Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

embryonic being is functioning.Against Dr. Paul Dahlke's misconception of the paticcasamuppáda as "one single karmicalmoment of personal experience," and of the 'simultaneity' of all the 12 links of this formula,I should like to state here distinctly that the interpretation of the p. given here ascomprising 3 successive lives not only agrees with all the different schools of Buddhism andall the ancient commentaries, but also is fully identical with the explanations given already inthe canonical suttas. Thus, for example, it is said verbatim in Nidána-Samyutta (S. XII, 51):"Once ignorance (1) and clinging (9) are extinguished, neither karmically meritorious, nordemeritorious, nor imperturbable karma-formations (2=10) are produced, and thus noconsciousness (3=11) will spring up again in a new mother's womb." And further: "For, ifconsciousness were not to appear in the mother's womb, would in that case mentality andcorporeality (4) arise?" Cf. above diagram.The purpose of the Buddha in teaching the p. was to show to suffering mankind how,depending on ignorance and delusion, this present existence and suffering has come about,and how through extinction of ignorance, and of the craving and clinging conditioned thereby,no more rebirth will follow, and thus the standstill of the process of existence will have beenrealized and therewith the extinction of all suffering.(3.) "Through consciousness are conditioned corporeality and mentality" (viññána-paccayánáma-rúpani). This proposition implies that without consciousness there ean be no mental andphysical process of existence. By mentality (náma) is here to be understood thekarma-resultant (vipáka) mental phenomena, such as feeling (vedaná), perception (saññá),volition (cetaná: non-karmical volition is here meant), consciousness-impression (phassa),advertence (manasikára) (M. 9; S. XII, 2). For the basic 7 mental phenomena inseparablyassociated with every state of consciousness, s. náma. By corporeality (rúpa) is meant the 4physical elements (s. dhátu) and the corporeality dependent thereon (s. khandha, I).Mentality is always conditioned through consciousness; i.e. consciousness (viññána) is formentality (náma) a condition by way of conascence (sahajáta), mutuality (aññamañña),association (sampayutta), etc., since the 4 mental groups at all times form an inseparable unit.Consciousness (viññána) is for corporeality (rúpa) a condition by way of co-nascence only atthe moment of conception, thereafter a condition by way of post-nascence(pacchájáta-paccaya; paccaya 11) and nutriment (áhára), i.e. as a support. Just as therepeatedly arising hunger is a condition and support for the pre-arisen body, so is theconseiousness arising afterwards a condition and support for the maintenance of thispre-arisen body.(4.) "Through mentality and corporeality are conditioned the 6 bases (náma-rúpa paccayásaláyatanam). The 6 bases are a name for the 5 physical sense-organs and, as 6th, themind-base (manáyatana), i.e. consciousness.Mentality (náma; s. 3) is for the 5 physical bases (áyatana), or sense-organs, a condition byway of post-nascence. Cf. end of 3.Mentality (náma), i.e. feeling. etc., is for the 6th base, or consciousness - as being always