Dependent Origination(Part I)-D.O vs First Cause
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In essence, this general principle corresponds to what is known in Pali as idappaccayata, the principle of conditionality.
A. Imasmim sati idam hoti:
Imasuppada idam upajjati:
When there is this, that is.
With the arising of this, that arises.
B. Imasmim asati idam na hoti:
Imassa nirodha idam nirujjhati:
When this is not, neither is that.
With the cessation of this, that ceases. [S.II.28,65] -
The principle of Dependent Origination shows the interdependence and interrelation of all things in the form of a continuum. As a continuum, it can be analyzed from a number of different perspectives:
All things are interrelated and interdependent; all things exist in relation to each other; all things exist dependent on determinants; all things have no enduring existence, not even for a moment; all things have no intrinsic entity; all things are without First Cause, or Genesis.
To put it another way, the fact that all things appear in their diverse forms of growth and decline shows their true nature to be one of a continuum or process. Being a continuum shows them to be compounded of numerous determinants. The form of a continuum arises because the various determinants are interrelated. The continuum moves and changes form because the various factors concerned cannot endure, even for a moment. Things cannot endure, even for a moment, because they have no intrinsic entity. Because they have no intrinsic entity they are entirely dependent on determinants. Because the determinants are interrelated and interdependent, they maintain the form of a continuum, and being so interrelated and interdependent indicates that they have no First Cause.
To render it in a negative form: if things had any intrinsic entity they would have to possess some stability; if they could be stable, even for a moment, they could not be truly interrelated; if they were not interrelated they could not be formed into a continuum; if there were no continuum of cause and effect, the workings of nature would be impossible; and if there were some real intrinsic self within that continuum there could be no true interdependent cause and effect process. The continuum of cause and effect which enables all things to exist as they do can only operate because such things are transient, ephemeral, constantly arising and ceasing and having no intrinsic entity of their own.
The property of being transient, ephemeral, arising and ceasing, is called aniccata. The property of being subject to birth and dissolution, of inherently involving stress and conflict, and of being intrinsically imperfect, is called dukkhata. The quality of voidness of any real self is called anattata. The principle of Dependent Origination illustrates these three properties in all things and shows the interrelatedness and inter-reaction of all things to produce the diverse events in nature.
The functioning of the principle of Dependent Origination applies to all things, both physical and mental, and expresses itself through a number of natural laws. These are:
Dhammaniyama: the natural law of cause and effect;
Utuniyama: the natural law pertaining to physical objects (physical laws);
Bijaniyama: the natural law pertaining to living things and heredity (biological laws);
Cittaniyama: the natural law governing the workings of the mind (psychological or psychic laws);
Kammaniyama: the law of kamma, which is of particular importance in determining human well-being and is directly related to behavior from an ethical perspective. -
Things have no intrinsic entity because they arise dependent on causes and are interrelated.
A simple illustration:
What we know as a 'bed' comes from the collection of numerous components to assume a known form. A 'bed' other than these components does not exist. When all the components are dismantled, no 'bed' remains. All that is left is the concept of 'bed.' Even that concept is without independent existence, but must relate to other concepts, such as 'sleeping,' a plane surface, a base, an empty space and so on.
Concepts are formed in the mind through the association of relationships. For most people, once a set of relationships is formed into a concept, the habit of clinging to things through craving (tanha) and clinging (upadana) attaches to those concepts as fixed entities. Such clinging isolates the concept from its relationship with other things, and stains perceptions with notions of 'me' and 'mine,' leading to identification with them and thus preventing any true understanding.
Things have no root cause or first arising. Tracing back along the stream of causes ad infinitum, no root cause can be found for anything. Yet there is a tendency for people to try to find some kind of original cause; this kind of thinking conflicts with the way of nature and causes perceptions which are at variance with the truth. It is a form of self-deception, caused by the human habit of stopping any inquiry into causes at the immediate one and going no further. Thus the usual understanding of cause and effect, believing in an original cause for things, is inaccurate and contrary to the laws of nature. Considering how things are, it is necessary to search further back by asking, "What is the cause of that so-called Original Cause?" and so on. None can be found. The question should rather be asked, "Why should things have a root cause anyway?" -
Another kind of reasoning which contradicts nature and is related to the idea of a root cause is the belief that in the beginning there was nothing. This kind of idea arises from attachment to the concept of self (atta), which in turn is derived from attachment to concepts. From there, the deduction is that previously this did not exist, but then it became extant. This kind of false reasoning is the human habit of 'clinging to concepts,' or 'not knowing the truth of concepts,' which in turn is not knowing things as they are. This causes the attempt to find something eternal, a First Cause, Mover of All Things, or Creator, which in turn gives rise to a number of contradictions, such as: "How can that which is eternal create that which is non-eternal?" In fact, within the dynamic stream of cause and effect there is no need for a position either supporting or denying any static existence at all, whether 'in the beginning' or right now, except within the realm of spoken concepts.
We should rather encourage fresh consideration with the question
"Why must existence be preceded by nonexistence ?"
The common belief that all things have a Creator is another idea which contradicts reality. Such a belief is a result of deductive thinking, based on the observation of man's ability to create things and produce artifacts of various kinds, such as the arts and so on. The deduction follows that therefore all things in the world must have a creator. In this case, we are deceived when we isolate the concept 'building' or 'creating' from the normal cause and effect continuum, thus taking a falsehood as our basic premise. In fact, 'building' is only one phase of the Dependent Origination process. That we are capable of creating anything at all is through becoming determinants in the process of relationship which produces the desired result. We differ from the purely physical factors concerned only in that in our case there are some mental factors, involving intention, also present. Even so, those factors remain part of a totality of factors and must also proceed according to the cause and effect process. For instance, when we wish to build a skyscraper, we must become part of the stream of determinants, manipulating other determinants in the process to completion. If the thought of creation was capable of bringing things into existence independent of the cause and effect process, then we could create skyscrapers anywhere simply by thinking them into existence, which is impossible. Thus, the word 'creation' has no meaning beyond a description of part of a process. Moreover, when things proceed smoothly along the cause and effect process, the question of a creator is no longer relevant at any point along the way.
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A general formulation of this concept goes:
With this as condition,
That arises.
With this NOT as condition,
That does NOT arise.
An example to illustrate:
You go on summer holiday to a hot climate, such as Arizona, Spain or Australia. It's a hot clear day and you're sunbathing by the hotel pool with the sun beating down on you. You will begin to feel hot, sweaty, uncomfortable, and soon feel thirsty. You go get yourself a drink to quench your thirst, and think "It's too hot to sit by the pool today, I'm going back to my hotel room where it's cooler, to read for a while".
With "hot summer sun" as condition,
Sweat, thirst and discomfort arises.
With "cool hotel room" as condition,
Sweat, thirst and discomfort do NOT arise.
This draws attention to the constant flux of "Coming to be, and Ceasing to be" that is happening all the time. All phenomena are subject to this unending interaction. And since all phenomena are dependent on other phenomena, they are all transient and impermanent. -
An example to illustrate:
All things arise from causes and conditions. A sprout, for example, arises from a seed but it depend on soil, moisture, air and sunlight for its growth. If any of these conditions is missing, then the sprout will not growth. The flame of an oil lamp depends on the wick and oil. When either the wick is totally burnt up or the last drop of oil is used up, the flame will die out. In the same way, life arises from cause and conditions NOT creation
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Due to the profundity the following principle of Dependent Origination will not be discussed in detail .
There are 12 factors that make up the standard description of Dependent Origination. The most interesting question
"Why did The Buddha place such importance on Dependent Origination? What is its purpose?".
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It is becos the function of Dependent Origination is threefold:
-To explain how there can be rebirth without a soul. (Of all religions and philosophies in the world, only two,reject the theory of soul.One is Buddhism and the other is the world view of modern science.)
-To answer the question "What is life?".
-To understand why there is suffering, and where suffering comes to an end. -
"Whoever sees interdependent origination sees the dharma." - Buddha
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also:
"Whoever sees Dharma sees the Buddha." - Buddha
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interdependent origination very challenging teaching