Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

pasáda-rúpa: 'sensitive corporeality', is a name for the 5 physical sense-organs responding to sense-stimuli.Cf. áyatana.passaddhi-sambojjhanga: 'tranquillity, as factor of enlightenment', consists in tranquillity of mental factors(káya-passaddhi) and tranquillity of consciousness (citta-passaddhi). Cf. bojjhanga; further Tab. II.patched-up robes, the practice of wearing: is one of the ascetic rules of purification (dhutanga, q.v.).path and not-path, the knowledge and vision regarding: s. visuddhi (V).pathaví-dhátu: 'earth-element'. or 'solid element'. It is cognizable through the sensations of pressure, touch,cold, heat. pain, etc. - About the 4 elements. s. dhátu, khandha (I. A.).pathaví-kasina: 'earth-kasina' (s. kasina).path-condition: magga-paccaya, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).path-knowledge, the 4 kinds of: s. visuddhi (VII).path-result (fruition): phala (q.v.).patibhága-nimitta: s. nimitta, kasina, samádhi.patibhána-patisambhidá: the 'analytical knowledge of ready wit': s. patisambhidá.paticcasamuppáda: 'dependent origination', is the doctrine of the conditionality of all physical and psychicalphenomena, a doctrine which, together with that of impersonality (anattá q.v.), forms the indispensablecondition for the real understanding and realization of the teaching of the Buddha. It shows the conditionalityand dependent nature of that uninterrupted flux of manifold physical and psychical phenomena of existenceconventionally called the ego, or man, or animal, etc.Whereas the doctrine of impersonality, or anattá, proceeds analytically, by splitting existence up into theultimate constituent parts, into mere empty, unsubstantial phenomena or elements, the doctrine of dependentorigination, on the other hand, proceeds synthetically, by showing that all these phenomena are, in some wayor other, conditionally related with each other. In fact, the entire Abhidhamma Pitaka, as a whole, treatsreally of nothing but just these two doctrines: phenomenality - implying impersonality and conditionality ofall existence. The former or analytical method is applied in Dhammasangani, the first book of theAbhidhamma Pitaka; the latter or synthetical method, in Patthána, the last book of the Abhidhamma Pitaka.For a synopsis of these two works, s. Guide I and VII.Though this subject has been very frequently treated by Western authors, by far most of them havecompletely misunderstood the true meaning and purpose of the doctrine of dependent origination, and eventhe 12 terms themselves have often been rendered wrongly.The formula of dependent origination runs as follows:1. Avijiá-paccayá sankhárá: "Through ignorance are conditioned the sankháras," i.e. therebirth-producing volitions (cetaná), or 'karma-formations' .2. Sankhára-paccayá viññánam: "Through the karma-formations (in the past life) is conditionedconsciousness (in the present life)."3. Viññána-paccayá náma-rúpam: "Through consciousness are conditioned the mental andphysical phenomena (náma-rúpa)," i.e. that which makes up our so-called individual existence.4. Náma-rúpa-paccayá saláyatanam: "Through the mental and physical phenomena areconditioned the 6 bases," i.e. the 5 physical sense-organs, and consciousness as the sixth.