THE DOCTRINE OF MOMENTORINESS (KSHANIKA- VADA)
According to kshanika-vada, everything is momentary, relative, conditional, and dependent. It is also known as the doctrine of impermanence (anityavada). Buddhism teaches that the world and its objects are not permanent, but momentary. The universe is a constant chain of change. The basis of the Doctrine of Momentoriness is the Doctrine of the Dependent Origination. Every object comes into existence from an antecedent condition and gives rise to a consequent object. It is comparable to the flame of a lamp, where the flame is merely the continuity of successive flames. A flame exists only for a moment, but it gives rise to the next flame.
For Buddhists, the material world and its objects are not merely impermanent and transient, but they also exist only for a moment. This doctrine is ultimately to dissuade people from placing confidence in the world and persuade them to renounce it for the permanent status of Nirvana. It avoids two extremes: eternalism and nihilism. Thus, it is a middle path where the world is neither a being nor a non-being.
The Buddhist philosophers have given several arguments in support of the doctrine of momentoriness. Of these, the most important argument is known as Arthakriyakaritra, the argument from the power of generating action. According to this principle, whatever can produce an effect has existence, and whatever cannot produce an effect has no existence. It means that as long as a thing has the power to produce an effect it has existence, and when it ceases to produce an effect, its existence also ceases. Again, one thing can produce only one effect. If at one time a thing produces an effect and at the next moment another effect or no effect, then the former thing ceases to exist.
The law of karma is that every event produces its effects, which in turn become causes for other effects, generating the karmic chain. The doctrine of dependent origination links karmic impressions from past existence and rebirth. These two links signify the proposition that the present existence of a man is dependent upon his past existence - the effect of his thoughts, words, and actions in the past life. Similarly the future existence is dependent on the present existence. According to the law of karma, our present and future are neither capricious nor unconditional, but are conditioned by our past and present.