Page 40 - Suffering

‘‘ The Only Way Out ‘‘

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* Pali: Panna – often translated as “wisdom” or “understanding”. It is described as
the understanding of the true nature of phenomena; the ability to understand
the three characteristics of all things: Anicca (impermanence), Dukkha
(dissatisfaction or suffering) and Anatta (non-self).

The cultivation of wisdom is defined by the first two factors of the Eightfold
Path: Right Understanding or View and Right Intention or Thoughts.
* * Pali: Paticcasamuppada – The 12 Nidanas or 12 Links of Dependent
Origination are outlined as the outer circle in the Wheel of Life, describe the
chain of causation by which the cycle of death and rebirth known as samsara is
created. With basic ignorance as the first cause, each link in the chain is both the
result of the previous nidana and the cause of the next. This sequence operates
moment to moment as well as lifetime to lifetime.
LINKS CAUSES
1. Fundamental ignorance (Pali: avidya) Past Causes
2. Formation (sankhara) Past Causes
3. Consciousness (vinnana) Present Effects
4. Name and form (namarupa) Present Effects
5. Sense faculties (salayatana) Present Effects
6. Contact (phassa) Present Effects
7. Feeling or sensation (vedana) Present Effects
8. Craving or thirst (tanha) Present Causes
9. Clinging or grasping (upadana) Present Causes
10. Becoming or worldly existence (bhava) Present Causes
11. Birth or becoming (jati) Future Effects
12. Old age and death (jaramarana) Future Effects
Then we start all over again!

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