mipham rinpoche - gateway to knowledge vol. i · dependent origination [4,6] as to inner...

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4DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

[4,1] What is meant by dependent origination? It means that nothingincluded under inner or outer phenomena has arisen without acause. They have also not originated from an independent cause,an uncaused and permanent creator such as the Self, Time, or theAlmighty. The fact that phenomena are produced based on theinterdependence of their respective causes and conditions comingtogether is called dependent origination. To proclaim this is theunique approach of the Buddha's teaching.

[4,2] All outer phenomena arise in interdependence, in the manner of,for instance, a sprout growing from a seed. Inner phenomena, theaggregates of higher, medium, and lower beings, originate in themanner of the twelve links of interdependence.

[4,3] How is this? The outer interdependence can be illustrated by theexample of such things as a sprout growing from a seed, by meansof seven related causes and six related conditions.

[4,4] The [seven] related causes are taught to be seed, sprout, stamen,stalk, bud, flower, and fruit, which sequentially are the causes thatperpetuate the consecutive origination.

[4,5] The [six] related conditions are earth, water, fire, wind, space,and time, which respectively stabilizes, causes to adhere, matures,expands, accommodates, and gradually changes.These co-operating conditions assist in the origination of theseven [steps] from sprout to fruit.

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DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

[4,6] As to inner interdependence, the related causes are the twelvelinks. What are they? A sutra describes them:"Dependent origination is as follows: Because this exists, such-and-such will arise. Because that has arisen, such-and-such arises.Hence, because of ignorance the formations arise, because of theformations the consciousnesses will arise, and so forth. The sameholds true for name-and-form, the six sense-sources, contact,sensation, craving, grasping, becoming, and birth down to old ageand death. Sorrow, lamentation, misery, unhappiness and distresswill then arise. Thus this great mass of total suffering arises."

[4,7] "Similarly, the formations will cease because of ignorance havingceased and so forth, down to the point where, because of birth,old age and death having ceased, sorrow and so forth, this greatmass of total suffering will also cease." Thus it has been taught.

[4,8] 1) IGNORANCE: Ignorance means not to know the meaning ofthe [four noble] truths, as well as the delusion of perceivingincorrectly and in disharmony with the nature of things, such asregarding the respective aggregates of the various levels in thethree realms as being permanent, pleasant, a self-entity, whole,singular, a sentient being, and 'my,' all of which are conceptuali-zations that obscure the correct meaning.

[4,9] 2) FORMATION: As long as this ignorance which apprehends aself is present, it results in the power of actions [karmic forma-tions] created by attachment, anger and delusion, the meritoriousactions of virtue, the non-meritorious actions of nonvirtue, andthe non-transferring actions. Formation therefore means thatseeds of reincarnation are being planted in the consciousness.Thus, virtue forms the [bodily] support and pleasures of thehigher realms, nonvirtue forms the support and sufferings of thelower realms, and the non-transferring [karma] forms the rebirthsin the two upper realms [of form and formlessness].

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[4,10] 3) CONSCIOUSNESS: These formations give rise to theconsciousness which goes to the birthplace of the next existence.The seed placed in the [all-ground] consciousness which propelsone to the [next] rebirth is called impelling consciousness, andthat which leads to the birthplace of that life once the conditionshave come together is called the consciousness of the impelledresult. Both of these are in fact one, in terms of being the linkconsciousness that establishes a rebirth.

[4,11] 4) NAME-AND-FORM: When by the power of this consciousnessone is connected to a womb, the link of name-and-form consistsof the four 'names' of consciousness, sensation, perception, andformation, and together with them the form which is the ovalfetal form and so forth, These constitute the body of thatexistence by means of mutually supporting each other, as in thecase of the roofbeams of a house.

[4,12] 5) THE SIX SOURCES: Following that, when the period of name-and-form has been fully completed, the inner six sources of theeye and so forth arise.

[4,13] 6) CONTACT: Thereafter the objects, sense faculties and con-sciousnesses will meet together and the six contacts will arise,such as perception through the contact of the form of an objectmeeting with the eye. This is the link of contact.

[4,14] 7) SENSATION: From this contact arises the experience of thethree aspects of pleasant, painful, and indifferent sensations. Thatis the link of sensation.

[4,15] 8) CRAVING: Based on sensation arises the eager craving ofdesiring not to be separated from a pleasant sensation, the fearfulcraving of desiring to cast away an unpleasant sensation, and aself-sufficient abiding in regards to indifferent sensations. Thusarises a craving towards the six objects, from forms to mentalobjects. In short, the link of craving is to experience the taste ofthe objects caused by sensation, and to draw in these objects

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because of taking delight in clinging to them. It is divided intothe three cravings of the realms of Desire, Form and Form-lessness.

[4,16] 9) GRASPING: From this craving greatly increases the eagercraving of [thinking] "May I not be separated from what isbeautiful and pleasant!" Hence the actual involvement in ferventlygrasping for objects is the link of grasping. When subdivided, it istaught that there are the four types of grasping: of desire, of[wrong] beliefs, of holding discipline and ritual to be paramount,and of adhering to a self.

[4,17] 10) BECOMING: This grasping fully creates the actions throughbody, speech, and mind that establish the following existence.This is the link of becoming. It can be subdivided into the threetypes ofbecoming of the three realms and so forth.

[4,18] 11) REBIRTH: By the power of this becoming, once theconditions have assembled, the link of rebirth is to first actualizethe rebirth in the birth place of that reincarnation, to fully developa body and to remain as one's similar class. It is the basis forexperiencing all kinds of suffering through that [bodily] support.

[4,19] 12) OLD AGE AND DEATH: From rebirth comes aging, which isthe change in the continuity of the aggregates, and death, whichis the ceasing of that continuity. Illustrated thereby, from thisarises the sorrow which is inner anguish, the lamentation utteredtherefrom, the misery which accompanies the five sense con-sciousnesses, and the unhappiness which accompanies the mindconsciousness. In addition arises distress caused by the unpleasantsubsidiary disturbing emotions. In short, this great mass of totalsuffering results from rebirth within samsara.

[4,20] This rebirth results from becoming and its accompanying[links]. Since the former links exist, there is the convention thatthe following ones will arise. The former ones, having arisen, willperform the function of making the following links arise. When

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the former links are absent or have not arisen, the following oneswill not originate or arise, and so the mass of suffering will cease.

[4,21] As for the related conditions, the disturbing emotions such asignorance arise with the cooperation of the inner faculties and theobjects focused upon. It is the same way with actions [karmas].

[4,22] The seven [links] such as name-and-form which are the basis forsuffering arise from the cooperating conditions of the sixelements: the inner solid element of earth, the liquid element ofwater, the warmth of fire through which food is digested, thewind element such as the inhalation and exhalation of breath, thespace element which is all the accommodating cavities, and theconsciousness element.

[4,23] A visual cognition [eye consciousness] arises when five thingsoperate together: the support which is the eye faculty, the objectwhich is a visible form, its actual presence, unobscured space andan apprehending frame of mind. It should be understood that thisis likewise to be combined with any of the other cognitions[consciousnesses].

[4,24] In this way, the arising of all outer and inner phenomena requirethat their respective causes and conditions come together in theappropriate manner. When these [factors] are incomplete,phenomena do not arise, while when complete, they willdefinitely arise. That is the nature of dependent origination.

[4,25] Since beginningless time there has been no creator of thiscontinual involvement, such as the Self, the Almighty or others.Also, the causes do not conceive of the thought, "I will producethis effect" and the effects do not conceive the thought, "I wasproduced from that." Yet, they arise possessing the five specialfeatures of interdependence of cause and effect. What are they?1. [Phenomena are] not permanent, because a sprout arises afterthe seed has ceased and not while the seed is unceasingly present.

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2. [Phenomena are] not interrupted, because a sprout does notarise from the discontinuance, the seed having ceased; it arisesuninterruptedly. The cessation of the seed and the arising of thesprout are like the up-and-down movement of the two sides of aset of balances.3. The former link is not transformed into the following one,because a seed and a sprout are not one, either in terms of identityor of function.4. A small cause can produce a big effect, just as a tiny seed canyield a big fruit.5. Cause and effect have similar continuity or basis, since, forinstance, a wheat sprout comes from a wheat seed and pleasureresults from virtue.One should understand that all outer and inner causes andeffects are characterized by these five [special features].

[4,26] What is an example for this? Here is how it should beunderstood:Like a recitation, a butter lamp, a mirror, a stamp,A magnifying glass, a seed, sourness, or a sound,So also with the continuation of the aggregates [reincarnation]Should the wise realize that they do not transmigrate.

[4,27] Realizing this, you understand that all things are merely anunfailing manifestation of interdependence. Because they havenot occurred either through themselves, through somethingother, through both, or without causes, they are therefore unori-ginated [nonarising]. They are not made by a creator such asTime or the Almighty. They are devoid of a life principle or apersonality, a doer or a self, or the identity of things. They arehollow and false, and are devoid of a self-nature. The one whounderstands that this is so, is unaffected by [the 360 unwhole-some beliefs], such as conceptualizing a self in the past, present orfuture.

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[4,28] Thus, the one who possesses the acceptance that these [beliefs]will not arise in the future, will be confirmed in unexcelledenlightenment by all the buddhas.

[4,29] In this way, these twelve aspects of interdependence will conti-nuously evolve for as long as ignorance has not been relinquished.The past causes, ignorance and formation, make the presentconsciousness that is the impelled result appear, and the followinglinks, down to the disturbing emotions craving and grasping,gather the karma that produces a rebirth. Thus, up to becoming,eight evolve. Continuing therefrom, there is the taking of birth inthe realm corresponding to one's karma and through that [bodily]support one will undergo the samsaric suffering of aging, dyingand so forth.

[4,30] Concerning this support, for all the beings with form [the links]from consciousness until becoming will occur. If one is born inthe Formless Realms, consciousness until becoming consisting ofthe four name aggregates will occur.

[4,31] Whenever or as whatever one has taken rebirth, there will occurthe processes of being born, aging and dying. And again, havingbeen forced by karmas and disturbing emotions to take anotherbirth, one circles and wanders again and again through theexistences of the three realms, like a swirling fire brand or the rimof a water wheel.

[4,32] After having understood in general this way of a continualoccurrence, if one examines how many lives it takes to complete[one cycle of twelve links], it is taught how they are completedwithin the three lifetimes of the previous, the present, and thefollowing [life-time].

[4,33] Due to the power of the ignorance, craving and grasping com-prised of the aggregates in one's former lifetime, one takes thefollowing birth propelled by the formations of karma. Since inthat [life] consciousness until the [links of] becoming, old age and

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death evolve, [the twelve links] are also completed within twolifetimes.

[4,34] Whichever is the case, since there is a continual occurrence, onedependent upon the other, the process is called continuousinterdependence.

[4,35] Moreover, there is also the manner in which the twelve [links]are contained within the moment of completing an act. Whenillustrating this with, for instance, the act of killing, to engagetherein through lack of understanding is ignorance. Likewise, theaction [karma] is formation. The cognition at that time is con-sciousness. The contact of the weapon piercing [the body] is thename-and-form and of the six sources present at that time. Theexperience or sensation at the time is the pleasure of oneself andpain of the other. There is enthusiastic engagement and craving,and from that comes the grasping of the following part. Theaggregates at the time of committing the act is becoming, result-ing in the birth of the present and following part. Their changeand cessation are regarded as being the links of old age and death.Thus this is the continuous interdependence of a moment [ofcompleting an act].

[4,36] When the twelve links of interdependence are condensed, thethree [links] consisting of ignorance, formation and consciousnessare the propelling links. The four from name-and-form tosensation are the links of the propelled result. The three [links] ofcraving, grasping and becoming are the fully establishing links,and the two of birth and old age and death are the fully estab-lished links. Thus there are four [subdivisions].

[4,37] They can also be divided into three: The three of ignorance,craving and grasping are disturbing emotions. The two offormation and becoming are karma. The remaining seven are theseven bases of suffering. These three categories are respectivelycalled affliction of disturbing emotion, affliction of karma, and

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affliction of life or rebirth, because they afflict all sentient beings.Again, they are also respectively called dependency of disturbingemotion, dependency of karma, and dependency of suffering.

[4,38] From the three disturbing emotions come the two karmas, andfrom these arise the seven bases of suffering. From these sevenagain arise the disturbing emotions and karmas. Thus onecontinuously circles around [within samsara].

[4,39] Among the twelve links, the five disturbing emotions andkarmas and the consciousness are the causes which form all theother links. Thus there can be said to be four links: ignorance,karma, craving, and consciousness. Here both craving and grasp-ing are [defined as] craving, and both formation and becoming askarma.

[4,40] To explain this further, understand consciousness to be like aseed, karma like a field, craving like moisture, and ignorance likeplanting and manure. These four produce the sprouts of name-and-form in all the birthplaces of becoming.

[4,41] When these interdependent links, in progressive order, are con-densed, the five karmas and disturbing emotions are includedunder the truth of origin and the remaining seven fall under thetruth of suffering.

[4,42] In terms of reverse order, having relinquished ignorance throughthe wisdom that realizes the nature of the truths, the reversal ofthe five that are karmas and disturbing emotions is the truth ofpath. Likewise, the ceasing of the seven bases of suffering is thetruth of cessation. Thus they are the nature of the twelvefoldpoints of truth.

[4,43] In that way, dependent origination ranks as an essential and pro-found teaching among the treasuries of the Buddha's Words. Theone who perceives dependent origination with the eyes ofdiscriminating knowledge will come to see the dharmas possess-ing the natures of the eightfold noble path, and with the wisdom

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gaze which comprehends all objects of knowledge will perceivethe dharmakaya ofbuddhahood. Thus it has been taught.

[4,44] This was the chapter on interdependence.

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mipham rinpoche - gateway to knowledge vol. i · dependent origination [4,6] as to inner...

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