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Pali (Sanskrit)
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Usual Translation
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Other Reference
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Remarks
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1
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Avijja (Avidya) | Ignorance |
Lack of wisdom, which is the root of all evils. Obscuration as to self of persons and self of phenomena. |
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2
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Sankhara (Samskara) |
Karma formations |
Compositional action |
Wholesome or unwholesome thoughts, speech and bodily deeds. |
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3
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Vinnana (Vijnana) | Conciousness |
Normally 6 consciousnesses but is taken as 8 in the Yoga cara School. |
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4
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Nama-rupa | Name & form |
Corporeality & mentality |
Mental & physical existence. 4 mental aggregates and one physical body. |
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5
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Ayatana (Shadayatana) | Six bases |
Six sense organs/spheres |
Eye, ear, nose, tongue, touch and mental faculty. |
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6
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Phassa (Sparsha) |
Sense impression |
Contact |
A mental factor and period in which the objects, sense power/organ and conciousness come together, causing one to distinguish an object as pleasurable, painful or neutral. |
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7
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Vedana | Feeling | Sensation |
Posited as a mental factor that experiences pleasure, pain and neutral feeling. Pleasure leads to a strong desire for more while pain an avoidance desire. |
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8
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Tanha (Trishna) | Craving | Attachment |
A mental factor that increases desire but without any satisfaction. |
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9
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Upadana | Clinging | Grasping |
A stronger degree of desire. 4 basic varieties: desired objects, views of self, bad system of ethics and conduct; and other bad views. |
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Bhava (Bjava) |
Process of becoming |
Existence |
A period lasting from the time of fully potentialised karma up to the beginning of next lifetime. |
| 11 | Jati | Rebirth | ||
| 12 | Jara-marana (Jaramaranam) |
Ageing & Death |
Decay & Death |
Notes:
Links 1, 2, 8, 9 and 10 are the five karmic causes of rebirths.
Links 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are the five karmic results in the rounds of rebirths.
This doctrine is interpreted in various ways and levels:
- The Theravada tradition uses it to explain the arising of sufferings; that all composite existence is without substantiality. This doctrine is then used the basis for the negation of self.
- In the Mahayana, condition arising is further interpreted to validate the unreality of existence by reason of its relativity.
- Madhyamika School equates this doctrine with shunyata (emptiness). Condition arising is taken to show that because of their relativity, appearances have only empirical validity and are ultimately unreal.
- In the Yogacara view, only true understanding of this doctrine can overcome the error of taking what does not exist for existent and what does exist for nonexistent.
- The Prajnaparamita Sutras stresses that this doctrine does not refer to a temporal succession but rather to the essential interdependence of all things.
Sources of compilation:
- The Meaning of Life; The Dalai Lama, Wisdom Publications 92
- The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen; Shambhala Pubn 91
- Living Dharma; Jack Kornfield, Shambhala Pubn 96
- Buddhist Dictionary; Nyanatiloka, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre 91
Source: buddhanet.net
