What Does “Paccayā” Mean in Paṭicca Samuppāda?

Revised April 27, 2016; rewritten October xx, 2025

It is essential to be clear about what is meant by “paccayā” (pronounced “pachchayā”) in Paṭicca Samuppāda. Root causes (“hetu“) are not enough to trigger a Paṭicca Samuppāda cycle; necessary conditions (“paccayā“) must also be present. 

Introduction

1. The Paṭicca Samuppāda (PS)  cycle starts as: “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra, saṅkhāra paccayā viññāna, viññāna paccayā nāmarūpa, nāmarūpa paccayā salāyatana,….”.

  • And since PS describes the “cause and effect” in Buddha Dhamma, most people think “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra” means “avijjā causes saṅkhāra” or “ignorance causes one to generate saṅkhāra (leading to bad kamma).”
  • As we discuss below, the steps should be translated as follows: “with avijjā (ignorance) as condition, saṅkhāra arise,” with saṅkhārā as a condition for viññāna, etc.
  • Now, if avijjā has been eliminated from a mind, it cannot become a condition. Thus, the entire PS sequence comes to a halt for Arahants who have eliminated avijjā from their minds.
Paccaya Sutta – Role of Conditions

2. Paccaya Sutta explains what is meant by Paṭicca Samuppāda and also “Paṭicca Samuppāda dhammā.”

  • Even though several versions of Paṭicca Samuppāda are described in the Tipitaka Commentaries, the Sutta Pitaka (i.e., original suttas delivered mainly by the Buddha) discusses only one version: Idappaccayatā Paṭicca Samuppāda.
  • It explains the accumulation of kammic energies within the current life. One is “born” in various temporary “existences” numerous times during a lifetime. Understanding that helps clarify how future rebirths arise. All other versions of Paṭicca Samuppāda can be derived from this one.
  • “Paṭicca Samuppāda dhammā“ are the terms in Paṭicca Samuppāda that arise at a given moment, based on the conditions present at that moment. This is a critical point to understand.

3. First, the “Paccaya Sutta (SN 12.20)” states what is meant by Paṭicca Samuppāda, i.e., what are the terms (dhammā) that arise in day-to-day life that contribute to future suffering.

  • The Buddha asks: “What is paṭicca samuppāda (dependent origination)?” The English translation provides the correct meaning there: “What arises due to the prevailing conditions?”
  • He starts by pointing out that “jara, marana” cannot manifest unless there is a jati. That is true in both a mundane sense (old age and death cannot materialize unless one is born) and also in the deeper sense of jati (of a new paṭicca samuppāda cycle); see “Idappaccayātā Paṭicca Samuppāda – Bhava and Jāti Within a Lifetime.” The sutta (as most suttas do) refers to the latter.
  • At marker 2.3, it states, “Whether a Buddha is in the world or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles, specific conditionality.” However, when a Buddha is born in the world, he comprehends it, then he explains it to others.”
  • Then, at marker 2.7, the sutta proceeds through the rest of paṭicca samuppāda, concluding with “avijjā paccayā, bhikkhave, saṅkhārā” at marker 3.10.  
  • At marker 3.11, it re-states, “Whether a Buddha is in the world or not, this law of nature persists, this regularity of natural principles, this invariance of natural principles, specific conditionality.” However, when a Buddha is born in the world, he comprehends it, then he explains it to others.”
  • That is the description of the Paṭicca Samuppāda process.

4. Then, @marker 4.1, the sutta starts discussing “Paṭicca Samuppāda dhammā.“

  • At marker 4.2: “Jarāmaraṇaṁ, bhikkhave, aniccaṁ saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ” OR “Old age and death are of anicca nature (aniccaṁ), prepared (saṅkhataṁ), dependently originated (paṭiccasamuppannaṁ), and can be stopped from arising (khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ).” 
  • Then it examines all the terms in Paṭicca Samuppāda and asserts that the above holds true for all of them.
  • The last term (@marker 4.13) is:  “avijjā is of anicca nature (aniccaṁ), prepared (saṅkhataṁ), dependently originated (paṭiccasamuppannaṁ), and can be stopped from arising (khayadhammaṁ vayadhammaṁ virāgadhammaṁ nirodhadhammaṁ).” 

5. Therefore, all 12 terms (starting with avijjā and ending in jarāmaraṇa) arise based on conditions. That means they can be stopped from arising at a given time by removing the conditions that trigger them. 

  • As we know, raga, dosa, and moha (avijjā) are the root causes for generating defilements to contaminate a mind. 
  • However, even avijjā must be first triggered by an appropriate condition to start a mind contamination process, which is the same as a Paṭicca Samuppāda process or the initiation of a new pañcupādānakkhandha generation process. 
  • Such a process is started based on a sensory input. 
  • As we have discussed, ALL sensory processes trigger ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā‘ and that is the condition (or the trigger) to activate avijjā!
  • I have discussed that specifically in “Avijjā is Triggered by Kāma Saññā in Kāma Loka.” 
  • In that post, I also addressed the trivial question: Why isn’t there a term “saññā paccayā avijjā” in Paṭicca Samuppāda? It is a good idea to read that post carefully, because this is a critical point to understand!
This Is Why It Is Virtually Impossible to Break the Rebirth Process

6. As I have pointed out in so many posts, ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā‘ is built-in to all living beings. Thus, at the very beginning of any sensory input, any mind will be attached without exception. 

Only a Buddha Can Discover This “Trap in the Rebirth Process”

7. The discussion explains why any living being will automatically be an anusotagāmi (one who is trapped in the rebirth process); see “Growth of Pañcupādānakkhandha – ‘Anusotagāmi’.” As pointed out there a puthujjana (any living being not an Ariya or a Noble Person) will always attach to a sensory event and ‘move away from Nibbana.’ 

  • One must comprehend the Noble Truths/Paticca samuppada/Tilakkhana to be able to overcome the ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā‘ and move toward the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhūmi to cultivate the Noble Path. Such a person is a Paṭisotagāmi. See “Paṭisotagāmi – Moving Toward Satipaṭṭhāna Bhumi and Nibbāna.”
  • Only a Buddha can discover how to become a Paṭisotagāmi by overcoming the ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā,‘ which is present in all three lokas or all 31 realms!
This Is Why We Experience pañcupādānakkhandha and Not pañcakkhandha

8. The above discussion also expalins why a puthujjana will never experience pañcakkhandha (equivalent to the ‘pure mind’ or the pabhassara citta). From the very beginning (the ‘dhatu stage’) the mind is influenced by the ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā,‘ to convince it that what is experienced is ‘really there in the external world.’ That is how avijja is triggered!

  • It is only at the Arahant stage that one can fully realize that one’s experience is really a ‘magic show’ created by the mind itself in a complex process. Not only each sentient being, but also their environments are generated via Paticca samuppada to generate a ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā,‘ that automatically triggeres avijja and intiate a new Paticca samuppada cycle with each sensory event.
  • As we have discussed, even after attaining the Arahant stage, the ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā‘ will still arise in an Arahant. That is because it is built-in to that physical body. Thus, unlike those terms in Paticca Samuppada, the ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā‘ cannot be ‘stopped be from arising.’ 
  • That is why a term “saññā paccayā avijjā” is not icluded in Paṭicca Samuppāda, even though avijjā arises in a mind due to the presence of that ‘(distorted/viparita) saññā.‘ See #16 of “Avijjā is Triggered by Kāma Saññā in Kāma Loka.”

 

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