Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

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ieee23
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Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by ieee23 »

In your opinion, what is the most user friendly piece of writing on Dependent Origination?

Something you would feel good about giving someone new to Buddhism, that is clear, but ( if possible ) also thorough?

Many suttas describe dependent origination. Which one does it the most thoroughly?

Thanks.
Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. - MN 19
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

If you want thorough, the Mahāsi Sayādaw's Discourse on Dependent Origination may be what you're looking for.
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BasementBuddhist
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by BasementBuddhist »

I don't think you can read a single sutta and understand dependent origination. That is why in the SN, in the book of causation, the Buddha repeats his teachings on DO about 5000 times in a million different ways. Dependent Origination is a KEY piece of Buddhist wisdom and truly seeing its validity changes ones veiw point on everything in the world. It shouldn't be rushed.

That said, there is a good book that introduces the concept that I used to *START* learning about it:

"How to see yourself as you really are" by HHDL. It's not Theravadin, and The Dali Lama strays away sometimes, but it is simple and clear cut and wonderful.

I don't think DO is a concept that is great for a "new Buddhist". A lot of wrong veiw can occur from misunderstanding it. Especially view about conciousness. This effects practice for the rest of time. You really have to dig into the Suttas. It isn't a one sutta subject. Would you learn about being a doctor from one article in a medical journal?

Get a solid grasp on on impermanence and not-self first, Or have your friend read the whole Nikaya. Or read it and teach this person yourself.
ieee23
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by ieee23 »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:If you want thorough, the Mahāsi Sayādaw's Discourse on Dependent Origination may be what you're looking for.
Thank you.

What about clear? :)
Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. - MN 19
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

In editing it, I did my best to make it clear, but it's not a simple subject, hence it is a long book, transcribed and translated from many weeks of lectures by the Sayādaw.
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bodom
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by bodom »

Personally I like Ajahn Chah's description of Dependent Origination:
It's likewise with the teaching of dependent origination (paticca-samuppāda): deluded understanding (avijjā) is the cause and condition for the arising of volitional kammic formations (sankhāra); which is the cause and condition for the arising of consciousness (viññāna); which is the cause and condition for the arising of mentality and materiality (nāma-rūpa), and so on, just as we've studied in the scriptures. The Buddha separated each link of the chain to make it easier to study. This is an accurate description of reality, but when this process actually occurs in real life the scholars aren't able to keep up with what's happening. It's like falling from the top of a tree to come crashing down to the ground below. We have no idea how many branches we've passed on the way down. Similarly, when the mind is suddenly hit by a mental impression, if it delights in it, then it flies off into a good mood. It considers it good without being aware of the chain of conditions that led there. The process takes place in accordance with what is outlined in the theory, but simultaneously it goes beyond the limits of that theory.

There's nothing that announces, ''This is delusion. These are volitional kammic formations, and that is consciousness.'' The process doesn't give the scholars a chance to read out the list as it's happening. Although the Buddha analyzed and explained the sequence of mind moments in minute detail, to me it's more like falling out of a tree. As we come crashing down there's no opportunity to estimate how many feet and inches we've fallen. What we do know is that we've hit the ground with a thud and it hurts!

The mind is the same. When it falls for something, what we're aware of is the pain. Where has all this suffering, pain, grief, and despair come from? It didn't come from theory in a book. There isn't anywhere where the details of our suffering are written down. Our pain won't correspond exactly with the theory, but the two travel along the same road. So scholarship alone can't keep pace with the reality. That's why the Buddha taught to cultivate clear knowing for ourselves. Whatever arises, arises in this knowing. When that which knows, knows in accordance with the truth, then the mind and its psychological factors are recognized as not ours. Ultimately all these phenomena are to be discarded and thrown away as if they were rubbish. We shouldn't cling to or give them any meaning.


http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Unshakeable_Peace1_2.php

:namaste:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

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ryanM
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by ryanM »

There's the great discourse on causation. Here's a couple resources from Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Brahmali (here and here). Oh and a suttacentral discussion entitled "How should dependent origination be viewed" might be of interest to you.

Cheers.
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cjmacie
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by cjmacie »

On the alternative side, you could look at Linda Blanchard's book, from more a secular Buddhist angle. She, a s/t student of Richard Gombrich, elaborates on the insights of the Polish scholar Joanna Jurewicz (Fire and Cognition in the RGVeda and the essay "Playing with Fire") that the DO was the Buddha's radical reinterpretation of Vedic creation myths (turning them on the head) to explain his insight into the selfless conditioned links of suffering. Linda's version sees the whole cycle as an individual psychological metaphor.

http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/04/08/d ... -a-review/

(This interpretation is mentioned, listed along the several others, in Ven. Analayo's survey of DO views, in one of his Sattipathana volumes, I think the 2nd one.)
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by User156079 »

Does it have to be in writing?
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Aloka
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by Aloka »

.
I like this 24 minute talk about DO from Ajahn Amaro:





:anjali:
ieee23
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by ieee23 »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:In editing it, I did my best to make it clear, but it's not a simple subject, hence it is a long book, transcribed and translated from many weeks of lectures by the Sayādaw.
I've bookmarked it, thank you.
Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. - MN 19
ieee23
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by ieee23 »

User156079 wrote:Does it have to be in writing?
No :)
Whatever a bhikkhu frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind. - MN 19
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robertk
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by robertk »

Bhikkhu Bodhi
Great Discourse on Causation: Mahanidana Sutta and Its Commentaries
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Pseudobabble
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Re: Most User Friendly Piece Of Writing On Dependent Origination?

Post by Pseudobabble »

I liked Thanissaro's The Shape of Suffering a lot.
"Does Master Gotama have any position at all?"

"A 'position,' Vaccha, is something that a Tathagata has done away with. What a Tathagata sees is this: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its origination, such its disappearance; such is perception...such are fabrications...such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.'" - Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta


'Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.' - Genesis 3:19

'Some fart freely, some try to hide and silence it. Which one is correct?' - Saegnapha
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