Post # 70 – Developing World Transcending Wisdom in the Path to Nibbana- Part 2

You need to read Post # 69 before reading this.

To ascend to the summit of vision described in Post # 69 and acquire clarity of vision, which penetrates into the deepest recesses of life to understand the true nature that underlies all phenomena, one has to develop a good understanding of dependent co-arising (Patticca Sumupadda) teaching given in the Buddha–Dhamma.

The teaching on dependent co-arising as outlined in the Sutta Pittaca of the Pali Canon - Vibhanga Sutta etc. (see Post# 39 and Post # 40) describes the process based on the felt effects. The process outlined in the descriptions goes as - Ignorance (Avijja) is the first link or cause of the wheel of life. It clouds all right understanding. Dependent on ignorance (of the Four Noble Truths), there arise activities/fabrications (Sankhara). Dependent on activities/fabrications, arise rebirth-consciousness (pattisandhi vinnana). This links the past with the present. Simultaneous with the arising of rebirth-consciousness there come into being mind and body (nama-rupa) and the six sense faculties (salayatana).  Because of the six senses, contact (phassa) sets in. Contact then leads to feeling (vedana). These five - viz., consciousness, mind and matter, six senses, contact and feeling - are the effects (vipaka) of past actions (kamma).  Dependent on feeling arises craving (thanha). Craving results in grasping (upadana). Grasping is the cause of re-becoming (bhava) conditioned by Kamma, which in its turn conditions future birth (jati). These form the future effects. As a result of birth the inevitable consequences of old age, illness and death (jara-viyaji-marana) happens. This is the present. If on account of cause, effect comes to be, then if the cause ceases, the effect also must cease.

This is how dependent co-arising (Patticca Sumupadda) as applicable from one conventional life to the next is explained in the Suttas.

The beginning of this process cannot be determined as it is impossible to say whence this life-flux was caused by ignorance. But when this ignorance is turned into knowledge and the life-flux is diverted into Nibbana, one experiences the end of the life process of samsara.

In the discussion under Vibajjawada Dhamma (analytical review of Dhamma), the learned monks Ven. Kothmale’ Kumara Kassapa Thero and Ven. Nandarathana Thero, further explain the dependent co-arising teaching, based on what is given in the Abbidhamma commentaries/texts (Dhammasangani Prakaranaya and the Pattisanvida maggac prakaranaya) of the Pali Canon. This explanation is based on the mind process as it transcends in this life itself. You will see that this is another way to look at the dependent co-arising process compared to that given in the Sutta discourses which was based on felt effects.

They explain that when an external stimulus such as a form (colour), sound, smell, taste, or a tactile sensation reaches the living being (which in reality is a name-form aggregation), the relevant faculty of the form aggregate - that has ‘come to be’ for that function due to past kamma- experiences the particular stimulus as an impact or a bodily contact (pattiga sampassa).  This contact triggers a series of mind experiences (chittas ) as a mind process (chitta veethi). This happens entirely automatically as a vipaka (effect) based on past kamma (habits), without the will or intent by the living being, therefore without the arising of fabrications (new kamma). This experience when felt in the mind (name aggregate) as a mind contact (name –name contact), is referred to as Adhi Vachana Sampassa. As a result of the mind contact, there arises simultaneously in the name aggregate, feelings (vedana), awareness(sanna), and thoughts or volitions (sankaras) related to the initial external stimulus. These manifest as sub aggregates of the name aggregate. Thoughts that arise along with the feelings and awareness conditioned by past experiences, give rise to new life experiences (sankaras). This mind process again is entirely automatic (vipaka) based on past traits and tendencies (past kamma) and happens without the will of the living being, therefore without the arising of fabrications (new kamma).

This new life experience culminates in the creation in the mind, of objects and/or beings, recognized from past experiences (nimithas). This happens as a function of the name aggregate, culminating in the creation of a mind-consciousness, called mano vinnanaya, a sub aggregate of the name aggregate. The external stimulus as a form (rupa) in conjunction with the mind functions of feelings, awareness and volitions (nama)  that arose as a consequence, establishes the aggregation of name-form giving rise to consciousness. These new life experiences( nimithas)are recognized as known beings (living persons, animal etc.) or as known objects (trees, landscapes or non-living objects etc). These mind creations (mano vinnanaya) manifest as a present moment living world, for the living being. This mind created world is different from the physical world that is around us, although the initial stimuli that gave rise to this mind created world came from this physical world. Maankadawala Sudshsanna thero describes this mind created world as a world of five aggregates (panchskandda  loka). This panchskandda  loka is  different from the physical world around us. It was created by the mind of the living 'being' from his/her present moment experiences. This creation was due to past kamma giving effect. The physical world is normally common to all beings, but the ‘five-aggregate world’ is specific to each person and he/she lives and experiences life in that world.

The Monks then describe that, a ‘five-aggregate world’ such as what is described above arises with each external stimulus, stays and ceases with the changing of the external stimuli, signifying the impermanent nature of that living world. They further explain that 'beings' experiencing living in this ‘five aggregate world’, cultivate desire and craving (prapancha) for this world due to their past traits and tendencies, which include the misconstrued concept of the five aggregates as 'beings', which in reality are non existent. This desire and craving creates the Bhawa, the re-becoming condition for the arising of another new living world in the next moment.  This is the re-becoming process that the living being experiences in this life itself. If through right mindful actions, the living being learns to contain the Bhawa forming craving, then he/she gains the cessation of the samsaric process.

This outline description from Abbidhamma texts complements the explanations given before   on this matter from the Sutta texts.

In a Dhamma talk by Ven.Thallale Chandrakeerithi thero citing the Samma Ditti Sutta discoursed by Arahant Sariputta, outlines this process similarly with emphasis on the arising of the re-linking consciousness ( pattisandi  vinnana). In another talk the learned Monk cites the Gnathika Sutta to describe the dependent co-arising (Patticca Sumupadda) on similar lines and refers to the creation of the five aggregate world of living, based on external stimuli through the sense organs. In still another talk the learned monk quoting the Ayathna Sutta in Sanyuktha Nikaye’- Satta Sanyuthaya, describing this living process showed how the universal truth of unsatisfactory-ness (dukka ariya satta) is explained by the Buddha based on the changing nature and impermanence of the sense faculties of eye, ear etc. arising from the living experiences of contact with sense objects, and manifesting in the coming into being of the world of the five aggregates.

Ven. Hasalaka Seela Wimala Thero in a Dhamma talk quoting the Madupindikka Sutta discoursed by Maha Kachchayana Thero and later endorsed by Buddha, explained the arising of this living world based on the sensory stimuli and the coming into being the prapanchha loka, a world created in the mind, based on craving (thanna ), ego ( maana ), view ( ditti ) developed due to not knowing the reality (avidya ), and giving rise to the re-becoming process that the living being experiences in this life itself.

As I have to limit the contents of each Post to facilitate easy reading, I will stop the descriptions here. Please await the next Post # 71 for a continuation of the descriptions.