3. The Process of Dependent Origination

And then Venerable Ananda approached the Blessed one, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him, ‘It is wonderful, Venerable sir! It is amazing Venerable sir! This dependent origination is so deep and so deep in implications, yet to me it seems as clear as clear can be.’ – Causation Sutta

DAVID: I’d like to know about the Buddha’s teachings on the process of dependent origination. The law of causality.

Pemasiri Thera: Why do you care about dependent origination?

I’ve been meditating for twenty years, spent years, many years with you, studying the four noble truths and the eightfold path, but I don’t see any real gains. I’m hoping that understanding dependent origination will lead to some of these real gains. I want to ease my suffering, improve my life—this is why I care about dependent origination.

To very intelligent people, the Buddha only needed to teach the four noble truths and the eightfold path; nothing more was needed for their attainment to sotàpatti and beyond. To less intelligent people, he also had to teach the process of dependent origination. You have enough wisdom to at least look in the right direction.

The process of dependent origination, paticcasamuppàda, explains the process of conditional arising of all material and immaterial phenomena, with the exception of nibbàna, in all the planes of birth. The basic formula is clear-cut, as the Buddha states in many suttas in the Nidàna Samyutta of the Samyutta Nikàya: “When there is this, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When there isn’t this, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that also ceases.” Causes and effects. The Buddha directly addresses dependent origination in about forty suttas and he implies it in every sutta. Take a look at the Origination Sutta; that’s an interesting sutta. Upon concluding a teaching, the Buddha reminded his listeners to be constantly aware of dependent origination because, when a man or a woman understands dependent origination, he or she turns towards nibbàna. It is that simple and that important. When causes and effects are clearly seen, we see the release from causes and effects. “One who sees dependent origination,” said Venerable Sàriputta, “sees the dhamma, and one who sees the dhamma sees dependent origination.” The whole of the Buddha-Dhamma is a dhamma of dependent origination.

I’m interested in the twelve factors of dependent origination.

Not only those twelve factors that you’re familiar with, the four noble truths, every verse of the Dhammapada, the eightfold path, and the seven factors of enlightenment all of these teachings act in accordance with the process of dependent origination. For example, the four noble truths are generally taught in one standard order: suffering is placed first; craving is second; the end of suffering third; and the eightfold path fourth. This is how the four noble truths are taught. The four noble truths are understood, however, in a different order: craving is placed first; suffering follows second; the eightfold path is third; and the end of suffering fourth.

• When we crave, we suffer

• When we follow the eightfold path, we end our suffering

In the very first verse of the Dhammapada, the Buddha states, “Mind is forerunner. If we act in a harmful way, with bad intention, then just as the cartwheel rolls behind the foot of the ox, suffering follows.” In the second verse, he says, “If we act in a beneficial way, that’s with good intention, then as our shadow is cast wherever we go, happiness follows.” In these two verses, the Buddha covers all four of the four noble truths: craving, suffering, eightfold path, and the end of suffering. Now look at the eightfold path, as it too acts in accordance with the process of dependent origination:

• When we have the right understanding, right thoughts and intentions arise
• When we have right thoughts, right speech arises
• When we practise right speech, right actions arise
• When we perform right actions, a right way of living arises
• When we live in a right way, right effort arises

• When we strive with the right effort, right mindfulness arises
• And when we attend to objects with right mindfulness, right concentration arises

And no matter where we are walking, whether it’s along the eightfold path or along the seven factors of enlightenment path, each step we take depends upon our preceding step. The seven factors of enlightenment, the bojjhaïga:

• When we are in one of the four foundations of mindfulness mindful contemplation of body, feeling, states of mind, and mind-objects our mindfulness is established and the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, sati-sambojjhaïga, arises
• When we abide fully mindful, we see what is beneficial, as well as see what is harmful, and the enlightenment factor of the investigation into the nature of things, dhamma-vicaya-sambojjhanga, arises
• When the nature of things is fully investigated, the enlightenment factor of effort, viriya-sambojjhanga, arises
• When our effort is firm, we restrain and abandon the harmful, as well as develop and maintain the beneficial. The enlightenment factor of rapture, pãti-sambojjhanga, then arises

• When we are rapturous, our bodies are light and our minds are composed, which leads to the arising of the enlightenment factor of serenity, passaddhi-sambojjhanga
• When we are serene and entirely linked to the beneficial, the enlightenment factor of concentration, samàdhi-sambojjhnïga, arises
• And when our minds are fully settled down in the state of Samadhi, we see the corelessness of what is called feeling: it is either pleasant or painful. And with the arising of this realization, the enlightenment factor of equanimity, upekkhà-sambojjhaïga,arises

The Buddha said, “Let the factors of enlightenment grow as a series of causes and effects.” To bring the factors of enlightenment to mind, to develop them, you have to make some effort, viriya. And though not explicitly stated, the enlightenment factor of vàyàma is understood to work in partnership with viriya. Vàyàma is primarily physical, body effort; whereas viriya is mental effort. We must include vàyàma when we discuss viriya. When our entire physical and mental efforts are, in a completely wholesome and beneficial way, directed towards breaking free from sansara, we are working with àtàpã-sampajanna. Âtàpã is physical and mental enthusiasm; while sampajanna is clear comprehension. Thus with diligence and I mean the collection of viriya, sati, and pannà the enlightenment factor of rapture arises.

APPLIED DEPENDENT ORIGINATION

The practice of bhàvanà only starts when you start developing the bojjhangas. With mindfulness, with sati, you know when an enlightenment factor is present, when it’s absent, how to make it arise, and how to fulfill it. If you aren’t developing the enlightenment factors, you aren’t meditating. You’re doing something else. Before meditators attain stream-entry, they are practicing the factors of enlightenment as vipassanà rather than truly as factors of enlightenment. They are just seeing their defilements, without seeing the causes that lead to the arising of defilements. Since the link between causes and effects, hetu-phala, isn’t seen, there’s no possibility for the destruction of defilements, kilesas.

I’m not following. Could what you’re saying be seen as an, “If this happens, then that happens,” connection?

Yes, seeing causes and effects. In the Bojjhanga Sutras, Cassava and Moggallàna use reflection on the seven factors of enlightenment to cure their illnesses. You too can reflect on them. The Buddha regularly brought these factors to mind. However, the factors of enlightenment can only be practiced as factors of enlightenment after the attainment of stream-entry. Once meditators attain to sotàpatti, stream-entry, they have both sati and pannà. They see causes and effects, and destroy defilements. The sotàpanna can see the subha in the asubha, see the asubha in the subha, and can choose to be in equanimity. For clarification, see the Bojjhaïgasaüyutta. And though still doing some measuring, the sotàpanna sees his or her own measuring and in that insight there is an underlying base of compassion.

Are you using the word measuring to mean comparing and judging?

I mean measuring in the sense of giving marks or scores to people and views and other things. For example, after taking many meditation courses, a meditator may indulge in measuring – I am better than this meditator; I am equal to that meditator; I’m not as good as this other meditator; this is good and that’s bad; I’m right and they’re wrong. The veteran of many meditation courses often has lots of likes and dislikes. However, if the meditator is going to make any progress in his or her practice, the meditator must see that he or she is measuring and then offset the measuring by seeing the asubha in the subha – the problem in the pleasure. This is crucial. Only by seeing and then taking steps to eliminate measuring can a meditator improve his or her perception. If measuring isn’t even seen, the meditator is lost. Take care not to measure.

What’s asubha?

Subha is usually defined as the pleasure we take from objects. Whereas, asubha means seeing the reality of pleasurable objects. If you love an object too much, it eventually causes you some problems. Take the boy who is attracted to the hair of a young girl. Some day the girl’s hair will turn grey and it won’t be very attractive. Perhaps the young girl gets cancer and has to undergo chemotherapy, which causes her hair to fall out. In both cases, the girl and the boy suffer. The cancer is painful for the girl as well as the boy. But the meditator who has sati, mindfulness, sees the girl and the boy and the suffering that arises. The meditator sees the pain that arises out of clinging. I am not saying we see the beautiful as ugly. No. If a meditator looks at beautiful objects and says these objects are repulsive, he or she is just creating aversion. Its foolish to look at a beautiful woman and say she’s ugly. Not true. She isn’t ugly. She’s beautiful. You get some pleasure when you see her. But in the longer perspective, she won’t be so beautiful, as all conditioned objects are subject to decay, and destruction.

Is non-useful a better translation for asubha?

It’s only fair. A better translation for asubha would be, “leads to a problem.” Some people use the word repulsive. That is too strong. Subha means auspicious in Sinhalese, but again not a good translation. With useful as the translation for subha, asubha would mean non-useful. We tend to think of our bodies at the same time as useful and pleasurable. What do you think? Is your body useful?

Sure, it carries my mind around.

I thought you would say that. Don’t think about the mind.

Well, let’s say this: there’s no life without a body.

You can’t get anything useful or positive from your body. Not from the long perspective. Nothing permanently good comes from it. The body ages and life becomes unpleasant. This is the definition of asubha. Read the story of Sirimà. While alive, she was the most desired and expensive prostitute in her city. A few days after her death, the Buddha, a group of bhikkhus, and some lay people went to see her. Only the Buddha knew that she had died. One of the bhikkhus in the group had always found her very attractive and was looking forward to visiting her. When they saw Sirimà, however, she was no longer beautiful. A few days in the tropical heat had turned the most beautiful woman in the city into a heap of black and boiling putrid flesh. The Buddha asked, “Now, who will pay 1000 coins to spend a night with Sirimà?” No one takes up the offer. “Who will pay 500 coins?” And so on. He carries on to a fraction of a coin and then states, “She’s free! No charge!” It seems the Buddha had a sense of humor. Not surprisingly, no one takes up his offer because, once a person is dead, the value is gone. There is such a fine line between a living body and a dead body.

Should I see the asubha of my own body or other people’s bodies?

It doesn’t matter. You can practice asubha on yourself or on others. It’s all the four primary elements earth, water, fire, and air. There is no me or mine or them, just hair, nails, teeth… same, same, same. Be practical. Remember greed, aversion, and delusion lead to dukkha; and asubha, mettà and pannà lead to liberation. The body isn’t, in this essential sense, useful. It only leads to problems. If you practise asubha, you have an undistorted perception; you’ll include in your perception the unpleasant and unsatisfactory aspects of the body and will not focus your attention solely on its pleasant aspects. And as your wisdom develops, your painful mental feelings will gradually diminish. An undistorted perception also means seeing the subha in the asubha.

And how would I see the pleasant in what is unpleasant and problematic?

Seeing the subha in the asubha means seeing the non-loathsome in what is normally seen as loathsome and disgusting, say a rotting corpse. It’s not that you see the pleasant in a rotting corpse. That’s also a distortion. When practicing properly, there is simply no intellectualization of the object, just the way things are. You have a neutral and balanced response, and it happens automatically. When a young and attractive woman drops by, for example, you immediately see the aging and decay aspects too, and know that this young woman will be an old woman someday. Does the young man who marries a twenty year-old woman also think of her turning eighty and living in a nursing home? No, his perception is distorted. We need to develop a more balanced view. Is this material too difficult for you?

You’re pushing my intellectual limits! Though it’s okay, a pleasure to listen to someone who understands the dhamma so well. Where do these painful mental feelings, say my fears, come from?

Fear, which is related to doubt, sadness, remorse, depression, and anger, is part of everyone’s life. Fear arises out of craving for objects of experience. Again, it’s the process of dependent origination: to whatever level your craving for an object arises, your fear of losing the object will arise to the same level. If the object you crave is common and you can easily replace it with something similar, your level of craving and fear are low. The mat I’m sitting on is falling apart; yet, I’m not too worried about losing it because almost for certain someone will eventually offer a similar mat. If the object you crave is irreplaceable, your level of craving and fear are high. You have lots of fear of losing your father. All this craving and fear arise out of vitakka, applied thought. I could waste my time worrying, “Will someone ever offer me a new mat?” or “Maybe the mat they will offer won’t be quite as good as I want it to be.” And when the new mat arrives, it could be a better and nicer mat than the one I’d hoped for. Since children don’t have applied thoughts, they are fearless, which is why they get burned from playing with fire. Applied thoughts lead to disturbances in our equanimity, not just fear but also jealousy and ill will. Read the Honeyball Sutta in the Majjhima Nikàya.
Good examples. Thanks.

TRADITIONAL TEACHING

I’d like to talk about the traditional teaching on dependent origination, the one about the twelve factors.

We have been talking about dependent origination in a universal way. Remember, dependent on one thing, another thing arises. Causes, conditions, and effects. In the specific teaching that you’re talking about, the Buddha proposes that twelve factors, twelve chief causes and effects, perpetuate our experience in sansàra, the cycle of rebirth. This is found in the Nidàna Samyutta. And true to the ways of dependent origination, each of its twelve factors depends upon the arising of each immediately preceding factor:

1. Dependent on ignorance, formations arise; avijjà-paccayà sankhàrà
2. Dependent on formations, consciousness arises; sankhàra-paccayà vinnana §
3. Dependent on consciousness, mentality-materiality arises; vinnàna-paccayà nàma-rupa §
4. Dependent on mentality-materiality, the six sense bases arise; nàma-rupa-paccayà salàyatana §

5. Dependent on the six sense bases, contact arises; salàyatana-paccayà phasso
6. Dependent on contact, feeling arises; phassa-paccayà vedanà
7. Dependent on feeling, craving arises; vedanà-paccayà tanhà
8. Dependent on craving, clinging arises; tanhà-paccayà upàdàna §
9. Dependent on clinging, becoming arises; upàdàna-paccayà bhavo
10. Dependent on becoming, birth arises; bhava-paccayà jàti
11. Dependent on birth, decay and aging and death arise; jàti-paccayà jarà-marana §

Where is the twelfth factor?

Decay and aging and death are the twelfth factor. The twelve factors are conditionally linked to each other in a chain of only eleven propositions, not twelve propositions. Twelve factors, eleven linked propositions. And though these twelve factors are linked in eleven propositions, the process is not logically circular. Still, if decay and aging and death are not present as the twelfth factor, there is no ignorance. And if there is no ignorance, there will be no decay and aging and death. We can consider the process in that way. Any one of the twelve factors, however, can be the condition for the arising of any one of the other twelve. We are entangled in sansàra by more than these twelve factors. The Buddha used these twelve factors and then listed them sequentially, linking them together in eleven propositions, to help us understand our entanglement.

Do I stop the cycle at craving?

A good meditator clearly sees all twelve factors contact, feeling, and the rest. Where you manage to stop the cycle depends upon your character. Some meditators do stop it at craving. Some stop it at feeling and some at clinging. I cannot say where you can stop the cycle. You must discover that through your practice of meditation, through vipassanà. With the exception of the arahat, an enlightened one, the process of dependent origination goes up to clinging. Many teachers state craving is the place where meditators must work, but it’s difficult to say that because there is no beginning to the cycle. The cycle starts at any point, at any one of the twelve factors, and all twelve factors are interrelated. There is no real beginning and no real end.

Could I say craving for sensuality is the weakest of the twelve factors in the cycle?

No. None of the twelve factors are weak. You cannot consider craving, tanhà, to be weak. “Tanhà creates beings,” said the Buddha. Tanhà creates man and tanhà creates woman. It creates us as human beings. So, tanhà is not weak. On the contrary, since tanhà is extremely powerful, leading into repeated births, it needs to be thoroughly understood and handled carefully. For example, when craving leads you into performing many beneficial actions, you might have a future in a relatively happy course of birth, a sugati birth. You live as a being in one of the better and higher worlds maybe as a deva, a brahmà, or again as a human. On the other hand, when craving leads you into performing many harmful actions, you would likely take a lower birth, perhaps as a snake or a dog? Someone who is fascinated with trees could take a birth, not as a tree but perhaps as a worm on the tree!

Yes, we can joke and laugh about it. Seriously though, what if I die while thinking about a woman’s body?

I’m not joking. You could be something, maybe a bug, that lives on a woman’s body. You wouldn’t necessarily take birth on the same woman you were craving, but on some woman. Maybe you’d take birth as a cat that follows a lady around. No joke! We simply can’t say for sure what our next birth will be.