The Buddha, soon after his enlightenment, reflected on the depth of the Dhamma he had realized. He saw two points in this Dhamma that transcends logic (atakkāvacara), which it is
difficult for the worldlings immersed in defilements to see.
One is the Law of Dependent Arising (Paṭicca Samuppāda) or conditionality (idappaccayatā). The other is Nibbāna – the stilling of all Preparations (sabba-saṅkhāra-samatha). Owing to the very profundity of the Law of Dependent Arising, hardly a century after the passing away of the Buddha, a number of Buddhist sects that sprang up offered a wide variety of interpretations of this central philosophy.
Both as a term and as a philosophy Paṭicca Samuppāda happened to be a ‘stranger’ to the contemporary religious environment. The outcome of philosophical attempts to get familiar with this ‘stranger’ was a miscellany of treatises offering conflicting views. Each Buddhist sect had its own interpretation of Paṭicca Samuppāda. This makes it all the more difficult to ascertain the exact significance of the term that accords with the Buddha’s teaching. Against this hazy background, the Pahan Kanuwa series of Paṭicca Samuppāda sermons came to be inspired by an urge to clarify the correct position in the light of the Buddha’s sermons…….
Published strictly for free distribution Source seeingthroughthenet
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