Chapter 1 - What Is Paticcasamuppada?

Paticcasamuppada is Pali language, a combination of three words, i.e. Patticca means because“ and ”dependent upon." Sam means well, Uppada means arising of effect through cause, so dependent on cause there arises effect, hence it is known in English as Law of Dependent Origination or Cycle of Rebirth.

In the Law of Dependent Origination there are twelve links which show the process of arising of a sentient being from one phenomenon to another in an endless chain of Samsara.

Although it starts with Avijja, it is to be noted that Avijja is not the first cause because Samsara is beginningless; the origin of beings revolving in Samsara, being cloaked by Avijja (Ignorance) cannot be discovered. Paticcasamuppada teaches the cycle of rebirth, the cause is both the cause and effect alternately or to be more precise the cause becomes the effect and the effect in turn becomes the cause in the universe of space and time.

The twelve links are as follows:

1. Dependent on Avijja (Ignorance) there arises Sankhara (volitional activities).
2. Dependent on Sankhara there arises Vinnana (consciousness).
3. Dependent on Vinnana there arises Nama Rupa (Mind and matter).
4. Dependent on Nama Rupa there arises Salayatana (sixfold sense bases).
5. Dependent on Salayatana there arises Phassa (contact).
6. Dependent on Phassa there arises Vedana (feeling).
7. Dependent on Vedana there arises Tanha (craving).
8. Dependent on Tanha there arises Upadana (grasping, clinging or attachment).
9. Dependent on Upadana there arises Bhava (becoming).
10. Dependent on Bhava there arises Jati (Birth).
11. Dependent on Jati there arises Jara, Marana, Soka, Parideva, Dukkha, Domanassa Upayasa, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation. pain, grief and despair.

It is highly desirable that this doctrine in Pali be learnt by heart. Those who have yet to memorise should do so as soon as possible, because it will be considerable assistance to them to grasp the meaning of the doctrine. Some people recite it at the time of paying homage to the Buddha. They may do so if they choose to do, but mere recitation without knowing the purport and significance of the doctrine will not enable him to dispel all sorts of Ditthi which are the soure of danger of falling into Duggati (woeful abode).

It is easily to be borne in mind that this doctrine is nothing but yourown self, your own khandha, Nama Rupa. Yes, it is much more than that. It shows the causal continuum of your (so called) self, the process of arising and passing away of Nama and Rupa or in other words, the series of sorrow and suffering ad infinftum.

Paticcasamuppada actually is in itself the cyclic order of arising and passing away of Dhamma or Khandhas. The old phenomenon gives rise to another in an endless continuum. Such phenomenon of arising and passing away is called Paticcasamuppada and Paticcasamuppanna, the function of which no Creator or God could start ot draw to a halt. This functioning is the relinking of Paticcasamuppada. Magga Phala is only Dhamma which can break the link of Paticcasamuppada and when there is no relinking it is called Nibbana.

This process is only the arising and passing away of Khandhas, Nama Rupa or in other words this is the process of the Law of Causalty in which there is no semblance which can be taken for I, my, self or Ego. There is nothing except the arising and disappearing of Khandhas, Nama Rupa or Ayatana.

1. By way of Sammuti sacca (conventional truth), men, people, creatures or beings are universally so called and known, whereas Paticcasamuppada doctrine shows that Avijja and Tanha are the beginning of Samara. It should not be compared with the beginning of men or custom or the first cause. In the Ultimate Truth there is no man or mankind or creature and as such it can only be traced back to the Dhamma, i.e. Avijja and Tanha is the beginning of Samsara.

2. It also shows that it is none other than the continual and endless process of arising and disappearing of Khandhas of the so-called sentient being, commonly known in Sammuti sacca (convertional truth) as man, woman and creature.

3. It is to be clearly borne in mind that in Paramattha sacca (Ultimate Truth) there is no such thing as man, woman or creature. It is the law that shows, 'When this exists that arises; with the arising of this, that comes to be; when this does not exist that does not come to be.'

4. It shows the link between Sankhara and Vinnana and Kammabhava and Jati.

5. It shows the ceaseless rounds of rebirth, Jati (birth) old age, Sickness, and ultimately death. In other word, rebirth, sickness, old age and death are recurring ad infinitum like the tree which bears fruit and the fruit again produces plant, and the plant again bears fruit, and so on and so forth continuing the same process ad infinitum.

6. It shows that the process of arising and disappearing is nothing but series of sorrow and suffering.

7. It is just like a heap of the fire and fuel, when the fuel is put the fire is aglow so it is like the fire and fuel; when the fuel is put again the fire continues ot burn and so on and so forth without an end.

8. By way of Ariya Sacca is only the recurring process of Samudaya Sacca and Dukkha Sacca in an endless continuum.

9. By way of Vatta (round) there recur ad infinitum three vattas (round), i.e. Kilesa Vatta, Kamma Vatta and Vipaka Vatta. Because of Kilesa Vatta there arises Kamma Vatta and because of Kamma Vatta there arises Vipaka Vatta.

10. There is only the cyclic order of time and space,i.e., Past, Present and Future. It will be obvious to the reader that the Present becomes the Past of the future which again becomes the Present. Thus the ceaseless process of Samsara goes on indefinitely.