it is enlightenment nature,
above is the dwelling place of the Buddhas
below are the six realms of existence,
one by one, each thing has it.
one by one, each thing is complete,
it and dust interpenetrate.
it has always been apparent, in all things,
without trying, you are already complete
it is enlightenment nature,
above is the dwelling place of the Buddhas
below are the six realms of existence,
one by one, each thing has it.
one by one, each thing is complete,
it and dust interpenetrate.
it has always been apparent, in all things,
without trying, you are already complete
posted by Wonji Dharma at
November 12, 2008
5 Comments:
Hi Paul,
Can you describe the subtle differences between links 5, 6, and 7. Each of these - especially 5 and 6 - seem to refer to sensory experience. So I don't quite get the distinction.
Thanks for any additional info!
Barry
Barry,
I hope this helps
With Ignorance as the condition, Mental Formations arise;
with Mental Formations as the condition, Consciousness arises;
with Consciousness as the condition, Name and Form arise;
with Name & Form as the condition, Sense Gates arise;
with Sense Gates as the condition, Contact arises;
with Contact as the condition, Feeling arises;
with Feeling as the condition, Craving arises;
with Craving as the condition, Clinging arises;
with Clinging as the condition, Becoming arises;
with Becoming as a the condition, Birth arises;
with Birth as the condition, Aging and Dying arise.
Hi Paul,
Yes, this is helpful.
Thank you!
Barry
What is the condition for ignorance to arise?
Nice article as for me. I'd like to read a bit more concerning that topic. Thanx for sharing that data.
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