The twelve links of dependent occurrence are a causal chain, that describes, how suffering arises from ignorance and how this ignorance further influences our thoughts and actions. The causal chain embraces both physical and mental phenomena which interpenetrate each other. With it, we form the quality of our consciousness and leave traces of karmic tendencies.
The twelve links of dependent occurrence in order of their occurrence:
- Ignorance: Consciousness does not recognize itself, which is the basis for disturbing emotions. There are two kinds: Ignorance in connection with disturbing emotions and subtle ignorance, clinging to ideas and concepts.
- Tendencies or habitual patterns: Positive, negative, or neutral tendencies are accumulated.
- Dualistic consciousness: 1. basic consciousness and the tendencies in it, which arise from actions; 2. the ripened aspect of this consciousness, which makes things appear.
- Name and form: "Form" corresponds to the development of a physical body and is one of the five aggregates(Skr.: skandhas, physical-mental aggregates). "Name" corresponds to the other four skandhas: sensation, recognition, mental formations and consciousness. Eventually, a body consciousness expresses itself by means of the five senses.
- Sensory organs and sensory abilities: Translated literally from Tibetan it means "opening for perception".
- Contact or touch: By means of sensory organs, sensory abilities make contact with objects. The meeting of those three is what is called touch. Through perception the next link arises, which is
- Feeling: We distinguish between pleasant and unpleasant, good and bad, and so on.
- Desire: On the basis of those feelings arises desire, and depending on the kind of feeling, one experiences a strong, weak, or neutral relation to something.
- Grasping arises from desire and means, that you try to get something (e.g. food or clothing etc.). The illusion of a separation between oneself and other, that arises in this way, leads to
- Becoming: This is the power of karma, which brings about reincarnation.
- Birth We grow older by the hour.
- From the continuous changing of the skandhas arises the last link: Ageing and death.
In this way, the cycle is completed and the links of dependent occurrence work on endlessly, until one day one eventually reaches liberation from the cycle of existence.
In Tibetan Buddhism this image symbolism is very important. The artistic illustration of teachings helps in making these teachings easier to understand. Traditionally, the twelve links of dependent occurrence are depicted in the circle of the wheel of life, a presentation of conditioned existence in Samsara. Each of the links is represented by a symbolic image, which pertinently renders its theoretical contents.
The teachings on the twelve links of dependent origination are no quixotic theory. They help us in exploring our own consciousness and in changing things. Thus, we are enabled to handle those problems, that arise from too stiff life patterns. After all, with these teachings we can completely remove our basic ignorance and recognize our mind's wisdom nature.
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