Conversation with Gemini: On the Universality of Dependent Origination and Its Consequences

Ken: Many important spiritual truths are universally understood and honored despite the use of different names. For example, Dependent Origination is a core concept in Buddhist philosophy that explains how all phenomena arise in dependence on multiple causes and conditions. It teaches that nothing exists independently or in isolation; everything is interconnected and interdependent. According to this teaching, all things come into being because of a web of relationships, and when those conditions change or cease, the phenomena also arise or dissolve. In other words, everything we experience is the result of a complex network of interconnected causes. I want to argue that Dependent Origination, like the Golden Rule, is a universal truth that spans across cultures.

Gemini: Absolutely, you’re onto something important! Here’s how you can present Dependent Origination as a universal principle:

1. Universal Foundational Concepts

• Causality: The idea that every effect has a cause is fundamental to many philosophical and scientific traditions worldwide, which aligns with Dependent Origination’s focus on how phenomena are interconnected.
• Interconnectedness: Many indigenous cultures emphasize the deep…