Chapter 12 - Sammasambuddha

It is insight knowledge that leads to the destruction of ignorance which is the root cause of suffering. For the Buddha, this means the attribute of sammasambuddha. Sammasambuddha is one who knows the Four Noble Truths rightly, thoroughly and independently. Here the twelve links of Paticcasamuppada may be differentiated in terms of the Four Noble Truths.

Thus, old age and death together means the first truth of suffering and rebirth means the truth about the cause of suffering. The cessation of this cause and this effect means the truth about the cessation (nirodha) and, knowledge of this cessation means the truth about the path to it (magga).

The same may be said of rebirth and kammic cause, kammic cause and clinging, clinging and craving, craving and feeling, feeling and contact, contact and six senses, the senses and nama rupa, nama rupa and consciousness, consciousness and sankhara, and sankhara and ignorance. In short, what immediately precedes a link is termed its cause (samudaya) and what immediately follows is called its effect (dukkha sacca). We can even make ignorance (avijja), the origin of life cycle, synonymous with truth about suffering (dukkha sacca); if we regard it as an effect of the attachment (asava) viz., attachment to sensual pleasure, existence, belief and ignorance.

Here, the identification of tanha with dukkha may not be acceptable to some people. But it is reasonable if we remember the fact that all nama rupa including tanha means dukkha since it is subject to impermanence. The commentary does not describe avijja as dukkha, but we can say it is dukkha arising from asava (biases). There are four asavas that have their sources in sensual craving, attachment to life, false belief and ignorance. It is a matter of ignorance in the past again giving rise to ignorance in the present. Hence, the asavas may be regarded as the cause of avijja.

So having realized the Four Noble Truths and attained Nibbana, through his own enlightenment, the Buddha earned the unique and glorious title of Sammasambuddha. He knew that all the phenomena covered by the doctrine of Paticcasamuppada are the real dukkha and the causes of dukkha. He was disenchanted, had no attachment and achieved liberation from all fetters. So according to Visuddhimagga, he was called Arahan because he managed to destroy completely all the supports of the wheel of life.