Paṭiccasamuppāda (Lectured by Mr. Udita Garusingha, given by ven. Candasiri) July, 2010

The basis of Buddhist philosophy is Paṭiccasamuppāda, hence without Paṭiccasamuppāda it would not be philosophy.¹ All the teachings of Buddhism can be described as aspects of Paṭiccasamuppāda. It forms the basis of fundamental doctrines of aniccatā (impermanence), dukkhatā (suffering), anattatā (soullessness) and suññatā (emptiness). The universe which exists in time and spreads over regions(?) is a continuation of activity that is varied. Paṭiccasamuppāda gives the fundamental truth of the interrelatedness, clash and cessation of conditioned phenomena (universe/everything/saṅkhārā). Therefore, the beings in the world are realistically described by Paṭiccasamuppāda. It explains in large frame what the Four Noble Truths explain in a concise form. Therefore, it is said, that one who comprehends the Paṭissasamuppāda as a law of causality also comprehends the Dhamma (the Four Noble Truths): »Yo paṭiccasamuppādaṃ passati, so dhammaṃ passati.«

Paṭiccasamuppāda or Idappaccayatā pervades the whole universe including beings (sattā), that is everything what counts under material and psychological phenomena. It is not a formulation of any religious teacher, but the universal law. The Paṭiccasamuppāda, which is realizable by paññā by everybody was discovered by the Buddha and He preached it for the sake of the world:

»Katamo ca, bhikkhave, paṭiccasamuppādo? jātipaccayā, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṃ. uppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ anuppādā vā tathāgatānaṃ, ṭhitāva sā dhātu dhammaṭṭhitatā dhammaniyāmatā idappaccayatā. taṃ tathāgato abhisambujjhati abhisameti. abhisambujjhitvā abhisametvā ācikkhati deseti paññāpeti paṭṭhapeti vivarati vibhajati uttānīkaroti. `passathā'ti cāha -- `jātipaccayā, bhikkhave, jarāmaraṇaṃ.«

(Saṃyutta Nikāya, - 1. Nidānasaṃyuttaṃ - 2. Āhāravaggo - 10. Paccayasuttaṃ)

The Buddha stated that He attained Sambodhi by realizing the origin of suffering, having reflected on the Paṭiccasamuppāda in the direct order (anuloma) and cessation of suffering on it in reverse order (paṭiloma).

According to Nidāna Saṃyutta of Saṃyutta Nikāya, in the teaching of the origin and cessation of the suffering, the Paṭiccasamuppāda is described as having 12 components. These are avijjā, saṅkhārā, viññāṇa, nāma-rūpa, salāyatana, phassa, vedanā, taṇhā, upādāna, bhava, jāti, jarāmaraṇa etc.)

Suffering arises with cause becoming the result and the result in turn becoming the cause. Suffering ceases with the cessation of cause and with the result also in turn ceasing. Though avijjā (ignorance) is posited as the beginning, Paṭiccasamuppāda is like a cycle. The beginning or the end of the cycle cannot be found. Therefore, the starting point of the being in Saṃsāra cannot be found:

»Anamataggoyaṃ bhikkhave saṃsāro, pubbākoṭi na paññāyati.«

(Saṃyutta Nikāya - 4. Anamataggasaṃyuttaṃ - 1. Paṭhamavaggo - 1. Tiṇakaṭṭhasuttaṃ)

The philosophical meaning of above statement is, that the existence of a being occurs according to the cycle of cause and effect. Comprehension of Dhamma means the realization of this Paṭiccasamuppāda or in other words the Saṃsāra conditions that existing being is interconnected with cause and effect. The statement »yo paṭiccasamuppādaṃ passati so dhammaṃ passati« indicates the point. The main aim of Paṭiccasamuppāda is to show, that man comes into being due to cause and effect and with the cessation of cause and effect the concept of being ceases. In short, the intention of Paṭiccasamuppāda is to show that the dukkhakkhandha (suffering) arises due to cause and effect and with their cessation suffering ceases. The Mahānidāna Sutta of Dīgha Nikāya says that due to not comprehending the Paṭiccasamuppāda the individual goes through immense suffering of Saṃsāra. The Paṭiccasamuppāda comprises of basic theory:

»Imasmiṃ sati, idaṃ hoti, imassa uppādā idaṃ uppajjati, imasmiṃ asati idaṃ na hoti, imassa nirodhā idaṃ nirujjhati.«

When there is this, this becomes with the rise of this, this arises, when there is not this, this is not becoming, with the cessation of this, this ceases.

This is the basis of Paṭiccasamuppāda, the components which vary in suttas and which are employed for various purposes. When this fundamental doctrine is applied with reference to suffering of a being, it is known as the twelve-fold Paṭiccasamuppāda. The Mahānidāna Sutta of Dīgha Nikāya gives a different text of Paṭiccasamuppāda and it explains how the individual suffering becomes social suffering:

“Thus, Ānanda, in dependence upon (paṭicca) feeling (vedanā) there is craving (taṇhā), in dependence upon craving there is pursuit (pariyesanā), in dependence upon pursuit there is gain (lābha), in dependence upon gain there is decision making (vinicchayo), in dependence upon decision making there is desire and lust (chandarāgo), in dependence upon desire and lust there is attachment (ajjhosānaṃ), in dependence upon attachment there is possessiveness (pariggaho), in dependence upon possessiveness there is stinginess (macchariyaṃ), in dependence upon stinginess there is safe guarding (ārakkho) and because of safe-guarding various evil, unwholesome phenomena originate, the taking up clubs (daṇḍādāna) and weapons (satthādāna), conflicts (kalaha), quarrels (viggaha), disputes (vivāda), insulting speech (tuvaṃtuvaṃ), slander (pesuñña) and falsehood (musāvādā).”

»Iti kho panetaṃ, ānanda, vedanaṃ paṭicca taṇhā, taṇhaṃ paṭicca pariyesanā, pariyesanaṃ paṭicca lābho, lābhaṃ paṭicca vinicchayo, vinicchayaṃ paṭicca chandarāgo, chandarāgaṃ paṭicca ajjhosānaṃ, ajjhosānaṃ paṭicca pariggaho, pariggahaṃ paṭicca macchariyaṃ, macchariyaṃ paṭicca ārakkho. ārakkhādhikaraṇaṃ daṇḍādānasatthādānakalahaviggahavivādatuvaṃtuvaṃpesuññamusāvādā aneke pāpakā akusalā dhammā sambhavanti.«

(Dīgha Nikāya - 2. Mahānidānasuttaṃ – Paṭiccasamuppādo)

1Here we will dare to disagree with the teacher and claim, that there are also different teachings in Buddhism, which are its 'basis', such as Tilakkhaṇa, Cattāri Ariyasaccāni etc. If that is true, then without Paṭiccasamuppāda Buddhism would still be philosophy.