Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. There, the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Monks." 

"Venerable sir," the monks replied. 

The Blessed One said this:

"Monks, I will teach you the Dependent Origination. Listen carefully and pay attention, I will speak."

"Yes, venerable sir," the monks replied.

The Blessed One said:

"And what, monks, is Dependent Origination? 

Monks, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations come to be;

With volitional formations as condition, consciousness comes to be;

With consciousness as condition, name-and-form comes to be;

With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases come to be;

With the six sense bases as condition, contact comes to be;

With contact as condition, feeling comes to be;

With feeling as condition, craving comes to be;

With craving as condition, clinging comes to be;

With clinging as condition, existence comes to be;

With existence as condition, birth comes to be;

With birth as condition, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be.

Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. This is called Dependent Origination.

But with the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance comes cessation of volitional formations;

With the cessation of volitional formations, cessation of consciousness;

With the cessation of consciousness, cessation of name-and-form;

With the cessation of name-and-form, cessation of the six sense bases;

With the cessation of the six sense bases, cessation of contact;

With the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling;

With the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving;

With the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging;

With the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence;

With the cessation of existence, cessation of birth;

With the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering."

This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those monks delighted in the Blessed One's statement.

End of the first discourse.

Explanation:

This discourse expounds on one of Buddhism's core teachings - the law of Dependent Origination. It explains the process of how suffering arises and ceases. It demonstrates that all phenomena are interdependent and interconnected, with no independent, eternal self. Understanding this principle can help us recognize the nature of life and gain wisdom leading to liberation.

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination is a crucial Buddhist doctrine explaining the cycle of rebirth and the root of suffering. Let me explain each link in detail, aiming for simplicity and clarity:

1. Ignorance:

Meaning: Lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of the truth.

Dharma: Not understanding the Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, and other core Buddhist teachings; ignorance of life's true nature.

2. Volitional Formations:

Meaning: Intentional activities that form karma.

Dharma: Thoughts and actions driven by ignorance, creating conditions for future rebirth.

3. Consciousness:

Meaning: Awareness, cognitive ability.

Dharma: Initial consciousness at rebirth, connecting past and present lives.

4. Name-and-Form:

Meaning: Mental and physical phenomena.

Dharma: Psychological (name) and physiological (form) components of an individual, constituting the whole being.

5. Six Sense Bases:

Meaning: Six senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind).

Dharma: Formation of sensory systems, preparing for contact with the external world.

6. Contact:

Meaning: The meeting of sense organs with external objects.

Dharma: The process where sense organ, object, and consciousness meet, forming the basis for experience.

7. Feeling:

Meaning: Sensations, emotional experiences.

Dharma: Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feelings arising from contact.

8. Craving:

Meaning: Desire, attachment.

Dharma: Clinging to pleasant feelings, aversion to unpleasant ones; a main source of suffering.

9. Clinging:

Meaning: Grasping, holding on tightly.

Dharma: Stronger attachment, including clinging to sensual pleasures, views, rules and rituals, and the self.

10. Becoming:

Meaning: Existence, state of being.

Dharma: Karmic energy produced by clinging, determining the next rebirth.

11. Birth:

Meaning: Coming into existence, beginning of a new life.

Dharma: Formation of a new life form, entering a new cycle of rebirth.

12. Aging-and-Death:

Meaning: Process of aging and eventual death.

Dharma: Inevitable decay and end of life, accompanied by sorrow, grief, and other sufferings.

Summary:

These twelve links form a cycle, showing how life continuously revolves in rebirth driven by ignorance, producing suffering. Understanding this process helps us recognize the root of suffering and seek liberation. Buddhism teaches that by eliminating ignorance, the entire chain can be broken, ultimately leading to liberation.

Let me illustrate the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination using the stages of a human life:

1. Ignorance:

Like a couple wanting a child, unaware of life's true nature. They expect happiness through parenthood, demonstrating a lack of understanding about life's realities.

2. Volitional Formations:

Parents act on this expectation, engaging in activities like intercourse, creating karmic energy.

3. Consciousness:

At the moment of conception, the first consciousness enters the fertilized egg. This is life's initial awareness.

4. Name-and-Form:

The fertilized egg develops in the womb, forming the fetus's physical and mental structures, typically during months 1-3 of pregnancy.

5. Six Sense Bases:

The fetus continues to develop, with the six sense organs gradually forming, usually during months 4-7 of pregnancy.

6. Contact:

After birth (0-1 year), the infant's senses begin to interact with the environment, but without discernment of good or bad.

7. Feeling:

As a toddler (1-3 years), the child starts experiencing pleasure and pain but can't express these accurately.

8. Craving:

In childhood (3-6 years), preferences develop, leading to desire for liked things, such as a favorite toy.

9. Clinging:

During pre-teen years (6-12), attachments become stronger, with pursuit of desires and a sense of possession.

10. Becoming:

In adolescence (12-18), future planning begins, along with more desires and aspirations, creating new karma.

11. Birth:

In adulthood (18+), various karmic forces mature, leading to life's ups and downs.

12. Aging-and-Death:

Eventually facing aging, illness, and death. If ignorance remains unbroken, the cycle continues.

Throughout this process:

- Craving becomes apparent from childhood but grows more complex with age

- Emotions evolve from basic feelings to complex experiences

- Karma creation starts at birth, but conscious karma-making begins after the 'clinging' stage

- Suffering begins with 'contact', but true affliction starts after 'craving'

These twelve links are interdependent:

- Initial ignorance leads to volitional formations

- Formations lead to rebirth consciousness

- This continues until aging and death

- Which, due to unresolved ignorance, leads to a new cycle

The key to breaking this cycle is:

Eliminating the initial ignorance by recognizing:

- Life's inherent nature of suffering

- The absence of an eternal, unchanging "self"

- Everything is conditioned, impermanent, and in constant flux

This realization can gradually lead to freedom from the cycle of rebirth.

This process is like a wheel in constant motion:

- Ignorance is the axle

- Other links are the spokes

- Continuously propelling the wheel of life forward

- Only wisdom can stop this cycle

Reflections on the Significance of Dependent Origination:

1. Personal Responsibility and Liberation:

Dependent Origination reveals that our suffering stems from our own ignorance and attachments, not external factors. This insight empowers us to change our destiny. How can we apply this understanding in our daily lives?

2. Interconnected Worldview:

In a society emphasizing individualism, Dependent Origination reminds us that everything is interconnected. How does this perspective change our view of the environment, social relationships, and global issues?

3. Breaking Cycles:

While Dependent Origination shows the cyclical nature of suffering, it also points to the possibility of breaking this cycle. How can we identify and break negative patterns in our lives?

4. Ignorance versus Awakening:

Ignorance is seen as the root of suffering, highlighting the importance of knowledge and awakening. In an age of information overload, how do we distinguish true wisdom from superficial knowledge?

5. Nature of Existence:

Dependent Origination challenges the concept of an eternal, unchanging self. How does accepting the nature of change and impermanence affect our life attitudes and values?

6. Practice and Theory:

The Buddha emphasizes the importance of listening and contemplating, reminding us that understanding profound concepts and applying them to practical life are equally important. How can we transform philosophical insights into daily practice?

Conclusion:

Dependent Origination is not just a philosophical concept but a tool for observing and understanding the nature of life. It invites us to deeply reflect on our existence, actions, and relationship with the world. By understanding this law, we can begin a journey of transformation, moving from ignorance to awakening, from suffering to liberation. This is not an instantaneous process but requires continuous observation, reflection, and practice. Through this process, we can not only change our own lives but also influence the world around us in a more wise and compassionate way.