Cause and Condition

Buddhism basically touches on the scenario of cause and condition more than the

case of cause and effect. Frankly speaking, all phenomenal existences are

products of the proper combination of causes and conditions. For example,

according to the philosophy of yin-yang, our bodies are made up of the

combination of four great elements of earth, water, fire and wind and if any of

these elements are not in a harmonious orientation, we would be taken ill

physically. These four elements would represent the causes and the conditions

would be the need for it to orientate with one another harmoniously at all times or

otherwise, our bodies would fall sick as the result.

The principle-in-effect: -

This arising (the cause and condition), that arises (the result);

This ceasing (the cause and condition), that ceases (the result).

In other words, everything that exists is the result of multiple causes and

conditions. Each of the causes would need other causes to be present together

with their respective conditions. Just like for a new house to exist, we need the

bricks, cement, wood, iron rods, roof tiles, plastic pipes and other materials. The

construction can only be completed when one has all the essential materials and

all the prerequisites are met, such as the skillfulness of the workers, the time

allocation, etc. The wood needs the forest, the sunshine, the rain, etc. The

workers need their parents, their meals, their clothing, their shelters, etc. If we

were to observe these scenarios in its entirety, we could realise that everything in

the cosmos attributed to the existence of the new house; without it, the new

house would be impossible. The clear fact here is that one cause is never enough

to bring about an effect. A cause must, at the same time, be an effect, and every

effect must also be the cause of something else.

The principle-in-effect: -

Cause 1 conjures up Effect 1,

Effect 1 conjures up Cause 1-1,

Cause 1-1 conjures up Effect 1-1,

Effect 1-1 conjures up Cause 1-1-1,

.., etc.

Therefore, cause and effect are simply two aspects of the same thing. The only

difference between these two aspects is the time of event. In other words, cause

and effect are inter-changing, inter-relating and inter-waving with one another.

This is how the conventional reality works i.e. not in-linear but in inter-

dependence, inter-woven and inter-relation since the dawn of time in a very

comprehensive and complicated network of existence. In other words, cause and

effect cannot be referred independently in a linear point of reference and

therefore, no first cause, no first effect can be found within the dependent nature.

Instead, there is only inter-dependent co-arising of all things or matters. This

means everything that exists is empty because there is no essence to anything

and nothing has ever existed in its own quality – nothing is permanent and

unchanging. All objects exist conditionally without an eternal essence i.e. every

existence is empty and emptiness is in every existence.