THE DOCTRINE OF DEPENDENT ORIGINATION (PRATITYA- SAMUTPADA)
The doctrine of dependent origination is central to Buddhist philosophy and is connected to the second noble truth - suffering has a cause (Dukkha Samudaya). According to Buddhism everything in this world has a cause. There is a cycle of twelve such causes and corresponding effects which governs the entire life of human beings. It is called Bhavacakra, the cycle of existence. This universal law works automatically without the help of any conscious guide. This doctrine is the main principle in Buddha’s teachings. Other notions, such as the doctrine of karma, the theory of momentoriness, and the theory of nonsoul are based on this doctrine.
Pratitya-samutpada is a middle path between sasvatvada (the principle of eternity) and uchedvada (the principle of annihilation). According to sasvatvada, some things are eternal, uncaused, and independent. According to uchedvada, nothing remains after the destruction of things. By maintaining a middle way between both these principles, pratitya-samutpada holds that things have existence but they are not eternal and they are not annihilated completely. The twelve links of pratitya- samutpada are as follows:
Ignorance (Avidya): Ignorance is caused by desire. It is the substratum of action and the basis of ego (jivahood). Ignorance causes the individual to think of himself as separate from the entire world. This leads to attachment to life and thus to suffering.
Predisposition (Samskara): Samskara is caused by ignorance. Predisposition means a disposition preceding to or preparing to certain activity. Also, it can be understood as the attitude and aptitude of the past Karma.
Samskara is also known as fabrication. There are three types of fabrications namely bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, and mental fabrications.
Consciousness (Vijnana): Consciousness is caused by predispositions. There are six types of consciousness, namely, eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and intellectconsciousness.
Name and Form (Namarupa): It is the psycho-physical body in the womb of the mother caused by consciousness.
Sense Organs (Sadayatana): The sense organs are caused by name and form. There are six sense organs such as the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the skin, and the mind.
Contact (Sparsa): Contact with the object of enjoyment is caused by sense organs. Sometimes it is said that the eye is due to seeing and not that seeing is due to the eye, and similarly in the case of every organ.
Feeling or Sensation (Vedana): Feeling or sensation is caused by contact with the objects of enjoyment. Feeling or sensation is of six forms, such as, vision, hearing, olfactory (sensation), gustatory sensation, tactile sensation, and intellectual sensation (thought).
Craving (Trsna): The craving or thirst for enjoyment is caused by the actual experience or sensation of enjoyment. It is due to craving that a person blindly longs for worldly attachments. There are six forms of cravings, such as, cravings with respect to forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and ideas.
Attachment or Clinging (Upadana): The clinging to sensory enjoyment is caused by the craving for such enjoyment. There are four types of clinging, namely, sensual clinging, view clinging, practice clinging, and self clinging.
Becoming (Bhava): It is the will to be born caused by clinging or attachment. It includes thoughts and actions which are responsible for rebirth. There are three kinds of becoming, such as sensual becoming, form becoming, and formless becoming.
Birth (Jati): Birth (also rebirth) is caused by becoming (bhava). The jiva is caught up in the wheel of the world and remains in it till it attains nirvana. It refers not just to birth at the beginning of a lifetime, but to birth as a new person, which is the acquisition of a new status or position.
Old Age and Death (Jaramarana): Old age and death are caused by birth. Rebirth causes the whole chain of the worldly sufferings. After a man is caught in the wheel of the world, diseases, old age, suffering, death, etc. recur.
The twelve links of the doctrine of dependent origination can be divided into three classes, namely, the past, the future, and the present. Ignorance and predisposition are due to the past life. Consciousness, name and form, sense organs, contact, feeling, craving, and clinging are connected to the present life. Finally, becoming, birth, and old age and death are of future life.