At the last two week retreat in August and September I tlked about the Doctrine of Dependent Origination. I talked about other things too. The Doctrine of Dependent Origination is a very important doctrine in Buddhism. It is not so easy to understand. So I talked in detail about the Doctrine of Paticca Samuppàda, but I could not finish.

This Doctrine of Dependent Origination, or Dependent Genesis, or Conditioned Genesis, or Dependent Arising was first contemplated on by the Bodhisatta just before he became the Buddha. Then after he became the Buddha, he contemplated on this doctrine again and again. He taught this doctrine many times to the people during his ministry of 45 years.

This doctrine teaches that everything is caused by something. Everything has a cause. Nothing arises without a cause. According to this doctrine everything is relative. There is nothing absolute in this world. Just as B is a result of A, it is also the condition for C and so on. According to this doctrine there can be no first cause since everything must have a cause. So it goes on and on ad infinitum.

In this doctrine there are twelve factors beginning with ignorance. Since there are twelve factors and they are linked together one by one, there are eleven links. The first link is between ignorance and Kamma formations. The second link is between Kamma formations and resultant consciousness. I could finish only two links at the last retreat.

Tonight I would like to continue the talk n this important doctrine. The importnt thing to note about the beginning of this doctrine, or the beginning set of the formula is that although ignorance is stated as the first factor, it is not the first cause. Just as ignorance is a condition for Kamma formations and so on, ignorance itself is in turn conditioned by other causes.

Sometimes the Buddha just picked up the first factor and then went through to the end. At other times he would pick up at the end and go back to the beginning. Then sometimes he would pick up in the middle and go forward or go backward. So in many, many ways the Buddha taught this doctrine to his disciples and to the people.

The first link is between ignorance and what we have called 'Kamma formations' (Sankhàra). Ignorance has two aspects. It is not knowing correctly and also knowing incorrectly. Ignorance is the same as Moha or Avijjà in Pàli. This ignorance hides or covers the true nature of things. When there is ignorance, we do not see or understand correctly. Instead we see or understand incorrectly.

Buddha said, 'All conditioned things are impermanent, subject to suffering and are insubstantial'. But because of this ignorance we often fail to see that things are impermanent and so on. Instead we take them to be permanent, to be beautiful, to be good, to be substantial. Because of this ignorance of things, ignorance of the nature of things, ignorance of the Four Noble Truths, we tend to do good and bad actions.

There is something that connects ignorance to good and bad actions. That something is clinging with attachment. Because we do not correctly see things, we are attached to them. When we are attached to them, we cling to them. Attachment is a weaker form of craving. Clinging is a stronger form of craving. When there is weak craving, then there is also strong craving. So these two, craving and grasping or clinging, connect ignorance with Kamma formations or what we may call good and bad actions. Through ignorance we think that things are permanent. We would like to have thos things. We would like to be born in a better existence. Through this craving and clinging to be reborn in a better existence, we do things, sometimes good, sometimes bad. And so ignorance is the condition for Kamma formations, or good and bad actions. This is the first link in this Doctrine of Dependent Origination.

When we say something is conditioned by some other thing, we mean sometimes that something is caused by some other thing. We may also mean that it is just a condition for the other thing, or that it is a support for the other thing. The conditioning thing and the conditioned thing may arise at the same time. When we say, 'Because of ignorance there are Kamma formations' and so on, we are to understand that sometimes it is cause-effect relationship. At other times it is just things arising together and supporting each other. The conditioning factor and the conditioned factor may belong to different times or they may belong to the same time, the same moment.

The second link is between Kamm formations or good and bad actions and resultant consciousness. When we talk about Dependent Origination or Abhidhamma, we have to be very precise, very specific. In this second link there is the word 'Viññàna' in Pàli. This word 'Viññàna' is translated as consciousness. Viññàna is that which is aware of the object. Viññàna means some thing or some phenomenon that is aware of the object. It is some thing that always hs an object. It is just the bare awareness of the object. That bare awareness of the object is called 'Viññàna' or 'Citta' in Pàli. It is trnslated into English as consciousness.

This Citta or Viññàna is always with us. So long as we are alive this Citta or Viññàna never ceases. According to this definition there is Citta going on even when we are asleep.

This Citta, or Viññàna, or just bae awareness of the object is always accompanied by some states which are called 'Cetasikas' in Pàli. They are translated as mental states. Citta is just the awareness of the object. Mental states are those that influence or make one Citta diffrent from another Citta.

When we experience something, there is something like the sensation of pleasant, or unpleaant, or neutral. There is something like perception and volition. All these things are called 'Cetsikas' or 'mental states'. Greed, hatred and delusion are also mental states. Faith, mindfulness, loving-kindness, wisdom are also mental states. So mental sttes accompany consciousness. Consciousness and mental states arise together at the same time and also disappear or perish together.

In this second link when we say, 'conditioned by good or bad actions consciousness arises', we mean resultant consciousness. Resultant consciousness is the consciousness that arises at relinking or Patisandhi at the moment of conception with regard to human beings. When a person is conceived, there arises a type of consciousness which is the result of good or bad actions done in previous lives. So conditioned by good or bad actions, conditioned by good or bad volition, the relinking consciousness arises. Here the good or bad actions belong to the past time. The relinking consciousness belongs to the present time. They belong to different times and one is the cause of the other. This is the second link.

Whenever someone does something good or bad, there is what we call 'volition'. It is somthing like mental effort arising together with consciousness or Citta. Volition has the capacity to leave some kind of potential to give results in the future after it perishes. This potential lives with beings all the time. When there are conditions favorable for it to produce results, it gives results. When it gives results, it gives in the form of resultant consciousness at the moment of conception or later on in the life.

The next link, the third link, is between consciousness and mind and matter. Conditioned by consciousness mind and matter arise. In this link consciousness is the conditioning factor. Mind and matter are the conditioned factors.

In this link 'consciousness' means all types of consciousness, resultant consciousness as well as non-resultant consciousness. There are different types of consciousness. Some are the results of different kinds of Kamma done in the past and some are not. There are wholesome types of consciousness. There are unwholesome types of consciousness and so on. Different types of consciousness are meant here by Viññàna or consciousness.

With respect to mind and matter, 'mind' here refers to the mental states. In Pàli the word 'Nàma' is used here. Generally speaking Nàma means consciousness and mental factors together. But here in this particular link, in this particular place, Nàma means only the mental factors, only the three aggregates (Vedanà, Saññà and Sankhàra). Feeling, perception and mentalformations are called 'Nama' here. Rùpa or matter means all material properties. According to this link Viññàna or consciousness conditions the mental factors and the material properties.

When a resultant consciousness arises according to the second link, consciousness does not arise alone. It arises with Cetsikas, with mental factors too. Even in the second link we have a glimpse of the third link. When they arise together consciousness on the one hand and the mental factors on the other hand, we say consciousness conditions the mental factors or the mental factors are conditioned by consciousness.

Here we do not mean that mental factors are caused or produced by consciousness. They arise together and consciousness is a condition for them to arise. Although they arise together at the same time, consciousness is like a leader, like a chief. So it is said that consciousness is the conditioning factor of the mental states that arise together with it.

Consciousness and mental factors support each other. Consciousness supports mental factors. Mental factors support consciousness. They have a reciprocal relationship. The relationship between consciousness and mental factors here is that of conascence, arising together and supporting each other. This is how they are related.

Consciousness is also a condition for the material properties to arise. There are different kinds of material properties according to Abhidhamma. There are four kinds of material properties - those that are caused by Kamma, those that are caused by Citta or consciousness, those that are caused by climate or climatic conditions and those that are caused by food or nutrition. These material properties also arise together with consciousness. They are said to be conditioned by consciousness.

At every moment of the arising of consciousness we see this link. We have to understand or see this link. This link cannot be understood just by reading, just by listening to talks, but only by the practice of meditation, by direct experience of this link.

The Doctrine of Paticca Samuppàda is not to be sought in the books or in the talks, but it is to be sought in one's self, in the rising and disappearing of mental and physical phenomena in one's self. Only when we understand with reference to personal experience can we say that we understand it properly.

How do we understand this link? How do we know that consciousness is a conditioning factor for mental and material properties? When you practice meditation, you are instructed to be mindful of whatever you experience, whatever you come across. You are to be mindful of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking. So when you see something and you make yourself mindful of seeing or you may say to yourself, 'seeing, seeing, seeing', you are observing the seeing consciousness. You are observing the consciousness that sees the object. Along with that seeing consciousness you also experience a feeling. If the object is a desirable one, then you have a good feeling. If it is an undesirable object, then you have a bad feeling. If it is neither desirable nor undesirable, you may have a neutral feeling. So feeling also arises together with that consciousness.

With that consciousness there is also perception. There is something like making a mark so that you know what the object is when you see it again. That is called perception or Saññà in Pàli. That also arises with seeing consciousness.

There is also wht we call 'volition'. That is mental effort to do something, to see something, to experience something. It is like pushing you frward to see things or to hear things. This mentl volition is also present with every arising of consciousness. It is most evident when you make notes or make yourself aware of intentions. When you stretch out your hand, you make a mental note, 'wanting to stretch' or 'intending to stretch'. So you make yourself aware of the intention. Because of that intention there is this movement. If there is no intention, there will be no movement at all. This intention is what we call 'Cetanà' or 'volition'. Because of Cetanà or volition there is movement, there is Kamma, there is performance of things, there is action. Sometimes it is very evident. Suppose you have an itching sensation. You want to scratch it. That is volition. It is like telling you, 'scratch it, scratch it'. In order to relieve this feeling you scratch. Scratching is caused by this volition or intention to scratch.

Sometimes you have pain and you want to relieve pain. Then you make a movement. Before you make the movement, you want to move. You want to get rid of the pain. That volition is pushing you, asking you to make mvement. This is what we call volition. That volition is present with every type of consciousness.

Sometimes we see these different mental states clearly and at other times we may not. If we pay attention to what we are observing, if we have enough concentration, thenwe will be able to see them clearly.

When we are happy with seeing something, there is what we call 'pleasurable feeling'. When we are not happy with seeing something, there is displeasurable feeling. When we are attached to that thing which we see, there is attachment which is Lobha. If it is an undesirable object and we are angry with that object, then there is anger or hatred with us.

All these mental factors arise together with consciousness. Whenever we see an object and we are aware of that seeing consciousness, we are also aware of these mental factors. We can see or we can understand all these mental factors arisin with seeing consciousness.

This seeing consciousness needs to have a physical basis or material basis. Without the material basis consciousness cannot rise in this world of five aggregates. That means in this particular example that seeing consciousness must have an eye to see. When there is no eye, there can be no seeing consciousness. When you make a mental note of 'seeing, seeing, seeing', you are also aware that this seeing consciousness is dependent upon the eye which is material properties. These material properties which we call the 'eye' or 'eye sensitivity' arise simultaneously with seeing consciousness. So seeing consciousness is said to condition the material properties which we call 'eye sensitivity'. And eye sensitivity is said to be caused by Kamma. At the moment of seeing we can understand that this seeing conditions the other mental factors. They have relationships of conascence, reciprocity and so on.

The same is true when we hear something. Hearing consciousness conditions other mental factors. Also there is the material base for this hearing consciousness which is the ear. When we smell something, when we tste something, when we touch something and when we are aware of the smelling consciousness, tasting consciousnesss, touching consciousness, we are also aware of the mental factors going together with them and the material properties arising together with them.

We say that consciousness conditions mental factors and material properties which arise at the same time. Why is consciousness called the conditioning factor as they arise together at the same time? Consciousness, if we really observe it, appers to us as a chief, s a forerunner. It seems to arise first and then one by one mental factors arise. But actually mental factors and consciousness arise at the same time. When there is no consciousness, there can be no arising of mental factors. Mental factors depend upon the consciousness for their arising. That is why consciousness is called the forerunner of mentl factors or mental aggregates. It is not that consciousness arises first and that at a later time mentl factors arise. They arise at the same time, but since consciousness is like a chief, it is called 'the forerunner of the mental aggregates'. That is why we say consciousness conditions mind and matter.

In the same way when there are mind and matter, there are the six material bases. When there are the six material bases, there is contact and so on.

Since consciousness is like a leader, like a chief, we may say here consciousness is the condition for the mental factors to arise. In the first verse of the Dhammapada it is said: 'Mind is chief. Mind is the forerunner of all mental states. Mind-made are they.' We must understand that although it is said that mind is the forerunner, actually it arises at the same time as the mental factors. The mental factors arise together simultaneously with consciousness. Since consciousness is like a leader of the group of mental factors, it is called a 'forerunner'.

_The third link is between consciousness and mental factors and matrial properties. Sometimes consciousness is a condition for just the mental factors. Sometimes it is condition for just the material properties. Sometimes it is a condition for both mental factors and material properties. Therefore we have to understand this link as conditioned by consciousness mental states arise; conditioned by consciousness material properties arise; conditioned by consciousness mental states and material properties arise. We have to understand in this way.

When consciousness is a condition for mental states, they arise together. So they support each other. When consciousness is a condition for some material properties, like heart base and so on, they arise together and they support each other. When consciousness is a condition for other types of matrial properties, they arise at the same time, but only mind is a condition for the other types of material properties. When consciousness is a condition for some kinds of material properties born of Kamma, they may belong to different times. In this way we have to understnd this link from different points of view, from different aspects. Consciousness can condition the material properties which are born of consciousness. Also it can condition material properties which are born of other causes like Kamma, climatic conditions and nutrition.

The material properties which are born of Kamma are also conditioned by Citta or consciousness. Because only when there is consciousness, only when there is Citta, can there be these types of material properties. When there is no Citta, these types of material properties do not arise. They cease like when a person is dead. When a person is dead, there remain only the material properties born of climatic condition. The other types of material properties have ceased. Only when there is Citta can there be these types of material properties although they are caused by other causes as well as Citta or consciousness. Therefore it is said that consciousness is a condition for material properties.

This link, this relationship between consciousness on the one hand and mental factors and material properties on the other hand can be known through direct experience as well as through reading and listening to talks. Buddha's teachings are not for just accepting without investigation. They are not simply just to be believed in, but they are to be seen for one's self through direct experience, especially through the practice of Vipassanà meditation. Through Vipassanà meditation many such teachings can be seen or understood by us through direct experience. We don't have to rely on books. We don't have to rely on talks alone. We can see for ourselves that the teachings are true.

Just by paying attention to whatever is present at the present moment, we cn gain such knowledge which is very difficult to get by other means. When we pay attention to objects, when we pay attention to seeing, hearing and so on, when we pay attention to things that are at the present moment, we gain a thorough knowledge of these objects. If you observe something properly, then you get the knowledge of that thing. If you pay attention to the things presented to you and keep your mind on these objects, you come to see more of these things. You come to see the true nature of these things. You come to see that they just arise and then they disappear. They do not last long. They do not last even for two consecutive moments. Since they rise and fall, since they come into being and disappear, they are impermanent. When they are impermanent, they are not satisfactory. And we cannot make this unsatisfactoriness into satisfactoriness. There is no control over it. There is nothing which we can call an abiding entity behind all these happenings.

So the impermanence of things , the soullessness of things, the unsatisfactoriness of things can be seen just by paying attention to objects at the present moment. It is very important. The past is past. So we cannot see the past as clearly as we see the present. The future has not come, so we cannot see the future. The only thing that is important is the present thing at the present moment. Vipassanà teaches us to live in the present moment. If we observe things at the present moment, we see for ourselves the nature of these things clearly, that they arise and disappear, that they are impermanent and so on. Through this direct experience of things we can understand the teachings of the Buddha, the teachings of Dependent Origination (Paticca Samuppàda). This teaching is a very important doctrine of the Buddha.

If we combine the study of Paticca Samuppàda with another branch of Abhidhamma which is called 'Patthàna' (the types of relationships between things), we come to understand Dependent Origination more fully. In the Doctrine of Dependent Origination just the relation as cause and effect is stated. However it is not stated how they are related and in what way they are related. Through Dependent Origination we just know that this is related to that as cause and effect. A is related to B as cause and effect. If we study Patthàna, the conditional relationships, we come to understand that they are related in this way and in that way or in different ways. If we combine these two doctrines, Paticca Samuppàda and Patthàna, we come to understand things thoroughly and how they are related. First they are related as cause and effect or conditioning and conditioned, and then how they are related, in what way they are related.

This Doctrine of Paticca Samuppàda is very important because it teaches us that everything is caused by something. There is nothing that is absolute. Everything is relative. There is nothing which makes this chain of cause-effect relations go. They are just phenomena. They are just happenings. There is no one who directs this machinery of cuase-effect relationship. There is just the phenomena rolling on and on and on. It teaches us to see things as they are and to get the correct understanding of mental and physical phenomena as they are.

This is the third link in the teaching of Dependent Origination. It is the link between consciousness on the one hand and mental factors and material properties on the other. 'Consciousness' here mens all types of consciousness. 'Mental factors' means all the mental factors. 'Material properties' mean the 28 material properties mentioned in bhidhamma. They have relationships such as conascence, reciprocity, association and so on.

Consciousness and mental factors arise at the same time and they are related to each other. Consciousness and material properties may arise at the same time or they may arise at different times. They are also related as conditioning and conditioned. This is the third link in the Doctrine of Dependent Origination (Paticca Samuppàda). This link can be seen through the practice of Vipassanà meditation just by paying attention, just by keeping ourselves mindful of anything that is present at the present moment, just by observing things, thoughts, emotions, feelings as and when they arise.

When Nàma and Rùpa (mental factors and material properties) arise, the six bases also arise. Among the material properties there is eye sensitivity, ear sensitivity, nose sensitivity, tongue sensitivity and body sensitivity among other material properties. When Nàma and Rùpa arise, the six bases also arise. That is the next link in the Doctrine of Pticca Samuppàda. I will talk about it tomorrow night.

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A few days ago I was reading this book. It is called 'Beyond the Relaxation Response'. It is a practical program that may help one relieve backaches, headaches, chest pains. It also lowers the blood pressure and cholesterol. It can eliminate insomnia and decrease anxiety. The program is like a meditation program. There are eight steps. These are very similar to what I have been teaching at the retreats.

I want to red from this book the second step given by the author. The first step is to pick some word that reflects your basic belief system. The second step is to choose a comfortable position. 'When people meditate in many cultures, they sit in a lotus position with their legs crossed and their hands on their knees. Sometimes people stand and sway back and forth as they pray as with the davening practice of Orthodox Jews.' I don't know the meaning of the word 'davening'. 'But the relaxation response can be brought forth just as well when you sit in any comfortable position that won't disturb your thoughts. The variety of positions developed in other cultures may be no more than a ritualistic way of keeping the meditating person from falling asleep. For example, many Protestants may kneel. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, set aside a special little alcove in his parsonage in London with a kneeling stool, so he could pray in this preferred position. Certain Catholics and Buddhists on the other hand may prostrate themselves, stomach down on the floor with their faces on the ground. These positions are comfortable enough so that they can be maintained for relatively long periods. But they are uncomfortable enough so that the practicioners won't doze off. An early example of the problem of sleepiness during prayer may be the experience of Jesus' disciples who fell asleep more than once in the Garden of Gethsemane while their Master was praying nearby. He chided them for that and urged them in no uncertain terms to watch and pray. The Catholic Encyclopedia puts emphasis on attentiveness during all forms of prayer. Attention is the very essence of prayer. As soon as this attention ceases, prayer ceases.

In some cases if you are suffering from insomnia, you will want to use the relaxation response technique to help you fall asleep. I will provide some detail on this technique in the next chapter. In most cases your relaxation response method should not put you to sleep. The technique is restful however, and so while you should make yourself comfortable, you don't want to lie down or sit in such a wy that you should easily drift off to sleep.'

If we substitute meditation for relaxation response in that book, we would have the same information. It should be comfortable enough so that you can maintain the posture for a relatively long period of time. The posture must be uncomfortable enough so that you do not fall into sleep. We need some degree of comfort. I do not want you to suffer unnecessarily when you practice meditation. The posture must not be too comfortable. If it is too comfortable, you will fall asleep. You must take a posture that is comfortable, but not too comfortable. You must take a posture in which you will not fall asleep. You know for yourself which will keep you from falling asleep. Without some degree of comfort it is very difficult on the object of meditation. So there must be comfort, but not too much.

Sàdhu! Sàdhu! Sàdhu!