Chapter 2.10 - The Psychological attitude of Buddhist Philosophy

The law of dependent origination (pratitya-sumutpada) is the middle way avoiding two extremes of rigid conditions. The formula of dependent origination shows itself as the necessary counterpart of the Anatta theory. This theory of Anatmavada emphasizes the dynamic character of existence and growth of life itself, which is against lifeless laws of Atmavada, the traditionalist thinking. Buddhist Psychology itself is quite alive to the relativity of terms like birth and death. According to Abhidharma, birth and death take place every moment; and mystics like ‘Milarepa’^[1] made no difference between this and other lives regarding them all as one.^[2] The Dependent Origination is the requirement of a condition for something to arise.

In the Samyukta Nakaya III: 134-135 (Kaccayana Gotta Sutta) while Buddha was dwelling at Savathi (Modern Sravasthi), he told a group of Monks:

“O Monks! I will teach you, I will analyze dependent origination. Listen to it, orient your mind well”.

Then he spoke as follows:

1. “Monks, with the condition of reverence, there is motivation”.
2. “With the condition of motivation, there is perception”.
3. “With the condition of perception, there is name and form".
4. “With the condition of name and form there is six sense bases (Satayatana)”.
5. “With the condition of sense bases there is contact”.
6. “With the condition of sense contact there is feeling”.
7. “With the condition of feeling there is craving”.
8. “With the condition of craving there is indulgence”.
9. “With the condition of indulgence there is gestation”.
10. “With the condition of gestation there is birth”.
11. “With the condition of birth there is old age and death; thus grief, lamentation, suffering, dissatisfaction, perturbation appear together.
12. “Such is the source of entire mess of suffering”.^[3]

Therefore, by understanding dependence or dependent origination that one understands the ‘dharmadhatu’. The Lord, Tathagata, devoid of characteristics is dharmadhatu, suchness; therefore, all dharmas are the Tathagata. Nagarjuna uses this discourse of Kaccayana in Mula-Madhyamika-karika, to show the middle way doctrine of dependent origination and establishes that the world neither exists nor does not exist.

The elimination of craving for becoming (Bhava tanha), was encouraged by Buddha. The craving causes suffering leading to birth and another life (Jati). It happens through the five Skandhas. The ignorant forms of dispositions that constitute the source of the life process. Therefore, it is the ignorant who is the agent, not the wise one. When the ignorance has ceased, there is no occurrence of dispositions. The cessation of ignorance happens by practicing the eight fold virtues and the aspirant gains wisdom. There happens the ‘Samskaropashama’ the appeasement of dispositions. And through the twelve fold formula the entire mass of suffering ceases. It is ‘Prapancopashama’. These cessation of ignorance and non-arising of dispositions through grasping one attains enlightenment.^[4]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Milerepa is a great Buddhist Yogi of Tibet.

[2]:

Lama Anagarika Govinda, The Psychological Attitude of Early Buddhist Philosophy, Rider & Company, London, 1961, p. 56.

[3]:

L.D. Barnett, A Manual of Mahayana Buddhism, The Wisdom of the East Series, London,1991, p. 218.

[4]:

Alex Wayman, George Elder (ed.), Buddhist Insight Essays, MLBD, 1984, p. 163-167.