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Paticca Samuppada

Dependent Origination
Understanding
Lee Yu Ban
October 2014
Paticca samuppada (Dependent Origination) is
profound and appears profound. It is through not
understanding, not penetrating this doctrine that this
generation has become like a tangled ball of string,
covered as with a blight, tangled like coarse grass,
unable to pass beyond states of woe, the ill destiny,
ruin and the round of birth-and-death.
~ Mahanidana sutta
Whoever sees Paticca samuppada (Dependent
Origination) sees the Dhamma; and whoever sees the
Dhamma sees Paticca samuppada (Dependent
Origination). ~ Mahahatthipadopama Sutta
Considered one of the most profound of the Buddhas teachings
as it explains the processes that cause Rebirth

What is Paticca Samuppada?
Paticca Samuppada is the Buddhas doctrine that
explains how Rebirth occur without a permanent
soul.
explains how it is our Craving (Tanha) that ties us to
Samsara
explains how Ignorance (Avijja) gives rise to Craving.
explains how Rebirth can be ended with the
destruction of Ignorancce
allows us to see the purpose of the various
Buddhist practices.

Quick recap -The 4 Noble Truths
The truth of dukkha (suffering, stress,
unsatisfactoriness)
The truth that dukkha is caused by Tanha (Craving)
The truth of the cessation of dukkha
The truth of the path that leads to the cessation of
dukkha


Dhammapada 183

Sabba papassa akaranam, Avoid all evil,
Kusalassa upasampada, Cultivate the good ,
Sacitta pariyo dapanam, Purify your mind,
Etam Buddhanasasanam. This is the Teaching of all the Buddhas

Buddhism is not a religion of Belief.
It is a religion of Practice.

The purpose of Buddhist practice
is to purify the mind of Ignorance
Dhammapada 103
Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand
men in battle,
yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself.
The Buddhist path is often likened to a quest, a battle in
which a person is Enlightened after destroying Ignorance.
If Ignorance is to be destroyed, then the





5 Precepts is our defence.

The Eight-fold Path is our strategy

Paticca Samuppada is a map of the
battleground.
It locates the enemy and points out its weakest
defences.
Tibetan Wheel of Life
Bad and
good kamma
Greed, hatred,
delusion
Samsara grasps
the 6 worlds and
bites into it
Buddha points the
way to liberation
Six worlds
1. Celestial beings (devas)
2. Titans/demons (asuras)
3. Animals
4. Hell
5. Ghosts
6. Humans
1
2
3
4
5
6
Locked in by12 links
of
Paticca Samuppada
One Doctrine is
the Key
to understanding
Paticca Samuppada

Nama (Mind)
comprising
Vinnana (Consciousness)
Sanna (Perception)
Vedana (Feeling)
Sankhara (Mental Formations)
Rupa (Matter)
The Five Aggregates
The outer rim depicts the 12 links of
Paticca Samuppada

1.Avijja - Ignorance
2. Sankhara - Mental Formations
3. Vinna - Consciousness
4. Nma rpa - Mind & Matter
5. alyatana Six Sense Bases
6. Phasso - Contact
7. Vedan - Feeling
8. Tanha - Craving
9. Updna - Grasping/Attachment
10. Bhava - Becoming
11. Jti - Birth
12. Jar maraan - Old age and death
1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2
The 12 Links of the Paticca Samuppada
Past Life
(Mechanical aspect)
Present Life
(Psychological aspect)
Next Life
(Philosophical aspect)
1. Avijja Ignorance
2. Sankhara Mental Formations
3. Vinnana Consciousness
4. Namarupa Mind & Matter
5. Salayatana Six Sense bases
6. Phasso Contact
7. Vedana Feeling
8. Tanha Craving
9. Upadana Grasping/Attachment
10. Bhava Becoming
11. Jati Birth
12. Jara-maranam Old age and Death


Through many a birth I wandered in Samsara,
Seeking but not finding the builder of this house. (mind & body)
Sorrowful indeed is birth again and again.
Oh, house builder! You are seen.
You shall build this house no more.
All your rafters (defilements) are broken,
Your ridgepole (ignorance) is shattered.
The mind has attained to the unconditioned .
Achieved is the end of craving.

~ Dhammapada 153 ~

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