Unit MB 103/03

Early Buddhist Doctrines Unit MBI 103

Lesson 3

Dependent Origination

Now we arrive at that point where we can look at that profound truth that Buddha declared, “so difficult to perceive, difficult to understand, tranquillising and sublime, which is not to be gained by mere reasoning, and is visible only to the wise.”

Will you take enough time and energy to understand this truth or will you be chained to the world “given to pleasure, delighted with pleasure, enchanted with pleasure?”

Buddha’s observation about human nature is clear:

… there are beings whose eyes are only a little covered with dust: they will understand the truth. Are your eyes covered with dust?

Lesson 3 Dependent Origination

The doctrine of dependent origination is one of the main insightful revelations of Buddha. For the understanding of the Buddha Dharma way, it melds with the important knowledge of attention and its application,

Buddha declared, in the Middle Length Discourses, “One who sees dependent origination sees the Dhamma; one who sees the Dhamma sees dependent origination. ”

Dependent origination is more complex than the simple explanation normally given that “all phenomena arise as the result of conditions and cease when those conditions change”. This is derived from Buddha’s assertion, “When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases.”

(Connected Discourses).

Ananda once made a foolish claim to understanding Dependent Origination, because on the surface it appeared so clear. Look at Buddha’s response:

Thus have I heard. Once the Lord was staying among the Kurus. There is a market town there called Kammasa-dhamma. And the Venerable Ananda came to the Lord, saluted him, sat down to one side, and said:

‘It is wonderful, Lord, it is marvellous how profound this dependent origination is, and how profound it appears! And yet it appears to me as clear as clear!’

‘Do not say that Ananda, do not say that! This dependent origination is profound and appears profound. It is through not understanding, not penetrating this doctrine that this generation has become like a tangled ball of string, covered as with a blight, tangled like coarse grass, unable to pass beyond states of woe, the ill destiny, ruin and the round of birth-and-death. (Long Discourses of the Buddha)

Nothing exists as an independent isolated happening and nothing arises from one apparent cause. Multiple factors actually converge and create a vast network of causes and conditions.

Not only is this network of causes and conditions complex, but there is a complex interaction between the components of Dependent Origination itself.

But it is not the understanding of Dependent Origination that produces a Buddha or an Awakened Bodhisattva; it is the realization of the subtlety of the effects and the experience of having broken the cycle. You can see this clearly in Buddha’s description when he declares that, “A Tathagata awakens to this and breaks through to it.”

“And what, monks, is dependent origination? ‘With birth as condition, aging-and-death [comes to be]’: whether there is an arising of Tathagatas or no arising of Tathagatas, that element still persists, the stableness of the Dhamma, the fixed course of the Dhamma, specific conditionality. A Tathagata awakens to this and breaks through to it. Having done so, he explains it, teaches it, proclaims it, establishes it, discloses it, analyses it, elucidates it. And he says: ‘See! With birth as condition, monks, aging-and-death.’ (Connected Discourses of the Buddha)

One cannot apply Dependant Origination as a “cure all” for Suffering. However, Dependant Origination provides the base so that the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path can be applied to it, thereby breaking the cycle.

Let us first look at that element of the cycle called Ignorance, remembering that Ignorance is just a word description. The cycle begins with ignorance of the true nature of reality. Buddha stated clearly that this element in the twelvefold chain refers to ignorance of the four Noble Truths.

“And what, monks, is ignorance? Not knowing suffering, not knowing the origin of suffering, not knowing the cessation of suffering, not knowing the way leading to the cessation of suffering. This is called ignorance.” (Connected Discourses of the Buddha)

What is the principal Causal Factor of Ignorance? It is the state of suffering that is not understood: the presence of the round of old age, death and grief (a clinging to Identity permanence), lamentation, dejection and despair (the effects of Identity presence and non satiation of their demands).

Anyone who has not awakened, lives perpetually with this state of suffering. Thus a great deal tension and conflict is generated in the system, for there is a conflict between the clear wish not to suffer and the clear knowledge that it is unavoidable.

Cognitive dissonance provides the relief of this tension and conflict. Thus the mind invents ignorance, the avoidance of the Truth. But where does this avoidance lead?

Due to ignorance, one is disposed to perform acts of thought, word and deed based upon identity ridden Intentions in order to avoid the undesirable and the unpleasant and to implement the desirable and the pleasant. These intentions are called Volitional Formations. Unfortunately, the sublimated energy of the stress and conflict generates the formations of negative karma: Karmic Formations.

How do these Intentions arise? They arise through intentions generated by the visceral demands (Id Identity), intentions generated by the emotional demands (Ego Identity) and intentions generated by the mental demands (Super Ego Identity). The two former are quite subliminal, but are interpreted and interact with the mental demands.

“And what, monks, are the volitional formations? There are these three kinds of volitional formations: the bodily volitional formation, the verbal volitional formation, the mental volitional formation. These are called the volitional formations.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

But knowing this does not lead to the dissolving of the links in the cycle. How does one apply one knowledge of the Four Noble Truths to the cycle? Looking once more at Suffering we find that the Second Noble truth declares that the cause of Suffering is Clinging and Craving. The Theravadin tradition then begins by applying RESTRAINT in all Intentions and Actions, with the intention of reducing the Clinging and Craving. This becomes the base which continues through all advanced practice.

The Cycle in the Theravadin Tradition

Then the Theravadin tradition places one pointed attention upon the pure sensations of the body, the emotions (pleasurable, neutral and non pleasurable experiences), the contents of the mind, (thoughts made up of Name and Form perceptions), and Consciousness itself. You can see that these form four of the important links in the cycle. Together with the attention on Craving, Clinging and Intentions that makes seven. With the direct attention on Suffering we have eight.

There remain the six sense bases, the constantly changing perception of becoming (discrimination without the presence of Identity) and the constantly changing Identity formation, which is birth.

It is true that all Buddhist groups focus upon the undesirability of Identity, for indeed we have seen that that was the third signata. We must ask, however, why Craving and Clinging were chosen as prime representatives of the cause of Suffering. Why was not Becoming and Birth chosen?

The answer lies in the different natures of Craving and Clinging on one hand and Becoming and Birth on the other. Every waking second of consciousness and during the sleeping state there is constant change in the state of Identity. It is true that our Ideal image remains stable, but the underlying Identity states of the visceral Id, the emotional Ego and the mental Super ego are constantly in flux as the constant round of Dependent origination continues.

When we look at Craving and Clinging, although we find great changes in the objects of desire and the impulse to maintain possession, the general state of the process that Clings and Craves remains fairly constant. Thus they are better suited for attention and are cited in the Theravada tradition as the apparent cause of Suffering.

The Cycle in the Mahayana Tradition

In the Mahayana tradition, which has as its base the No Mind, Ignorance (Duality) is the primary mental cause of Suffering. This is so for two reasons:

First, Ignorance is logically the first in the cycle, although from a physiological point of view the sense bases are more apt, and from the psychological and karmic point of view the application of attention upon Intentions (Volitional Formation) is more appropriate.

Second, and more important, Suffering provokes responses to avoid that Suffering by creating ever increasing demands that the Identities can potentially enjoy. These demands require the existence of extensive Duality and this engenders amplification of the dual mind. Thus we can see that Ignorance is connected to Duality. It is for this reason that the Mahayana tradition cites Duality as the apparent cause of Suffering.

The Third Noble Truth says virtually that what has been conditioned can be deconditioned. But this deconditioning is not merely a matter of the repetition of restraint. One must penetrate into the very nature of Dependent Origination which, with correct one-pointed attention and correct energy, can be seen to be “empty”.

This emptiness is perceived by Insight meditation, but in the final assault, the true understanding is only received when there is a penetration beyond the whole cycle. This requires boundless contemplation with attention beyond the onionskin reception of the sensations.

This penetration is beyond all the factors of dependent origination and leads to the direct experience of Non Duality beyond the consciously understood emptiness of form and the emptiness of no form. Unlike any form of theism or materialism, it is indeed the middle way between these two extremes. Buddha taught there is a rational order of causes and conditions we can awaken to and work with as tools rather than accept as real.

The conditioned nature of all things is not something apart from who we are; conditionality IS the way we are. Thus we are subject to suffering if our vision is not clear. This means, on one hand, that we can learn there is nothing permanent to grasp or cling to either outside of or within ourselves. But it also means that we can accept the illusions as useful tools without Suffering, Identity, Duality, Clinging or Craving. It means that every human creature has the potential to unbind himself from the tangle of Dependent Origination which he himself, in his conditioned state of Ignorance, has generated.

“This world, Kaccana, is for the most part shackled by engagement, clinging, and adherence. But this one [with right view] does not become engaged and cling through that engagement and clinging, mental standpoint, adherence, underlying tendency; he does not take a stand about ‘my self.’ He has no perplexity or doubt that what arises is only suffering arising, what ceases is only suffering ceasing. His knowledge about this is independent of others. It is in this way, Kaccana, that there is right view.

“‘All exists’: Kaccana, this is one extreme. ‘All does not exist’: this is the second extreme. Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata teaches the Dhamma by the middle.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

Dependent origination, then, is the teaching that things have a provisional (though not intrinsic) existence based on causes and conditions. Therefore, those who daily follow the middle way will think in terms of causes and conditions and not in terms of the existence or non existence of phenomenon. Thus there are no immutable categories or boundaries, nor has anything, including oneself, an absolute identity. It is thus that we can say that the Individual does not exist. He is simply the product of elaborate and complex causes and effects.

“How is it, Master Gotama: is suffering created by oneself?”

“Not so, Kassapa,” the Blessed One said.

“Then, Master Gotama, is suffering created by another?”

“Not so, Kassapa,” the Blessed One said.

“How is it then, Master Gotama: is suffering created both by oneself and by another?”

“Not so, Kassapa,” the Blessed One said.

“Then, Master Gotama, has suffering arisen fortuitously, being created neither by oneself nor by another”

“Not so, Kassapa,” the Blessed One said.

“How is it then, Master Gotama: is there no suffering?”

“It is not that there is no suffering, Kassapa; there is suffering.”

“Then is it that Master Gotama does not know and see suffering?”

“It is not that I do not know and see suffering, Kassapa. I know suffering, I see suffering.”

[Finally Kassapa asks: “Venerable sir, let the Blessed One explain suffering to me. Let the Blessed One teach me about suffering.”

“Kassapa, [if one thinks,] ‘The one who acts is the same as the one who experiences [the result],’ [then one asserts] with reference to one existing from the beginning: ‘Suffering is created by oneself.’ When one asserts thus, this amounts to eternalism.

But, Kassapa, [if one thinks,] ‘The one who acts is one, the one who experiences [the result] is another,’ [then one asserts] with reference to one stricken by feeling: ‘Suffering is created by another.’ When one asserts thus, this amounts to annihilationism.

Without veering towards either of these extremes, the Tathagata teaches Dhamma by the middle: ‘With ignorance as condition, volitional formations [come to be]; with volitional formations as conditions, consciousness.... Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.

But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness.... Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

The Twelvefold Chain of Dependent Origination

IGNORANCE

Essentially, ignorance, in the way it is used here, is a lack of true understanding of suffering and its eventual dissolution. Knowing brings freedom.

INTENTION

Volitional formations are the compilations of our intentions based upon our attitudes. These intentions are investigated and mulled over by the system in order to generate an intention with respect to a stimulus to bring about a desired effect. This is then moved into the post position where there is a central command and an action results or the intention is sublimated.

These intentions are formed by various demands dictated by the visceral identity, the emotional identity or the mental identity thus they are called bodily (sensation) volitional formations, verbal (emotional) volitional formations, and mental volitional formations.

Note, however, that the motivating identities are in themselves not evident in consciousness. They are known only by their works. Note also that all the basic forces, although simple in their origination, are subject finally to mental formations.

Thus an apparently simple drive to receive a pleasurable sensation from the emotional base of identity may result in complex intentions and prospective behaviour. When we then speak of bodily, verbal, and mental volitions, we are speaking about the fully developed intention, not the base from which it sprang.

CONSCIOUSNESS

“And what, monks, is consciousness? There are these six classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, mind-consciousness. This is called consciousness.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

Consciousness gives rise to and is supported by the aggregates that make up name-and-form, the perceptions that become eventually the thinking “I”.

Note that the consciousness we are speaking of here is not the contents of consciousness that agitate our minds and flow through consciousness in a steady stream, but consciousness itself.

NAME AND FORM (PERCEPTION)

“And what, monks, is name-and-form? Emotion, perception, volition, sensation, attention: this is called name. The four great elements and the form derived from the four great elements: this is called form. Thus this name and this form are together called name-and-form.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

Realize clearly that here we are referring to the generation of forms and names, not the processes themselves. It is these names, which are the vehicle for efficient storage, that make thought perceptions possible. Without this naming and the generation of discriminated form, Duality has no substance to hold it together.

THE SENSORS

“And what, monks, are the six sense bases? The eye base, the ear base, the nose base, the tongue base, the body base, the mind base. These are called the six sense bases.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

SENSATION

“And what, monks, is contact (sensation)? These are the six classes of contact: eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact. This is called contact.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

These are the bare sensations towards which correct attention is directed in all forms of meditation. It is the point of departure for both concentration and contemplation.

EMOTION

“And what, monks, is feeling (emotion)? There are these six classes of feeling: feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of mind-contact. This is called feeling.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

Realize here that “emotion” refers to the experiences of pleasure, neutrality and displeasure, not to the elaboration of these by perception.

Why are the perceptions themselves not included in the cycle? Because perceptions that are natural and uncontaminated by duality and identity are not impediments. Indeed correct perception is a natural tool that is essential for the human creature.

CRAVING

“And what, monks, is craving? There are these six classes of craving: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for odours, craving for tastes, craving for tactile objects, craving for mental phenomena. This is called craving.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

This craving is quite subtle and Buddha refers here to all cravings, no matter how small they may be. The slightest desire, which may only be momentary, is a craving.

CLINGING

“And what, monks, is clinging? There are these four kinds of clinging: clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, clinging to rules and vows, clinging to a doctrine of self. This is called clinging.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

BECOMING (DISCRIMINATION WITHOUT IDENTITY)

“And what, monks, is becoming? There are these three kinds of becoming: sense-realm becoming, form-realm becoming, formless-realm becoming. This is called becoming. (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

This concept, “becoming” is not easy to immediately grasp. It is the setting up of the conditions for the continual changes that take place in the Identities. This state of becoming rests upon discrimination and has the predisposition to become linked with Identity.

BIRTH ( IDENTITY)

“And what, monks, is birth? The birth of the various beings into the various orders of beings, their being born, descent [into the consciousness as an apparent reality], production, the manifestation of the aggregates, the obtaining of the sense bases. This is called birth.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

Here we are only concerned with the mundane condition of birth, not the concept of karmic rebirth after death. We must realize that the identity, the “I” that we perceive as our “self”, is not fixed. It is constantly changing its form. Thus, as a consequence of dependent origination, each change is a rebirth.

Since it is useful for the system to see the general trends and configurations of this self, we delude ourselves with the idea of its permanence and then give it a real existence.

SUFFERING

“And what, monks, is aging-and-death? The aging of the various beings in the various orders of beings, their growing old, brokenness of teeth, greyness of hair, wrinkling of the skin, decline of vitality, degeneration of the faculties: this is called aging. The passing away of the various beings from the various orders of beings, their perishing, breakup, disappearance, mortality, death, completion of time, the breakup of the aggregates, the laying down of the carcass: this is called death. Thus this aging and this death are together called aging-and-death.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha)

As we have previously stated, suffering is much more extensive than is usually perceived and includes all manner of minor suffering, be it brief or of long duration, perceived or unperceived.

DISSOLUTION OF THE CYCLE

“But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness; with the cessation of consciousness, cessation of name-and-form; with the cessation of name-and-form, cessation of the six sense bases; with the cessation of the six sense bases, cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of becoming; with the cessation of becoming, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, cessation of aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.” (Connected discourses of the Buddha )

This is the base upon which the Third Noble Truth is based. From the Buddhist position, all the errors that stem from the dual mind are conditioned on the basis of an Identity demand being made (not a demand from one’s true nature), the execution of a response, and the feedback of satisfaction that conditions the chain. Thus the intention and response are conditioned to the demand

The grave problem that faces all human creatures is that failure to satiate the identity does not reduce the identity, nor does satiation of the desire. On the contrary, both satiation and non-satiation of the identity strengthen the desire. Thus the mere desire, when it is aroused, automatically generates greater drive strength.

Here Buddha speaks of the cessation of the cycle. Although the cycle starts, in this example with Ignorance, if the cycle were to be broken at any point, there would be cessation of every element. It is that concept that allows the difference of emphasis between Theravadin and Mahayana traditions. Both are correct approaches, although they break the cycle at different points.

In extensive studies of Dependent Origination, the various relations between the components are examined. Here, however, we will not discuss those connections. It is only required that you know that they exist. Those interested may consult the works of Narada Maha Thera on the subject.

The Deconditioning Process:

We must then look at this deconditioning process. It is described here as the “remainderless fading and cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, and letting go of that very craving."

"Now what is the noble truth of the origination of Dhukka? The craving that makes for further becoming -- accompanied by passion and delight, relishing now here and now there -- i.e., craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming... And what is the noble truth of the cessation of Dhukka? The remainderless fading and cessation, renunciation, relinquishment, release, and letting go of that very craving."

Digha Nikaya 22

A remainderless fading means that the transformation is complete; there are no residual remnants of the cycle left; the cycle is completely broken.

In the next words, Renunciation, Relinquishment and Release, we discover the key that is so important to remember, so attend very closely.

Renunciation, Relinquishment and Release

But by using the term renunciation, as we have made clear many times, we do not refer to the mental process of “rule of mind”. Rather we speak of “use of mind”, where Restraint is the key. Thus Relinquishment follows as the process of actually letting go and Release is the moment when the final fetters fall.

This is not a sudden process. The process is threefold and continuous. If you look closely, you can see a gradual reduced implication of the mental faculties.

1. Restraint is applied by a stained mind with correct attention and correct energy

2. The mental faculty of the stained mind gradually begins to let go in Relinquishment, along with the fading of correct attention and correct energy.

3. Slowly that correct attention comes under the command of the natural system and becomes a natural undirected attention and the directed minimal energy of attention becomes the subtle energy of the system. When this exchange is complete, then there is Release.

Twelve Stages of Transcendent Dependent Origination

This deconditioning process begins once one awakens to the suffering inherent in the twelvefold chain of dependent origination. The deconditioning itself unfolds in an orderly process, which has been called the “twelve stages of transcendent dependent origination.” These stages are described by Buddha in the following discourse:

"Monks, the ending of the effluents is for one who knows and sees, I tell you, not for one who does not know and does not see. For one who knows and sees, what is the ending of effluents?

One knows and sees, 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is perception, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such are fabrications, such their origination, such their disappearance. Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.' The ending of the effluents is for one who knows in this way and sees in this way...

"The knowledge of ending in the presence of ending has its prerequisite, I tell you. It is not without a prerequisite. And what is its prerequisite? Release... Release has its prerequisite, I tell you. It is not without a prerequisite. And what is its prerequisite? Dispassion... Disenchantment... Knowledge and vision of things as they actually are present...Concentration... Well Being... Serenity... Rapture... Joy... Conviction... Dhukka... “

Thus there arises, as the old chain of dependent origination begins to fail, a new positive cycle of dependent origination. This change in the cycle leads to release. However, the new cycle cannot be introduced by intellect. It is a natural cycle that arises when one becomes aware, through the Attention and Energy of correct Concentration, of the truth of the emptiness of the cycle and its parts. Here you can see the clear application of three of the members of the eightfold path to the cycle of dependent origination.

The twelve stages of the transcendental cycle of dependent origination

(1) Suffering, when penetrated and understood, gives rise to great confidence.

(2) Confidence provides the impetus to throw off the burden of the cycle and brings gladness for oneself and others who are upon the path.

(3) Gladness (or joy) then becomes the motivating factor for determination and perseverance. Thus rapture arises in the certainty of the path results.

(4) Rapture leads us to the exaltation of calm and equanimity.

(5) Tranquility gives rise to the conditions of well being necessary for correct penetration practice.

(6) Well being or true happiness gives rise to clear concentration when attention and energy are correctly applied.

(7) Concentration gives rise to clear penetration and understanding of the emptiness of all phenomenon.

(8) The knowledge and vision of things as they really are gives rise to a disenchantment with the existing conditions of normal living.

(9) Disenchantment gives rise to a letting go of Craving and Clinging.

(10) Dispassion permits liberation from the chains of conditioning.

(11) Release, liberation or emancipation allows the perception of the falling away of all impediments.

(12) Thus the knowledge of the destruction of the defilements and the clear vision of the Primordial state (by final contemplation), where there is no identity or impediment, brings us to the complete dissolution of Duality.

"Just as when the gods pour rain in heavy drops and crash thunder on the upper mountains: The water, flowing down along the slopes, fills the mountain clefts and rifts and gullies. When the mountain clefts and rifts and gullies are full, they fill the little ponds. When the little ponds are full, they fill the big lakes... the little rivers... the big rivers. When the big rivers are full, they fill the great ocean. In the same way:

volitions have ignorance as their prerequisite,

consciousness has fabrications as its prerequisite,

name-and-form has consciousness as its prerequisite,

the six sense media have name-and-form as their prerequisite,

contact has the six sense media as its prerequisite,

feeling has contact as its prerequisite,

craving has feeling as its prerequisite,

clinging has craving as its prerequisite,

becoming has clinging as its prerequisite,

birth has becoming as its prerequisite,

Dhukka and suffering have birth as their prerequisite,

Here we are shown that we have the conscious choice as human creatures. Once we are aware of the dangers of the stained path, we can allow the continual round of suffering to continue, balancing and believing, in error, that the false happiness balances the apparent suffering, or we can grasp the truth and follow in the natural path of the recuperation of our true non dual nature.

conviction has Dhukka and suffering as its prerequisite,

joy has conviction as its prerequisite,

rapture has joy as its prerequisite,

serenity (tranquility) has rapture as its prerequisite,

well being has serenity as its prerequisite,

concentration has pleasure as its prerequisite,

knowledge and vision of things as they actually are present has concentration as its prerequisite,

disenchantment has knowledge and vision of things as they actually are present as its prerequisite,

dispassion has disenchantment as its prerequisite,

release has dispassion as its prerequisite,

knowledge of ending has release as its prerequisite."

Samyutta Nikaya XII.23

Exercise 103

The critical question here is whether or not we now continue with a new cycle of Transcendental Dependent Origination or if Release ends both cycles. Let us see how you deal with that question in a brief exposition.

Second, explain how the other five factors of the eightfold path are applied to dependent origination.