Paticca Samuppada (The Law of Dependent Origination)
From TheBuddhism.Net
By Ven. Kolitha Thero
Translated by Inoka Makalanda
Paticca Samuppada (The Law of Dependent Origination) is essential to Buddha’s teachings.
Emphasizing its importance, Buddha said:
“One who sees Paticca Samuppada sees the Dhamma,
One who sees the Dhamma sees Paticca Samuppada”
Paticca Samuppada explains that ‘Samsara’ (the repeated existence of ‘Birth – Death cycle’) is propagated by a chain of inter connected links of cause & effect; and, reveals the way of breaking this chain and putting and end to the process; thus, freeing the man from suffering.
Craving takes the man through this Samsara; dying and being reborn again and again in an endless process, experiencing miseries and sorrows. Pleasure is the binding force.
With the complete eradication of craving, the state of final liberation (Nirvana) is attained.
The development of detachment and complete eradication of craving is the Dhamma which Gauthama Buddha realized making him the enlightened one. He revealed to the world what he realized in Paticca Samuppada.
According to Buddha, there are 12 links which form the ‘Wheel of Existence’ (Bhava Chakka).
They are joined together in Paticca Samuppada as follows:
In Regular Order
Avijja-paccaya sankhara;
sankhara-paccaya vinnana;
vinnana-paccaya nama-rupa;
nama-rupa-paccaya salayatana;
salayatana-paccaya phasso;
phassa-paccaya vedana;
vedana-paccaya tanha;
tanha-paccaya upadana;
upadana-paccaya bhavo;
bhava-paccaya jati;
jati-paccaya jara-marana
soka-parideva-dukha-
domanassupayasa sambhavanti;
evametassa kevalassa
dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
Dependent on ignorance, reaction (conditioning) arises;
Dependent on reaction (conditioning), consciousness arises;
Dependent on consciousness, mind-body arise;
Dependent on mind-body, the six senses arise;
Dependent on the six senses, contact arises;
Dependent on contact, sensation arises;
Dependent on sensation craving and aversion arise ;
Dependent on craving and aversion, clinging arises ;
Dependent on clinging, the process of becoming arises ;
Dependent on the process of becoming, birth arises;
Dependent on the base of birth, ageing and death arise,
together with sorrow, lamentation, physical and mental sufferings and tribulations.
Thus arises this entire mass of suffering.
In Reverse Order
Avijjaya tveva asesa viraga-
nirodha, sankhara-nirodho;
sankhara-nirodha vinnana-nirodho;
vinnana-nirodha nama-rupa-nirodho;
nama-rupa-nirodha salayatana-nirodho;
salayatana-nirodha phassa-nirodho;
phassa-nirodha vedana-nirodho;
vedana-nirodha tanha-nirodho;
tanha-nirodha upadana-nirodho;
upadana-nirodha bhava-nirodho;
bhava-nirodha jati-nirodho;
jati-nirodha jara-maranam
soka-parideva-dukkha-
domanassupayasa nirujjhanti;
evametassa kevalassa
dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.
With the complete eradication and cessation of ignorance, reaction (conditioning) ceases;
with the cessation of reaction (conditioning), consciousness ceases;
with the cessation of consciousness, mind-body cease;
with the cessation of mind-body, the six senses cease;
with the cessation of the six senses, contact ceases;
with the cessation of contact, seansation ceases;
with the cessation of sensation, craving and aversion cease;
with the cessation of craving and aversion, clinging ceases;
with the cessation of clinging, the process of becoming ceases;
with the cessation of the process of becoming, birth ceases;
with the cessation of birth, ageing and death cease, together
with sorrow, lamentation, physical and mental sufferings and tribulations.
Thus this entire mass of suffering ceases.
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So profound is Buddha’s teachings may I create the causes to comprehend and actualize them