SN 2.12.16-39-43

Different ways of presenting the paṭicca samuppāda

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Index of Available translations: [SN 2.12.16]
[SN 2.12.39]
[SN 2.12.43]

 

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Bound up in Intent, Consciousness
Bound up in Consciousness, Name/Form

In SN 2.12.39 we have another way of stating the paṭicca samuppāda. This sequence could be placed between 'There being blindness, own-making'; or 'There being consciousness, name/form;' or, leapfrogging: 'There being blindness, name/form' or 'There being fuel, existence'. Put this sutta together with SN 2.12.16 and you will be able to see that the paṭicca samuppāda is more than a linear description of the coming to be of pain and it is also more than a three-life description and it is also more than a moment-to-moment description. It is all of these and more. Each link is in effect the entire process and the focus of the link should be seen in each case as being just the surface representation of one salient feature.

"Yaṇ ca bhikkhave, ceteti||
yañ ca pakappeti,||
yañ ca anuseti,||
ārammaṇame taɱ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā.|| ||

Ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti.|| ||

Tasmiɱ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe nāma-rūpassa avakkanti hoti.|| ||

Whatsoever, beggars, for which one has the heart,
and whatsoever one plans,
and whatsoever one ponders,
such becomes an object for the seating of consciousness.

There being an object, consciousness stands fast.

There being growth of established consciousness, there is coming down into name/form.

You should see that this 'pondering' or 'planning' must be being done by an already established relationship between consciousness and name/form, i.e., a thinking being. So this is not intended to show 'original' origination; it is intended to show a continuation of origination. It focuses for the time being on a single aspect.

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Bound up in contact of sense organ, sense object and consciousness, sense experience,
bound up in sense experience, hunger thirst,
bound up in hunger/thirst, pain.

Still another way of putting the paṭicca samuppāda. Found in SN 2.12.043:

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The Point? Let your understanding be thorough — it is: "This being, that becomes; from the ending of this the ending of that" — so that in its thoroughness it can be flexible, so that in its flexibility it is adaptable.