Idappaccayatā — Conditionality
(The Principle: “Because this exists, that exists…”)
It is exactly as the Blessed One has spoken:
“Monks, this body is not yours, nor does it belong to others. Monks, this body is governed by old kamma, woven together by mind; you should regard it as nothing but a basis for feeling.”
A noble disciple who has heard (the Dhamma) reflects wisely upon dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) in this very body thus:
“With this as condition, that comes to be. With the arising of this, that arises. When this is not, that is not. With the cessation of this, that ceases.”
Namely:
“With ignorance as condition, volitional formations (saṅkhārā); with volitional formations as condition, consciousness (viññāṇa)…,” and so on — thus the arising of this entire mass of suffering comes to be.
And:
“With the remainderless fading away and cessation of that very ignorance, volitional formations cease…,” and so on — thus the cessation of this entire mass of suffering comes to be.
Because of this very principle, there is no anxiety in anyone concerning “This is mine,” or “This belongs to others.”
It is also exactly as the Blessed One spoke to Mogharāja:
“Mogharāja, be mindful and perceive the world as empty. Remove the view of self. Thus you will cross beyond Death. For one who sees the world in this way, the King of Death does not see him.”
Therefore, because of this, there is likewise no anxiety whatsoever in anyone.
And it is exactly as the Blessed One further declared:
“Monks, whatever is not yours — abandon it. When you abandon it, that will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time.
And what is not yours?
Form is not yours — abandon form. Feeling… perception… formations… consciousness are not yours. Abandon consciousness. What you abandon will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time.
Monks, what do you think?
If people take away grass, sticks, branches and leaves here in Jetavana, burn them or do with them as they wish — would you think, ‘They are taking us away, burning us’?”
“No, venerable sir, because those things are not our self nor belonging to self.”
“Just so, monks: Whatever is not yours — abandon it. What you abandon brings welfare and happiness for a long time.”
Therefore, even because of this, there is no anxiety in anyone.
And it accords with the saying:
“Kāmaṇī, when a person sees the arising of all phenomena and the succession of all conditioned states as they truly are, there is no danger. When he sees the world of aggregates as equal to grass and wood by means of wisdom, then he desires nothing else except Nibbāna — the non-reappearance.”
And as Vajirā Therī spoke to Māra the Evil One:
“Māra, what is your view that you imagine a ‘being’? This body is merely a heap of formations. The wise do not speak of a ‘being’ in a mass of formations.
Just as the word ‘chariot’ exists because of the combination of its parts, so too, when the aggregates are present, the designation ‘being’ is used.
Only dukkha arises, stands, and ceases; apart from dukkha, nothing arises; apart from dukkha, nothing ceases.”
Thus, even because of this, there is no anxiety in anyone.
And it accords with the Blessed One’s declaration:
“Monks, a bhikkhu investigates form, and investigates the destiny (course) of form. He investigates feeling… perception… formations… consciousness, and investigates the destiny of consciousness.
When he investigates form and its course, feeling… perception… formations… consciousness and their courses — then even the notions ‘I’, ‘mine’, ‘I am’ do not occur to that monk.”
Therefore, because of this as well, there is no anxiety whatsoever in anyone.
Short Pāli Glossary (concise · intensive)
- idappaccayatā — “This/that conditionality”; the universal principle: with this as condition, that arises.
- paṭiccasamuppāda — dependent origination; the dynamic sequence of conditioned arising.
- avijjā — ignorance; not seeing the Four Noble Truths as they are.
- saṅkhārā — volitional formations; constructing activities of body, speech, and mind.
- viññāṇa — consciousness; discriminative awareness conditioned by name-and-form.
- nāmārūpa — name-and-form; mentality-materiality; the psycho-physical constituents of a being.
- upādāna-khandhā — the five aggregates subject to clinging: form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness.
- anatta — not-self; the absence of anything “mine,” “I,” or “my self” in any dhamma.
- suññatā — emptiness; absence of self and what belongs to self.
- bhava / punabbhava — (re)becoming / further becoming; continuation of existence conditioned by craving.
- dukkha — unsatisfactoriness, stress, conditioned suffering.
- pariññā — thorough understanding; clear knowing that uproots grasping.
- arahatta / anupādisesa-nibbāna — liberation without remainder; complete extinguishing of the aggregates’ fuel.