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Encyclopedia of Religion entry forCausal Nexus, TheThe Causal Nexus (Pratitya Samutpada) is a formula in Buddhism held in high esteem by all Buddhists. It is as follows : Ignorance produces the syntheses; The syntheses produce cognition; Cognition produces name and form; Name and form produce the sixfold sphere (sense surfaces and understanding) ; The sixfold sphere produces contact; Contact produces feeling; Feeling produces craving; Craving produces grasping; Grasping produces renewed existence; Renewed existence produces birth; Birth produces old age and death, grief, lamentation, distress, melancholy and despair. The nexus forms a chain with twelve links. And " though the ideas underlying the connection of these twelve links are much disputed, it is clear that some sort of natural law is maintained, resulting in a new existence, and that in the series of causes craving and grasping are those which immediately produce this new existence " (H. Hackmann). See C. A. F. Rhys Davids, A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics, 1909; H. Hackmann. citations: Encyc. of Rel., Canney
article created 2006-04-12 , last updated 2006-04-12 |
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