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What is the meaning of upanisā? Could you elaborate on the deeper context of this sentence? “Kā ca, bhikkhave, saddhāya upanisā? ‘Dukkhan’tissa vacanīyaṁ.” Why is dukkha the ‘upanisā‘ of saddha?
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This is a critical sutta to discuss. Let me give just the basic idea first.
1. We accumulate kamma in two ways:
(i) where avijjā does not manifest, meaning one’s THOUGHTS at that moment are not directly based on ignorance. Instead, ignorance hidden in one’s samyojana/anusaya assists indirectly for such thoughts to arise. These are only mano kamma.
(ii) As those thoughts lead to more thoughts (i.e., if the ārammana is tempting), then we start consciously thinking (vaci sankhāra) and even initiate bodily actions (with kāya sankhāra). These are the strong kamma that can lead to rebirth.
2. The first category is “purāna kamma,” and the latter is “nava kamma.”
- Both are initiated by a sensory input (ārammana.) As you see, “purāna kamma” happens in the early stage, and “nava kamma” occurs in the latter stage.
3. Those “new kamma” in the latter stage are done consciously (with javana citta.) They are done with avijjā and described by the uppatti Paticca Samuppāda: “avijjā paccayā sankhāra,” where “paccayā” is described by the “hetu paccayā.“ That means sankhāra are generated with avijjā directly (i.e., avijjā is hetu or the direct cause.)
- On the other hand, “purāna kamma” occurs at the beginning of exposure to an ārammana. As we discussed, an ārammana always brings a “distorted sannā.” Here, the mind attaches to the ārammana (at various strengths, depending on the ārammana) and AUTOMATICALLY generates abhisankhara based on one’s hidden defilements (anusaya/samyojana.)
- That INDIRECT involvement of avijjā (not consciously) is said to happen via the “upanisa paccayā.” Here, “upanisa” means something like “indirect support.”
- That happens in the avyākata Paticca Samuppāda, which occurs right after exposure to an ārammana.
4. Thus, we can see that avyākata Paticca Samuppāda and uppatti Paticca Samuppāda could both run in a citta vithi based on an ārammana.
- They correspond to the “purāna kamma” and the “nava kamma” stages.
- See, “Avyākata Paṭicca Samuppāda for Vipāka Viññāṇa.” In fact, the whole process (what we have separated as two PS processes) is just one Paticca Samuppāda. Even though they are separately discussed as two PS processes in the Tipitaka Commentaries, they are NOT discussed separately in the Sutta Pitaka.
- I think Dosakkhayo asked about this in an earlier discussion.
5. What I briefly discussed above will become more clear in the next post I am writing on “purāna kamma” and”nava kamma.“
- For those who want to dig deeper, 24 types of “paccaya” can come into play in Paticca Samuppāda. I have discussed a few, but not the “upanisa paccaya.” See #6 through #8 in “What Does “Paccayā” Mean in Paṭicca Samuppāda?“
6. Finally, regarding Dosakkhayo’s question: “Why is dukkha the ‘upanisā‘ of saddha?”
- When one understands the “purāna kamma” stage (which we will discuss), that will help build saddha by seeing that the beginning of future ” dukkha” is at the “purāna kamma” stage.
- With the standard PS, we have seen that strong kamma arise via vaci and kaya sankhara. But the “root problem” is with the “distorted sannā” in the “purāna kamma” stage, even if no strong kamma accumulated there.
7. Another critical point is the following. Attachment to a sensory input (ārammana) DOES NOT happen in one shot. As we know, attachment happens over seconds to minutes to hours. Even within a second, there will be many citta vithis running through the mind. Each subsequent citta vithi is strengthened by the previous one. Thus, the attachment will keep increasing, and we will start doing strong kamma later in the process.
- However, one can stop the “nava kamma” generation if one is mindful.
- To stop the “purāna kamma” stage, one must cultivate insight meditation by fully understanding the process. That is the deeper version of Satipatthana.
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The 24 types of conditions (paccaya) which comes into play in the Paticcasamuppada cycles are:
(1) Hetupaccayo, (root condition)
(2) Ᾱrammaṇapaccayo, (object/sense inputs condition)
(3) Adhipatipaccayo, (predominance condition)
(4) Anantarapaccayo, (proximity condition)
(5) Samanantarapaccayo, (contiguity condition)
(6) Sahajātapaccayo, (co-nascence condition)
(7) Aññamaññapaccayo, (mutuality condition)
(8) Nissayapaccayo, (dependence condition)
(9) Upanissayapaccayo, (strong dependence condition)
(10) Purejātapaccayo, (pre-nascence condition)
(11) Pacchājātapaccayo, (post-nascence condition)
(12) Ᾱsevanapaccayo, (repetition condition)
(13) Kammapaccayo, (kamma condition)
(14) Vipākapaccayo, (vipaka condition)
(15) Ᾱhārapaccayo, (nutriment condition)
(16) Indriyapaccayo, (faculty condition)
(17) Jhānapaccayo, (jhana condition)
(18) Maggapaccayo, (path condition)
(19) Sampayuttapaccayo, (association condition)
(20) Vippayuttapaccayo, (dissociation condition)
(21) Atthipaccayo, (presence condition)
(22) Natthipaccayo, (absence condition)
(23) Vigatapaccayo, (disappearance condition)
(24) Avigatapaccayo (non-disappearance condition)
How the cause(s) and condition(s) play out to give different kinds of result(s), these things are precisely known ONLY to a Samma Sambuddha.
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Thank you!
- I have discussed only a few of the 24 paccaya.
- “Paṭṭhāna Dhamma.”
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I recently heard Upanisa Sutta mentioned in Starting on the Path Even without Belief in Rebirth. Whenever you have time, could you please write a post on this important sutta?
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Yes. It is a vital sutta, and I plan to write a post after further clarifying the “purāna kamma” stage.
- Understanding the “purāna kamma” stage means understanding how one’s mind initially attaches to a sensory input automatically (i.e., without conscious thinking) due to “distorted sanna.” Here, avijja does not need to be “active”; it plays a role via “upanisa paccaya” as long as the relevant anusaya/samyojana has not been removed from the mind.
- Thus, it happens via “upanisa paccaya.”
I have explained the essential aspects in my comment on January 6, 2024 at 2:20 pm above.
- However, a clearer explanation of the sutta will be possible after a few more posts.
- Please remind me in several weeks in case I forget.
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