Dependent Arising - structural
Posted by sky | Tags: Buddha , Buddhism, Personal, awareness, death, honesty, impermanence, karma, not-self, peace, sutta
Dependent Arising (paticcasamuppada) has a general pattern called this/that conditionality (idappaccayata). This conditions that. See Paccaya Sutta SN 12.20
Bodhi Sutta Ud 1.3
This general pattern is expressed as:
- When this is, that is.
- From the arising of this comes the arising of that.
- When this isn’t, that isn’t.
- From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.
From venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu: The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-arising
This pattern is called this/that conditionality—idappaccayata—because it describes the interaction of events that can be pointed to as “this” or “that” in immediate experience. It is best understood as the interaction of two principles. The more obvious of the two, expressed in 2 and 4, connects events over time. The arising of A will, at some point in time, cause the arising of B. The ceasing of A will, at some point in time, cause the ceasing of B. An example here would be the relation between a physical feeling of pleasure or pain and a complex emotion (or, to use the Buddhist technical term, a fabrication) based on the feeling: There can be a lapse in time between the arising of the feeling and the arising of the emotion, just as there can be a lapse in time between their ceasing. The second principle, expressed in 1 and 3, connects two events in the present moment. When A is present, B exists. When A is absent, B doesn’t exist. This principle operates primarily on the level of subtle mind states persistently arising and passing away. An example would be the way in which the process of each moment of attachment’s aging-and-death occurs simultaneously with the process of its taking birth. The principle can be readily observed in the relation between contact and feeling: When contact is present at any of the senses, a corresponding feeling tone immediately comes into being; when the contact is absent, the feeling tone is immediately gone.
The traditional/orthodox understanding of Dependent Origination spans three lives. (Past, present, future)
From venerable Ñāṇavīra Thera book Clearing the Path, note on paticcasamuppada:
paticcasamuppada has nothing to do with temporal succession (cause-and-effect). Precedence in paticcasamuppada is structural, not temporal: paticcasamuppada is not the description of a process. For as long as paticcasamuppada is thought to involve temporal succession (as it is, notably, in the traditional three-life interpretation), so long is it liable to be regarded as some kind of hypothesis (that there is re-birth and that it is caused by avijja) to be verified (or not) in the course of time.
What venerable Ñāṇavīra means is that paticcasamuppada is equivalent to the second principle, expressed in 1 and 3 of this/that conditionality as described by venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
This Dhamma is to be seen here & now (sanditthika), timeless (akalika), inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized - Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta MN 38
If paticcasamuppada is temporal, then one cannot observe one's own birth.
In Dependent Origination by Ajahn Brahmavamso, Ajahn Brahmavamso supports the orthodox understanding of Dependent Origination.
Some modern writers have suggested that the effect must arise simultaneously with its cause, or arise just one moment after, for this to qualify as a Dhamma which can be 'seen here and now' and be 'immediate'. They argue that since the Dhamma is sanditthika and akalika, and Dependent Origination is one of the central features of the Dhamma, therefore Dependent Origination must be sanditthika and akalika. But does 'sanditthika' mean 'seen here and now'? Does 'akalika' mean 'immediate'? As I will now show, these translations can be misleading. ..
sanditthika and akalika both refer to that which is 'visible in this life'.
..
You cannot see all the 12 factors in this moment, because they do not occur all in one moment. But you can see a manifestation of each factor in this very life. That, also is why Dependent Origination is sanditthika and akalika.
From Satta Sutta: A Being SN 23.2
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then Ven. Radha went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "'A being,' lord. 'A being,' it's said. To what extent is one said to be 'a being'?"
"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'
"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception... fabrications...
"Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha: when one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be 'a being.'
"Just as when boys or girls are playing with little sand castles: as long as they are not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for those little sand castles, that's how long they have fun with those sand castles, enjoy them, treasure them, feel possessive of them. But when they become free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, & craving for those little sand castles, then they smash them, scatter them, demolish them with their hands or feet and make them unfit for play.
"In the same way, Radha, you too should smash, scatter, & demolish form, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for form.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish feeling, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for feeling.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish perception, and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for perception.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish fabrications, and make them unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for fabrications.
"You should smash, scatter, & demolish consciousness and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for consciousness — for the ending of craving, Radha, is Unbinding."
If there is craving for any of the 5 aggregates, then there is a being. If there is no more craving, then it is not a being. Given a being, there is birth and death. Without a being, both birth and death must cease.
It is said an arahant is not born, does not age, does not die, and is free from craving.
Since an arahant must see this directly, all the 12 factors of Dependent Origination can be seen in this moment.
Also see The Buddha’s Teaching and the Ambiguity of Existence by R.G. de S. Wettimuny His view is influenced by venerable Ñāṇavīra.
In Dhatu-vibhanga Sutta MN 140
"'He has been stilled where the currents of construing do not flow. And when the currents of construing do not flow, he is said to be a sage at peace.' Thus was it said. With reference to what was it said? 'I am' is a construing. 'I am this' is a construing. 'I shall be' is a construing. 'I shall not be'... 'I shall be possessed of form'... 'I shall not be possessed of form'... 'I shall be percipient'... 'I shall not be percipient'... 'I shall be neither percipient nor non-percipient' is a construing. Construing is a disease, construing is a cancer, construing is an arrow. By going beyond all construing, he is said to be a sage at peace.
"Furthermore, a sage at peace is not born, does not age, does not die, is unagitated, and is free from longing. He has nothing whereby he would be born. Not being born, will he age? Not aging, will he die? Not dying, will he be agitated? Not being agitated, for what will he long? It was in reference to this that it was said, 'He has been stilled where the currents of construing do not flow. And when the currents of construing do not flow, he is said to be a sage at peace.' Now, monk, you should remember this, my brief analysis of the six properties."
Dependent Arising diagram representing:
"When this is, that is. When this isn’t, that isn’t."
suffering
A living arahant still has consciousness, name & form, six sense bases, contact and feeling.
As venerable Sāriputta reply in Kalara Sutta shows, delight or craving in feelings has ceased.
Paticcasamuppada shows with ignorance and feeling, there is craving.
When feeling with ignorance cease, there is no craving.
When craving cease, there is no suffering, this is Unbinding. nibbana
Buddha explains in simple terms to a headman about the origination & ending of stress/suffering in Bhadraka Sutta without using paticcasamuppada.
In Kalara Sutta SN12.32, translated by venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi,
But, Sāriputta, if they were to ask you: ‘Friend Sāriputta, how have you known, how have you seen, that delight in feelings no longer remains present in you?’—being asked thus, how would you answer?”
“If they were to ask me this, venerable sir, I would answer thus: ‘Friends, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant feeling, painful feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling. These three feelings, friends, are impermanent; whatever is impermanent is suffering. When this was understood, delight in feelings no longer remained present in me.’ Being asked thus, venerable sir, I would answer in such a way.”
“Good, good, Sāriputta! This is another method of explaining in brief that same point: ‘Whatever is felt is included within suffering. ’ But, Sāriputta, if they were to ask you: ‘Friend Sāriputta, through what kind of deliverance have you declared final knowledge thus: “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being”?’—being asked thus, how would you answer?”
In Dhatu-vibhanga Sutta MN 140,
One neither fabricates nor mentally fashions for the sake of becoming or un-becoming. This being the case, one is not sustained by anything in the world (does not cling to anything in the world). Unsustained, one is not agitated. Unagitated, one is totally unbound right within. One discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"Sensing a feeling of pleasure, one discerns that it is fleeting, not grasped at, not relished. Sensing a feeling of pain... Sensing a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one discerns that it is fleeting, not grasped at, not relished. Sensing a feeling of pleasure, one senses it disjoined from it. Sensing a feeling of pain... Sensing a feeling of neither pleasure nor pain, one senses it disjoined from it. When sensing a feeling limited to the body, one discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to the body.' When sensing a feeling limited to life, one discerns that 'I am sensing a feeling limited to life.' One discerns that 'With the break-up of the body, after the termination of life, all that is sensed, not being relished, will grow cold right here.'
Also see Gelañña Sutta: The Sick Ward SN 36.7
And from Ajahn Chah The Middle Way Within,
We don't understand the Dhamma and so we don't understand these sankhāras; we take them to be ourselves, as belonging to us or belonging to others. This gives rise to clinging. When clinging arises, 'becoming' follows on. Once becoming arises, then there is birth. Once there is birth, then old age, sickness, death ... the whole mass of suffering arises.
This is the paticcasamuppāda. We say ignorance gives rise to volitional activities, they give rise to consciousness and so on. All these things are simply events in mind. When we come into contact with something we don't like, if we don't have mindfulness, ignorance is there. Suffering arises straight away. But the mind passes through these changes so rapidly that we can't keep up with them. It's the same as when you fall from a tree. Before you know it - 'Thud!' - you've hit the ground. Actually you've passed many branches and twigs on the way, but you couldn't count them, you couldn't remember them as you passed them. You just fall, and then 'Thud!'
The paticcasamuppāda is the same as this. If we divide it up as it is in the scriptures, we say ignorance gives rise to volitional activities, volitional activities give rise to consciousness, consciousness gives rise to mind and matter, mind and matter give rise to the six sense bases, the sense bases give rise to sense contact, contact gives rise to feeling, feeling gives rise to wanting, wanting gives rise to clinging, clinging gives rise to becoming, becoming gives rise to birth, birth gives rise to old age, sickness, death, and all forms of sorrow. But in truth, when you come into contact with something you don't like, there's immediate suffering! That feeling of suffering is actually the result of the whole chain of the paticcasamuppāda. This is why the Buddha exhorted his disciples to investigate and know fully their own minds.
Dependent Origination can be used to explain how there can be rebirth without a soul. - see Ajahn Brahmavamso Dependent Origination
Though, results of kamma is very complex. An example is illustrated in the Pataliya Sutta SN 42.13 41. 1. 13 translated by sister Uppalavanna. (last sutta in the Gamani-samyutta)
Only with the divine eye, can one see the results of kamma in a future life with certainty.
In Susima Sutta SN 12.70, it is shown that most arahants do not have any psychic powers including divine eye.
The sutta also shows that if one makes amends in accordance with the Dhamma, the results of kamma can also be altered.
Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human — he sees beings passing away and re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.
Also see:
Fundamentals of Buddhism by Nyanatiloka Mahathera
Dependent Origination - Buddhist Publication Society by Piyadassi Thera
Dependent Arising by Piya Tan
A Critical Examination of Ñāṇavīra Thera’s “A Note on Paticcasamuppada” by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
The link is found in venerable Ñāṇavīra Thera wikipedia.
Related:
A Single Excellent Night - Bhaddekaratta Sutta
Abandon becoming - Loka Sutta