Breaking the Cycle

Breaking the Cycle

The teaching of Dependent Origination is part of what is known as the Middle Teaching (majjhena-dhammadesana). It is taught as an impersonal, natural truth, a description of the nature of things as they are, avoiding the extreme theories or biased views that human beings are want to fall into as a result of their distorted perceptions of the world and their attachments and desires within it. The cycle of Dependent Origination which describes the problem of human suffering comes in two limbs: the first limb, called the samudayavara (origination mode), is a description of the arising of suffering, corresponding with the second Noble Truth, the cause of suffering; the second limb, called the nirodhavara (cessation mode), is a description of the cessation of suffering, corresponding with the third Noble Truth.

In essence, then, the Middle Teaching[23] describes two processes:

1. Samudaya: the origination mode of the Dependent Origination cycle: ignorance => volitional impulses … becoming => birth => aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair = the arising of suffering.

2. Nirodha: the cessation mode of the Dependent Origination cycle: cessation of ignorance => cessation of volitional impulses => cessation of consciousness … cessation of aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair = the cessation of suffering

The reason we must deal with the cause of suffering (samudaya) is because we are confronted with a problem (dukkha), the solution of which demands a search for its causes. When the cause of suffering is understood, we recognize that the solution of the problem consists in the eradication of those causes. Thus the process of cessation of suffering (nirodha) is described. In the Middle Teaching, the cessation of suffering includes not only the process for bringing about the cessation of suffering, but also the state of cessation itself, which is Nibbana.

A discussion of the subjects of suffering, the cause of suffering, the process of the cessation of suffering and the state of suffering’s cessation would seem to be a comprehensive description of the Buddha’s teachings, but in fact it is not. This is because the Middle Teaching describes only natural phenomena, functioning according to natural causes and conditions. It is not geared to practical application. This is why the process of the cessation of suffering, or nirodha, which is included within the Middle Teaching, is simply a description of impersonal phenomena and their interrelated functioning to produce the cessation of suffering. It does not address the details of practical application in any way. It states simply that in the attainment of the goal, the cessation of suffering, the factors must proceed in this way, but it does not state what we must do in order to make this process take place. The Middle Teaching is simply a description of natural processes within the natural order. Studying the mechanics of the process of cessation may lead to an understanding of the basic principles involved, but we still lack practical guidance. What methods are there for realizing this solving of problems which we have now studied? This is the point at which the natural processes must be connected to practical application.

It is imperative that practical application be in conformity and harmony with the natural process — it must work in accordance with the natural process in order to produce results. The principle at work here is, first, to know and understand the natural processes, and then to practice in accordance with a humanly devised method based on that knowledge and understanding. In other words, as far as the natural processes are concerned, our only duty is to know them, while in relation to the practice, our responsibility is to formulate techniques that conform with that understanding, and thereby graduate from mere knowledge of the natural processes to practical application.

Practice, techniques and methods of practice in this context are known by the specialized term of patipada — the methods of practice, the way of life or life-style which leads to the cessation of suffering. The Buddha laid down methods of practice which are in harmony with the natural process, or the Middle Teaching, and called this practice the Middle Way (majjhima patipada), consisting of techniques which are balanced, in conformity with the natural processes, and perfectly attuned to bringing about the cessation of suffering. The Way avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self torment which lead to stagnation or digression from the true goal.

The Middle Way is known in short as magga, the Way. Because this Way has eight factors or components, and transforms the one who successfully travels it into a noble one (ariya), it is also known as the Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha stated that this Way, this Middle Path, was a time-honored way upon which many had previously traveled and attained the goal. The Buddha was merely the discoverer and proclaimer of this ancient way. His duty was simply to point it out to others.[S.II.106]

The Way is a technique for realizing the objective, which is the cessation of suffering, in conformity with the natural processes. It works within causes and conditions, guiding them to interact and produce the desired result. When we talk about the Way, we are no longer talking about an impersonal process of suffering’s cessation, but a humanly devised technique, the Eightfold Path. In other words, we have transcended the level of bare knowledge and are entering into the field of practical application.

In order to understand this transference from a natural process to a formulated technique, we may refer to the following schematic representation:

Nirodha: ignorance ceases => volitional impulses cease => consciousness ceases => body and mind cease => sense bases cease => contact ceases => feeling ceases => craving ceases => clinging ceases => becoming ceases => birth ceases => aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain grief and despair cease => the cessation of suffering

Magga: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration => cessation of suffering

We can summarize the connection between the natural process of the cessation of suffering and the human techniques for implementing it, known as the Way, as follows:

• Cessation is a natural process, as opposed to the Way, which is a humanly formulated technique for bringing about a result in accordance with that natural process.

The Way arises from the use of knowledge of the natural processes of cessation to formulate a method of practice. It is essential to know and understand this natural process to some extent, and this is why the Way begins with Right View.

• Cessation is a natural process subject only to the relationship between causes and conditions. When we talk about the cessation of suffering, we really mean the cessation of the causes and conditions which support the existence of suffering. Thus the process of the cessation of suffering is in clear and absolute terms — the removal of problems, the absence of problems, or the state which is diametrically opposed to problems, in which problems do not arise.

The Way proposes techniques of practice which can be adapted to time and place. It can be explained in many levels, from simple to difficult. The eight factors of the Way can be further divided into many sub-factors, making the path of practice very complex. The Way is a technique which gradually leads to the state of no problems, slower or faster, and more or less effective, in accordance with the level of practice used.

• Cessation illustrates the cessation of suffering in terms of impersonal causes and conditions, and the utter removal of those conditions. As such it does not concern itself with questions of good and evil.

The Way is a graduated system of practice of human invention, relying on the gradual accumulation of goodness in order to overcome the power of evil conditions which obstruct or hold back the attainment of the goal. For this reason the Way puts emphasis, especially in the earlier stages, on the abandoning of evil and the cultivation of the good.

• Cessation is a principle, the Way is a technique, a method and a tool.

Cessation can be compared to the principles for extinguishing fire, or the natural conditions which cause fire to go out, which may be summarized as: lack of fuel, lack of oxygen, or loss of temperature.

The Way can be compared to the practical techniques for putting out fire, which must operate in accordance with the natural principles. These will concern ways of depriving the fire of fuel, depriving it of oxygen or bringing the temperature down. When these three simple principles are transferred to practical application, they become major concerns: techniques must be devised and devices invented for the purpose. For instance, the kinds of materials and tools to be used must be considered in terms of whether it is an electrical, oil, gas or ordinary fire, and the techniques best suited to each case must be adopted. People may have to be specially trained for the purpose of extinguishing fires.

To use another analogy, cessation can be compared to the principles for curing an illness, which describe the cure by removing the cause, such as by destroying the bacteria which caused it, removing the poison or foreign matter from the body, or by addressing the malfunction or degeneration in the organs of the body. The Way can be compared to the techniques and methods for curing the illness. Compared to these, the principles of curing illness appear minuscule. The techniques for curing them are enormous, beginning with the observation of the illness’ symptoms, the diagnosis, the application of medicines, the techniques of surgery, for nursing the patient, and for physiotherapy; the invention and production of surgical instruments; the building of hospitals and nursing homes; the hospital administration system, and the training of doctors and nurses — to name a few — which altogether present a vast and complex picture.

Although the Middle Way is said to have eight factors, these factors are simply the basics, and they can all be further divided into many other factors and classified into numerous different systems and levels in accordance with different objectives, situations, and temperaments. Thus, there are copious and highly detailed teachings dealing with the Way, which require a great amount of study. The Middle Way is a vast subject, needing an explanation in its own right. Its study may be divided into two main sections: firstly, dealing with the factors of the Path, which is the basic system, and another section defining and analyzing those factors into various forms for use in specialized circumstances. Here I will deal only with a fundamental description of the factors of the Path.

Before beginning to describe the Path itself, let us look at some ways of illustrating the step up from a natural state to practical application, or from a natural process to a human technique.

In the texts, these two kinds of practice are described:

1. Miccha-patipada, wrong practice or the wrong way, being the way leading to suffering

2. Samma-patipada, right practice, or the right way, being the way which leads to the cessation of suffering.

In some places the origination mode of the Dependent Origination cycle is said to be miccha-patipada, and the cessation mode is said to be samma-patipada, represented like this:

Miccha-patipada: ignorance => volitional impulses => consciousness => body and mind => sense bases => contact => feeling => craving => clinging => becoming => birth => aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain grief and despair => suffering.

Samma-patipada: cessation of ignorance => cessation of volitional impulses => cessation of consciousness => cessation of body and mind => cessation of sense bases => cessation of contact => cessation of feeling => cessation of craving => cessation of clinging => cessation of becoming => cessation of birth => cessation of aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair => cessation of suffering.[S.II.4]

In another place, however, the Buddha explained the practices which are directly opposed to the Eightfold Path as miccha-patipada, and the Eightfold Path itself as samma-patipada, thus:

Miccha-patipada: Wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration

Samma-patipada: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.[S.V.18]

The cycle of Dependent Origination is a description of a natural process, not a path of practice. However, the first set of right and wrong practices described above describes practice in terms of the cycle of Dependent Origination. Is there a contradiction here? It may be answered that the Dependent Origination cycle illustrated here (and it is only illustrated as a form of practice in this one Sutta) seeks to describe practical application. The Commentators to this Sutta ask the question: ignorance may be a condition for good actions, or merit (puññabhisankhara), or it may serve to generate the state of highly stable concentration (aneñjabhisankhara); why then is it said to be wrong practice? Answering their question, the Commentators state that when people are motivated by a desire to be or to get something, no matter what they may do — whether they develop the five higher knowledges (abhiñña) or the eight attainments (samapatti) — it is all wrong practice. On the other hand, those who are motivated by an aspiration for Nibbana, who are aiming for relinquishment, or the liberated mind, rather than attaining or obtaining something, will always have right practice, even when doing such minor actions as making offerings.[See S.A.II.14]

However, my intention in presenting these two kinds of right and wrong practice for comparison is simply to incorporate them into an examination of the progression from the natural process of cessation to the humanly devised technique known as the Path, as has been explained above. Note that apart from describing the process and practical path to goodness, those which are harmful or wrong are also described.

There is another way in which the Buddha described the cycle of Dependent Origination in its cessation mode which differs from those explained above. The beginning half describes the arising of suffering in accordance with the normal Dependent Origination cycle in forward or origination mode, all the way up to the arising of suffering, but from there, instead of presenting the cycle of Dependent Origination in the regular sequence, it describes a progression of skillful conditions which condition each other in another sequence that culminates in liberation. This is a wholly new sequence of conditions which does not refer to the cessation of conditions in the origination mode at all. This sequence is a very important example of how the Path factors may be applied to a practical, real-life system. In other words, it is a sequence which may arise for one who successfully treads the Path and attains to the goal. This process of liberation is mentioned in several places in the texts, differing somewhat from place to place. I would like to present each of them, as follows:

Ignorance => volitional impulses => consciousness => body and mind => sense bases => contact => feeling => craving => clinging => becoming => birth => suffering => faith => gladness => rapture => calmness => happiness => concentration => knowledge and insight of things as they are => disenchantment => dispassion => liberation => destruction of the outflows.[S.II.31]

Note that the progression begins with ignorance and proceeds to suffering, which is the origination mode of Dependent Origination, or the arising of suffering, but then, having reached suffering, instead of the sequence beginning again at ignorance as is usual, it continues with faith, which proceeds to take the flow from ignorance into another direction, a skillful one, leading ultimately to knowledge of the destruction of the outflows, no longer returning to ignorance at all. Note that when suffering is taken as the middle factor, the number of factors preceding it and succeeding it is the same.

For one who understands the nature of ignorance, the progression above will not seem strange: if we divide it into two sections, we find that one is the sequence from ignorance to suffering, while the other is the sequence from faith to knowledge of the destruction of the outflows (enlightenment). In the latter sequence, faith takes the place of ignorance. Faith here refers to a modified or diluted form of ignorance. At this stage, ignorance is no longer the totally blind kind, but is imbued with a grain of understanding, which prods the mind to proceed in a good direction, eventually leading to knowledge of things as they are and liberation.

Simply speaking, this means that once suffering has arisen, in accordance with the normal channels, one searches for a way out. In cases where one has a chance to hear the true teachings, or one develops an understanding of moral rationale, this leads to gladness and rapture, which then encourage one to strive for the development of progressively higher good qualities.

In fact, this latter sequence corresponds with the cessation mode of the standard Dependent Origination format (with the cessation of ignorance is the cessation of volitional impulses, etc.), but here a more detailed picture is given, seeking to illustrate how the sequence of the arising of suffering connects with the sequence of the cessation of suffering.

In the Nettipakarana[24], the following passage attributed to the Buddha is said to be a description of the cessation mode of the Dependent Origination cycle:

“Ananda, in this way, skillful moral conduct has absence of remorse as its objective, absence of remorse has gladness as its objective, gladness has rapture as its objective, rapture has calmness as its objective, calmness has happiness as its objective, happiness has concentration as its objective, concentration has knowledge and insight into things as they are as its objective, knowledge and insight into things as they are has disenchantment as its objective, disenchantment has dispassion as its objective, dispassion has knowledge of liberation as its objective. It is thus that skillful moral conduct brings about the fulfillment of these respective factors for the attainment of arahantship.”[25]

According to this passage, the sequence goes like this:

Skillful moral conduct => absence of remorse => gladness => rapture => calmness => happiness => concentration => knowledge and insight into the way things are => disenchantment => dispassion => knowledge of liberation

It can be seen that this sequence is the same as that mentioned previously, except that it mentions only the section dealing with the cessation of suffering, and excludes the section dealing with the arising of suffering. Let us look once more at the previous sequence:

Ignorance => volitional impulses => consciousness => body and mind => sense bases => contact => feeling => craving => clinging => becoming => birth => suffering => faith => gladness => rapture => calmness => happiness => concentration => knowledge and insight into things as they are => disenchantment => dispassion => liberation => destruction of the outflows

Although both these sequences are the same, they are not identically worded. One sequence begins with faith, the other begins with skillful moral conduct and continues with absence of remorse. From there they are the same. In fact the only difference is in the wording and in terms of emphasis. The first sequence illustrates the situation in which faith plays a prominent role. However, in this kind of faith, the mind has full confidence in rationality, is inspired by goodness, and assured of virtue. This mental state will also be affected by behavior. Faith being so supported by skillful and good behavior, it is followed by gladness, as in the other sequence, which begins with skillful moral conduct and absence of remorse. This sequence gives prominence to moral practice. In this situation, a foundation of confidence in rationality and a predilection for goodness are essential in order to maintain good moral conduct. With morality and absence of remorse, self-assurance arises in the quality of one’s behavior, which is a characteristic of faith. This gives the mind confidence and clarity, and becomes a condition for the arising of gladness, just as in the previous sequence.

One of these sequences finishes up with ‘liberation and destruction of the outflows,’ while the other finishes up with ‘knowledge of liberation.’ They are both the same, except that the latter sequence includes liberation and the destruction of the outflows under the one heading of ‘knowledge of liberation.’

Another illustration of the process of liberation proceeds like this:

Intelligent reflection (yoniso-manasikara) => gladness => rapture => calmness => happiness => concentration => knowledge and insight into things as they are => disenchantment => dispassion => liberation.[D.III.288]

This sequence differs only in that it begins with intelligent reflection, or knowing how to think and reason for oneself, instead of faith, which relies on outside influences for instruction. When one thinks properly and in accordance with reality, one sees the way things really are, and the result is gladness. From there, the factors of the progression are the same as in the previous sequences.

These sequences show more clearly the path of practice in relation to the cycle of Dependent Origination. Even so, they are only a rough outline of practical techniques. There are still many points that need to be clarified, such as what needs to be done to initiate the arising of such a sequence. That is a concern of the Path, the fourth of the Noble Truths, or the Middle Way, which deals with the Buddhist ethical system, moral practice based on knowledge of the natural processes. However, that is a vast subject which must be dealt with in a later book.

 

Fig.5

 

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Appendix

 

A note on interpreting the principle of Dependent Origination

It has been mentioned that in the commentary to the Abhidhamma Pitaka (Sammohavinodani), the principle of Dependent Origination is shown occurring entirely within the space of one mind moment. This point needs to be reiterated because modern study of the teaching (at least in traditional scholastic circles) interprets it completely on a lifetime-to-lifetime basis. Accordingly, when there are attempts to interpret the Dependent Origination cycle as a process occurring in everyday life, those who adhere to the traditional interpretations are want to dismiss them as baseless and in contradiction to the scriptures. For mutual comfort and ease of mind, therefore, I have included this reference to show that such an interpretation is not without scriptural basis.

Indeed, it is worth noting that what evidence there is for this interpretation is possibly only a shadow from the past which has become well-nigh forgotten, and which is still in existence only because the Tipitaka stands as an irrefutable reference.

The commentarial description of the cycle of Dependent Origination as a lifetime-to-lifetime process, which is generally taken to be the authority, comes from the Visuddhimagga, written by Acariya Buddhaghosa around the fifth century AD. However, there is another commentary which deals with the principle of Dependent Origination and that is the Sammohavinodani mentioned above. The explanation here is divided into two sections, the first dealing with the principle of Dependent Origination on a lifetime-to-lifetime basis, as in the Visuddhimagga, and the second explaining it as an event occurring within one mind moment.

The Sammohavinodani is also the work of Acariya Buddhaghosa, and is believed to have been written after the Visuddhimagga. The difference between the two is that whereas the Visuddhimagga was authored by Acariya Buddhaghosa himself, the Sammohavinodani is a commentary by him on the Abhidhamma Pitaka. In his introduction to the Sammohavinodani, Buddhaghosa writes, “I will glean this work from the ancient commentaries.”[Vibh.A.1 (approx.)] Even in the Visuddhimagga, when it comes to the section dealing with the principle of Dependent Origination, he reveals, “An explanation of Dependent Origination is extremely difficult,” and “Now I would like to expound on the paccayakara (principle of conditionality), even though I haven’t a foot to stand on, like a man stepping into a flowing river with no stepping stone. However, the Dependent Origination is rich with teachings, not to mention the commentaries handed down from the ancient teachers in an unbroken line. Relying on these two sources, I will now expound the principle of Dependent Origination.”[Vism.522; identical to Vibh.A.130 (approx.)]

The explanation of the principle of Dependent of Origination given in the Visuddhimagga, unlike the Sammohavinodani, contains only an explanation of the principle on a lifetime-to-lifetime basis. This explanation is almost identical to that given in the Sammohavinodani. This being the case, it may be asked, “Why is there no explanation of the principle of Dependent Origination in one mind moment given in the Visuddhimagga?” It may be that even in the time of Buddhaghosa scholastic circles generally described the principle of Dependent Origination on a lifetime-to lifetime basis. It may also be that the author felt more comfortable with this interpretation because, difficult as it was, as he noted in his introduction, still there existed the commentaries of the teachers handed down till that time. The one-mind-moment interpretation, on the other hand, was not only very difficult, but had also disappeared form scholastic circles. This can be surmised from the Sammohavinodani itself, where the description of this interpretation is extremely brief. That any explanation of it occurs at all may be simply due to the fact that it is mentioned in the Tipitaka and as such demanded an explanation. The author was able to make use of the traces of commentary still remaining to formulate his own commentary.

Now let us consider the explanation given in the Sammohavinodani itself. The Sammohavinodani is a commentary to the Vibhanga, which is the second volume of the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The section of the Vibhanga which describes the principle of Dependent Origination is called the Paccayakara Vibhanga. It is divided into two sections: the first is called Suttantabhajaniya (definition according to the Suttas), the second, the Abhidhammabhajaniya (definition according to the Abhidhamma). The Sammohavinodani , the commentary to this volume, is likewise divided into two sections. It describes the difference between the two sections thus:

“The Fonder expounded the paccayakara in terms of numerous moments of consciousness in the Suttantabhajaniya, but as the paccayakara is not limited to numerous minds, but can occur even in one mind moment, he now seeks to explain the paccayakara as it occurs in one mind moment, and this is the Abhidhammabhajaniya.”[Vibh.A.199 (approx.)] And elsewhere: “In the Suttantabhajaniya the paccayakara is divided into different lifetimes. In the Abhidhammabhajaniya it is expounded in one mind moment.”[Vibh.A.200 (approx.)] In regard to the principle of cause and effect as it functions in one mind moment in everyday life, it is said, “…birth, (aging and death) for example, here refer to birth (aging and death) of arupa (immaterial) things, not to the decaying of the teeth, the graying of the hair, the wrinkling of the skin, dying, the action of leaving existence.”[Vibh.A.208 (approx.)]

One final point deserves a mention: In the Vibhanga of the Tipitaka, the section which describes the lifetime-to-lifetime interpretation occupies only five pages of material. The section which describes the principle of Dependent Origination in one mind moment contains seventy-two pages.[26] But in the Sammohavinodani, Buddhaghosa’s commentary, it is the reverse. Namely, the section dealing with the lifetime-to-lifetime interpretation is long, containing 92 pages, whereas the section dealing with the one-mind-moment interpretation contains only 19 pages.[27] Why the commentary on the one-mind-moment version of Dependent Origination is so short is possibly because the author did to have much to say about it. Or perhaps he thought it had already been explained sufficiently in the Tipitaka, there being no need for further commentary. Whatever the case, we can affirm that the interpretation of Dependent Origination in everyday life is one that existed from the very beginning and is founded on the Tipitaka, but only traces of it remain in the Commentaries.

 

Birth and death in the present moment

Those who would like to see a reference to the cycle of rebirth in the present moment, in the present life, might like to refer to the Sutta presented below:

“”The deep-grained attachment to the feeling of self does not arise for one who is endowed with these four conditions (pañña, wisdom; sacca, integrity; caga, generosity; and upasama, calm.). With no perception of self clouding one’s consciousness one is said to be a muni, a peaceful one.” On what account did I say this? Perceptions such as ‘I am,’ ‘I am not,’ ‘I will be,’ ‘I will not be,’ ‘I will have form,’ ‘I will not have form,’ ‘I will have no form,’ ‘I will have perception,’ ‘I will not have perception,’ ‘I will neither have nor not have perception,’ monks, are an affliction, an ulcer, a dart. By transcending these perceptions one is a muni, a peaceful one.

“Monks, the muni is not born, does not age, does not die; he is not confused, nor does he yearn. There are no longer any causes for birth in him. Not being born, how can he age? Not aging, how can he die? Not dying, how can he be confused? Not being confused, how can he be desirous? “The deep-grained attachment to the feeling of self does not arise for one who is endowed with these four conditions. With no perception of self clouding one’s consciousness, one is a muni, a peaceful one” — It was on this account that this statement was made.”[28]

 

Dependent Origination in the Abhidhamma  

In the Abhidhamma many different models of Dependent Origination are presented, sorted according to the various kinds of skillful, unskillful and neutral mental states involved in producing them. These are further analyzed according to the levels of mental state involved, be they of the sensual realm (kamavacara), the realm of form (rupavacara) the formless realm (arupavacara)or the transcendent realm (lokuttara). This is because the Abhidhamma studies the mind on the level of “thought moments,” and thus analyses Dependent Origination according to the kind of specific mental state involved. The factors occurring within these models will vary according to the kind of mind-state.

For example, in some skillful mind states, the model might begin at sankhara, volitional impulses, ignorance not being present, or it may even start with one of the roots of skillfulness (non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion) instead of ignorance. Especially noteworthy is the fact that craving will only occur in the models based on unskillful mental states. In some instances, craving is replaced by pasada, inspiration, or is excluded altogether. Ignorance and craving are suppressed at these times — they do to appear in their standard forms but in other forms, if not excluded altogether. Moreover, in the Abhidhamma Pitaka the various factors are presented as components of a whole or as reversing actions (such as “ignorance conditions volitional impulses, volitional impulses condition ignorance; volitional impulses condition consciousness, consciousness conditions volitional impulses;” etc.) Here I will present only the more important descriptions:

A. 12 unskillful mental states (akusala citta):

= the arising of the whole mass of suffering

B. Skillful mental states (only those occurring in the realms of sensuality, form and formlessness):

= the arising of the whole mass of suffering

C. Vipaka (resultant) and kiriya (functional) mental states (only those occurring in the sensual, form and formless realms):

= the arising of the whole mass of suffering

D. Transcendent mental states (skillful and resultant):

Skillful

Resultant

= the arising of all these dhammas

Note that the transcendent skillful mental state may begin at ignorance or a skillful root, but the resultant transcendent mind state begins at a skillful root or, if not, then at a volitional impulse. In addition, the final phrase “and thus is the arising of this whole mass of suffering” becomes “and thus is the arising of all these dhammas.”

 

A problem with the word “nirodha” 

The word nirodha has been translated as “cessation” for so long that it has become standard practice, and any deviation from it leads to queries. Even in this book I have opted for this standard translation for sake of convenience and to avoid confusing it for other Pali terms (apart from lack of a better word). In fact, however, this rendering of the word “nirodha” as “ceased” can in many instances be a mis-rendering of the text.

Generally speaking, the word “cease” means to do away with something which has already arisen, or the stopping of something which has already begun. However, nirodha in the teaching of Dependent Origination (as also in dukkhanirodha, the third of the Four Noble Truths) means the non-arising, or non-existence, of something because the cause of its arising is done away with. For example, the phrase “when avijja is nirodha, sankhara are also nirodha,” which is usually taken to mean “with the cessation of ignorance, volitional impulses cease,” in fact means “when there is no ignorance, or no arising of ignorance, or when there is no longer any problem with ignorance, there are no volitional impulses, volitional impulses do not arise, or there is no longer any problem with volitional impulses.” It does not mean that ignorance already arisen must be done away with before the volitional impulses which have already arisen will also be done away with.

Where nirodha should be rendered as cessation is when it is used in reference to the natural way of things, or the nature of compounded things. In this sense it is a synonym for the words bhanga, breaking up, anicca, transient, khaya, cessation or vaya, decay. For example, in the Pali it is given: imam kho bhikkhave tisso vedana anicca sankhata paticcasamuppanna khayadhamma vayadhamma viragadhamma nirodhadhamma: “Monks, these three kinds of feeling are naturally impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen, transient, subject to decay, dissolution, fading and cessation.”[S.IV.214] (All of the factors occurring in the Dependent Origination cycle have the same nature.) In this instance, the meaning is “all conditioned things (sankhara), having arisen, must inevitably decay and fade according to supporting factors.” There is no need to try to stop them, they cease of themselves. Here the intention is to describe a natural condition which, in terms of practice, simply means “that which arises can be done away with.”

As for nirodha in the third Noble Truth (or the Dependent Origination cycle in cessation mode), although it also describes a natural process, its emphasis is on practical considerations. It is translated in two ways in the Visuddhimagga. One way traces the etymology to “ni” (without) + “rodha” (prison, confine, obstacle, wall, impediment), thus rendering the meaning as “without impediment,” “free of confinement.” This is explained as “free of impediments, that is, the confinement of samsara.” Another definition traces the origin to anuppada, meaning “not arising”, and goes on to say “nirodha here does not mean bhanga, breaking up and dissolution.”

Therefore, translating nirodha as “cessation”, although not entirely wrong, is nevertheless not entirely accurate. On the other hand, there is no other word which comes so close to the essential meaning as “cessation.” However, we should understand what is meant by the term. In this context, the Dependent Origination cycle in its cessation mode might be better rendered as “being free of ignorance, there is freedom from volitional impulses …” or “when ignorance is gone, volitional impulses are gone …” or “when ignorance ceases to give fruit, volitional impulses cease to give fruit …” or “when ignorance is no longer a problem, volitional impulses are no longer a problem.”

Even in the forward mode, there are some problems with definitions. The meaning of many of the Pali terms are too broad to be translated into any single English words. For instance, avijja paccaya sankhara also means “When ignorance is like this, volitional impulses are like this; volitional impulses being this way, consciousness is like this; consciousness being this way, body and mind are like this; …”