Paṭicca-samuppāda
The dependent co-arising of twelve interrelated phenomena.
Meaning
Paṭicca-samuppāda comes from the Pāli term paṭicca-samuppāda:
- paṭicca means “depending on,”
- samuppāda (from sam = together + uppāda = arising) means “arising together.”
Thus, Paṭicca-samuppāda means “arising together through dependence on conditions.”
This dependent arising refers to the interconnected arising of the following twelve links: Avijjā, Saṅkhārā, Viññāṇa, Nāma-rūpa, Saḷāyatana, Phassa, Vedanā, Taṇhā, Upādāna, Bhava, Jāti, Jarāmaraṇa. These twelve phenomena arise together, each depending on the previous one; none of them appears independently or stands alone.
The Condensed Formula of Dependent Origination
“When this exists, that exists; With the arising of this, that arises; When this ceases, that ceases.”
The Twelve Links
1. Avijjā → Saṅkhārā
Because ignorance (avijjā) is a condition, formations (saṅkhārā) arise. (Not knowing that defilements are the cause of rebirth and wandering.)
2. Saṅkhārā → Viññāṇa
Because saṅkhārā are a condition, consciousness (viññāṇa) arises. (Due to kamma driven by defilements, rebirth-consciousness (paṭisandhi-citta) arises together with form, becoming a new nāma-rūpa.)
Note: Because nāma and rūpa combine, consciousness arises. As the Buddha said: “If they ask, ‘On what does consciousness depend?’ you should answer, ‘Consciousness depends on nāma-rūpa.’” Here viññāṇa means the connecting function between the six sense bases of body and mind.
3. Viññāṇa → Nāma-rūpa
Because viññāṇa is a condition, nāma-rūpa arises.
Note: When consciousness arises, mind-and-body (nāma-rūpa) arise. As stated: “If they ask, ‘On what does nāma-rūpa depend?’ you should answer, ‘Nāma-rūpa depends on consciousness.’”
4. Nāma-rūpa → Saḷāyatana
Because nāma-rūpa is a condition, the six sense bases (saḷāyatana) arise. These are: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
5. Saḷāyatana → Phassa
Because saḷāyatana is a condition, contact (phassa) arises. Contact means the meeting between objects and the six sense bases.
6. Phassa → Vedanā
Because phassa is a condition, feeling (vedanā) arises. Feeling is the experience of pleasant, painful, or neutral sensations.
7. Vedanā → Taṇhā
Because vedanā is a condition, craving (taṇhā) arises. Craving means desire, thirst, the urge to seek and grasp.
8. Taṇhā → Upādāna
Because taṇhā is a condition, clinging (upādāna) arises. Clinging is the insistence that things are “mine” and must not change.
9. Upādāna → Bhava
Because upādāna is a condition, becoming (bhava) arises.
10. Bhava → Jāti
Because bhava is a condition, birth (jāti) arises. Birth represents the continued cycle of rebirth.
11. Jāti → Jarāmaraṇa
Because jāti is a condition, aging-and-death (jarāmaraṇa) arise. With it come sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Thus this entire mass of suffering comes to be.
Summary
All phenomena operate according to causes and conditions: “When this exists, that exists; with the arising of this, that arises; with the cessation of this, that ceases.”
Understanding the twelve links of Paṭicca-samuppāda reveals both the cycle of suffering and the path to its cessation as they truly are.