Paticcasamuppada Practical Dependent Origination : Paticcasamuppada is a profound teaching

by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu

"Paticcasamuppada is a profound teaching," said the Buddha—so profound, in fact, that most people "are not able to penetrate the Law of Dependent Origination." The Buddha's words to Ananda are as true today as they were 2,500 years ago. Paticcasamuppada, which is the heart of Buddhism, is difficult to see clearly and, thus, has become the center of grave misunderstandings and distortions. In this book, the Venerable Buddhadasa Bhikkhu digs up the roots of these misunderstandings and turns them up to the critical light of scrutiny. These roots can be traced back to the early days of Buddhism, but find their first written expression 1,500 years ago in the commentaries of Buddhagosa. CONTENT - Paticcasamuppada Dependent Origination - Incorrect Teaching Leads to the Inability to practice - The Birth of the Flow of Dependent Origination - Suffering in Dependent Origination Must Always Depend on Attachment - The Origins of Paticcasamuppada - The Details of Dependent Origination - The Meanings of the Words in Dependent Origination - On the Explanation of Paticcasamuppada Which is Inaccurate - When did the Incorrect Explanation Arise? - The Reason for the Incorrect Explanation

114 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was a Thai Buddhist monk and an influential ascetic-philosopher of the 20th century. Known as an innovative reinterpreter of Buddhist doctrine and Thai folk beliefs, Buddhadasa fostered a reformation in conventional religious perceptions in Thailand as well as abroad. Buddhadasa developed a personal view that those who have penetrated the essential nature of religions consider 'all religions to be inwardly the same', while those who have the highest understanding of dhamma feel 'there is no religion'.