Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

Traditionally, Dependent Origination is explained using twelve causal factors/links to account for the arising (or the cessation) of suffering. It is a very important concept in Buddhism. Yet, I have never seen any discussion about it in any of Facebook’s Buddhist groups. In addition, I have not seen the twelve links discussed in any of the introduction to Buddhism books I have come across. As a modern Buddhist educator, I would like to take this opportunity to share the main ideas underlying these twelve links and discuss some of the controversies.

First, let us make a list of what the twelve links are:

1. Ignorance (Avidya)

2. Volitional Action (Sankhara)

3. Consciousness (Vinnana)

4. Name and Form (Nama-rupa)

5. Six Senses (Salayatana)

6. Sense Impressions (Phassa; also called Contact)

7. Feelings (Vedana: Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral)

8. Desire or Craving (Tanha or Trishna)

9. Attachment (Upadana)

10. Becoming (Bhava)

11. Birth (Jati)

12. Old Age and Death (Jaramarana)

There is little controversy about factors 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. It is common sense psychology. Because some of our sensory experiences result in a pleasant feeling, we want those sensory impressions to repeat. Such a desire to repeat creates attachment or addiction. If we are very addicted to some kind of sense impression, we may become a slave to it. It is easy to understand why this may cause suffering. Similarly, because some other sensory experiences result in an unpleasant feeling, we want to avoid them. This leads to aversion. Attachment and aversion are just two sides of the same coin. Our attraction to pleasant feelings necessarily means an aversion to the opposite. In both attachment and aversion, we lose some degree of our freedom. In extreme cases, such attachments or aversions can create a prison for our inner life.

The first difficulty lies in the interpretation of the third factor: Consciousness. This is not the common sense “Consciousness,” which is defined as “the state of being awake and able to hear, see, and think.” More…