The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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yawares
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The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

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Dear Members,

This Uposatha Day I read David's book "The Complete Book of Buddha‘s Lists -- Explained".
I truly like "The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination and the Three Causes of Kamma" and
I would like to share with you all.


********

:candle: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination and the Three Causes of Kamma :candle:
[By Dr.David N. Snyder]


Dependent Origination

The balanced ―middle way approach of the Buddha‘s teachings has proven itself in other
aspects of life as well. For example, the Buddha‘s Dependent Origination, which is a 12 part
cyclical process of arising, decay, death, and rebirth of all things is a ―middle way position
between the extremes of ―free-will and ―determinism. Western philosophy has been struggling
between these two extremes, the reason being because both free-will and determinism are
partially correct and partially incorrect. The Buddha‘s Dependent Origination takes features of
both and thus, correctly explains things. There is will or volition and there are conditions, but all
without a ―first cause or first event.


According to Dependent Origination everything is relative, conditioned, and inter-dependent. A
simple formula that helps define Dependent Origination is; when this is, that is, this arising, that
arises, when this is not, that is not, this ceasing, that ceasing.


The twelve parts to Dependent Origination are: through ignorance conditional volitional or
willful actions or kamma formations take place. Through willful actions there is
conditioned consciousness, then conditioned mental and physical phenomena, then the six senses
(five physical senses and the mind), then conditioned contact, then conditioned sensation,
then conditioned desire, then conditioned attachment, then the process of becoming,
conditioned birth, then decay, death, sorrow, pain, etc., and then the process starts again.
The free-will theory maintains that one‘s self is the sole explanation for phenomena. Each
individual chooses his or her actions and there are no outside forces. The free-will explanation
places permanence and all authority to the self.


The determinism theory is the direct opposite which states that there is no will in anyone and
each individual performs actions much like a programmed robot. Each person‘s life is predetermined
by environmental and genetic factors which no self or soul has any control over. In
determinism theory all of our behaviors can be predicted. Just as a computer will produce a
definite outcome with specific data entered, so too will a human react with the same data (life
experiences, etc.) according to determinism.


Both extremes provide good points and are convincing. This is because both are partially
correct. The natural and social sciences have demonstrated quite conclusively that we can be
very deterministic. For example, people who have gone through childhood traumas or various
other similar life events tend to have the same consequences to their personalities, positive and /
or negative. Twin studies have shown how identical twins sometimes have the same behaviors
even when raised separately, pointing to genetic deterministic theories.


Other studies have shown that twins sometimes have completely different personalities and
behaviors even when raised together. When identical twins are raised together they are
basically (at least as children) receiving the same diet and care and have the same genetic code.
Yet studies have found their behaviors and interests completely different.


The Buddhist commentaries state that Dependent Origination includes the arising of effects in
dependence upon a conjunction of conditions. This suggests that no single cause can produce an
effect, nor does one effect arise from a given cause. There is always a collection of conditions
giving rise to a collection of effects. (Abhidhammattha Sangaha) Natural and social scientists
have always looked to multiple causes as rarely does any effect result mostly from one cause.
They use control groups and other techniques to isolate possible causes to at least narrow their
theories down to fewer possible explanations. This is fully compatible to the principles of
Dependent Origination.


The ―missing link which needs to be added to the deterministic theory is the thinking mind, the
element of free-will and kamma formations. Kamma formations can be from a current or a past
life, in fact the differences between many siblings, can probably best be explained as evidence
for re-birth, past lives.


The German Born Buddhist nun, Ayya Khema, describes the interplay of free-will and
determinism as follows:

―One has to imagine a dog tied to a leash. This leash is our old kamma. The dog can move as
far as the leash stretches. If he does only good things in his domain, then the leash gets longer
and longer; more and more possibilities of doing good or evil come about. (Khema, 2001)
The above description by Ayya Khema teaches us that we have the free-will to make choices, but
we are also conditioned or determined by our past choices and environment. By making more
and more good choices, we can open up our opportunities and become less deterministic.


**************To be continued***************

:heart: Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya :heart:
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yawares
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

Post by yawares »

Dear David,
I posted " The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination" @ SariputtaDhamma and Journey To nibbana(JTN) and my dear friend Dr.Han Tun replied: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sariputta ... sage/19116" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yawares :thumbsup:
whynotme
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

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Dear yawares,

IMO, colored text is hard to read, especially the color is changed frequently. If you want to emphasize something, you can mark it as bold

Regards
Please stop following me
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yawares
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

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whynotme wrote:Dear yawares,

IMO, colored text is hard to read, especially the color is changed frequently. If you want to emphasize something, you can mark it as bold

Regards


Dear 'whynotme',
Oh..colors keep me alert/alive and active to post...without colors my posts will bore me ....let's make a deal!...if 10 members complain about my colored text ...I'll consider using less colors...sound good?? :tongue:

Appreciate your comment/but do U really want me to be boring??
yawares
:jumping:
whynotme
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

Post by whynotme »

yawares wrote:
whynotme wrote:Dear yawares,

IMO, colored text is hard to read, especially the color is changed frequently. If you want to emphasize something, you can mark it as bold

Regards


Dear 'whynotme',
Oh..colors keep me alert/alive and active to post...without colors my posts will bore me ....let's make a deal!...if 10 members complain about my colored text ...I'll consider using less colors...sound good?? :tongue:

Appreciate your comment/but do U really want me to be boring??
yawares
:jumping:
If you make a deal I will register 10 accounts to complain :mrgreen:

Cheer

PS: if you don't want to change, feel free to use it
Please stop following me
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yawares
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

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Dear "whynotme",
Since you used :mrgreen: icon...you might like 'green color'... then I'll use more green color in my posts..my laptop died yesterday...I just bought a brand new laptop that provides many beautiful colors...I'll try to choose colors that more pleasant to eyes...promise/cross my :heart: : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyZAJQgrXKk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
yawares :namaste:
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DAWN
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

Post by DAWN »

It's great to have some sunshine. :smile:
Personaly, i enjoy a lot when i see this rainbow... it's so....so rainbow !! :tongue:
Sabbe dhamma anatta
We are not concurents...
I'am sorry for my english
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yawares
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Re: The 12 Parts of Dependent Origination

Post by yawares »

DAWN wrote:It's great to have some sunshine. :smile:
Personaly, i enjoy a lot when i see this rainbow... it's so....so rainbow !! :tongue:
Dear "DAWN",
Thank you so very much for enjoying "rainbow
" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdGHOi_4 ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yawares :namaste:
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