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Dependent Origination as Explain in the Mdhyamika Philosophy

By Mukesh Barua

Introduction:
Dependent Origination ( Prattyasamutpda) is considered as the most central doctrine
among the Buddhas teaching. The Doctrine of dependent origination ( Prattyasamutpda) as
function as a link that connect the doctrinal systems of fundamental Buddhist schools, such as
the Theravda, Early Madhymaka, Early Yogcra. Although, Buddhist thought is sometimes
even seen as contradictory in itself.
However, Emptiness ( nyat ) is a religious and philosophical concept which is
central to much Buddhist thought. The philosophy of emptiness as expressed by the second
century Indian Buddhist thinker Ngrjuna, who came to be known as the founder of the
Madhymaka School. The notions of emptiness are a natural outcome of the doctrine of
dependent origination.
A Brief Introduction of the Mdhyamika School:
The Mdhyamika or Middle way, a school of Buddhist thought that originated in India, in
the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD (150 250 AD) , by Ngrjuna1. It is considered to be the most
important outcome of Buddhas teaching and philosophical Buddhism par Excellence. Ngrjuna
is very often regarded as the father of Mahyna Buddhism and as one of the greatest
1 David J. Kalupahana, A History of Buddhist Philosophy: Continuities and
Discontinuities(Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1994), p. 160.

philosophers in the history of Buddhism2. According to renowned Buddhist scholars Peter Della
Santina, Ngrjunas Mdhyamika Philosophy, or the Philosophy of the Middle way; has
sometimes been appeared as the central philosophy of the Mahyna Buddhism 3. A western
scholar T.R.V Murti also sees Ngrjunas Mdhyamika philosophy as the central doctrine of the
Mahyna Buddhism4.
It is very true that the doctrine of dependent Origination ( Prattyasamutpda ) presented
by Mdhyamika school is in accordance with in the pli canon, and also can be found a full
expound on emptiness in the prajpramit literature. However, After Ngrjuna,
Mdhyamikas middle doctrine was well developed by his prominent disciple ryadeva (C. 163
263 A.D) and Kumrajva ( C.E 334 413 C.E ) 5. They wrote many books to expound
Ngrjunas thought. Mdhyamikas teaching became popular among Buddhists and nonBuddhist in India from the 2nd to the 14th centuries, latter on became popular china from the early
5th to the 8th centuries, in Korea from the 6th to the 15th centuries, in Japan from the 7th to 12th
centuries and in Tibet from 8th centuries until today6.
Ngrjuna Notions to Dependent Origination:
2 Jay L. Garfield, Ngrjunas Mlamadhyamakakrik: The Fundamental Wisdom of the
MiddleWay (New York: Oxford University Press, 1995), p. 87.

3 Della Santina, The Tree of Enlightenment, p. 156.

4 T.R.V. Murti, The Central Philosophy of Buddhism: A Study of Mdhyamika System
(NewDelhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1998), p. I. 85

5 Hsueh-li Cheng, Empty Logic: Mdhyamika Buddhism from Chinese Sources,

Delhi: Motilal Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, and philosophical Library inc, copyright
1984), p. 29.

As we know, the doctrine of dependent origination (Prattyasamutpda) is the central doctrine

Buddhism. The teaching of the perfection of wisdom and Mahyna masters refers, emptiness is
synonymous with both interdependent origination and the Middle way. However, Ngrjuna was
the first who has shown related dependent origination directly to the teaching of emptiness
(yata). The great production of Ngrjuna is Mlamadhyamakakrik. Through this book
Ngrjuna presented his notions emptiness doctrine how exactly related to the doctrine of
dependent origination. In the Mlamadhymakakrik we can find first two important point, to
remember are --1. First, Ngrjuna offers his homage to the enlightened one, the teacher of dependent
origination through dedicatory verses. The following is expressed :
Anirodha anutpda anuccheda avatam.
Anckrtha annrtha angama anirgamam
Yah prattyasamutpda prapacopa amaivam.
Deaymsa sabuddhasta vande vadat varam7
I salute him, the fully enlightened, the best of speakers, who preached the non-ceasing
and the non-arising, the non-annihilation and the non-permanence, the non-identity and
the non-difference, the non-appearance and the non-disappearance, the dependent
origination, the appeasement of obsessions and the auspicious.
2. The second point, the famous eight fold negations, these are :
Anirodha anutpda, anuccheda avatam, Anckrtha annrtha, angama
anirgamam. (non-ceasing and the non-arising, the non-annihilation and the non-

6 Hsueh-li Cheng, Empty Logic: Mdhyamika Buddhism from Chinese

Sources(Delhi: Motilal Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, and philosophical Library inc,
copyright 1984), p. 30
7 MMK, p.1

permanence, the non-identity and the non-difference, the non-appearance and the nondisappearance).

The Mdhyamika exerted that the middle way doctrine advised to avoid of extremes. It is
the way for dispelling dualistic thinking. The middle way rises above affirmation and negation.
This is why Ngrjuna presented that the abstract form of dependent origination is described as
follows: When this exists, that comes to be; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does
not exist, that does not come to be; with the cessation of this, that ceases. That means, all
phenomena don not arise, exist, and cease out of self-nature ( Svabhva ) , they exist
interdependently. This negation and absence of self-nature is the Ngrjuna notions of emptiness.
According to Ngrjuna, absence of self-nature of all beings and thereby declares all
descriptions of dependent origination as empty of substance too8.
In the Stanza of the Heart of Dependent Origination, Ngrjuna presented the twelve links of
Dependent Origination ( Ignorance, volitional formations, consciousness, Name & form, six
sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, existence birth, and ageing and death ) in the
following way :
1. The twelve individual constituents of dependent origination which were taught by the
Sage are wholly included in three: afflictions, actions, and suffering.
2. The first, eighth, and ninth are afflictions, the second and tenth are actions, and the
remaining seven are sufferings. Thus the twelve factors are included in three.

8 Nagao, Mdhyamika and Yogcra: A Study of Mahyna Philosophies, p. 212.

3. From three, two originate; from the two, seven originate; and from these seven, in turn,
the three originate. Thus the wheel of existence revolves again and again.
4. The whole world is cause and effect; excluding this, there is no sentient being. From
factors (which are) only empty, empty factors originate.
5. Through the examples of: oral instruction, a lamp, a mirror, a seal, a sun-crystal, a seed,
sourness and sound, the wise should understand the non-transmigration as well as the reemergence of the aggregates.
6. Those who impute origination even in regard to very subtle entities, being unwise, have
not seen the meaning of dependent origination.
7. Hence, there is nothing to be denied and nothing to be affirmed. See the real rightly, (for)
one who sees the real is released9.

In the Heart of Dependent origination, there is an explanation which has given by Ngrjuna.
There he explain as follows, The twelve links do not originate from causes (like): Space, spirit,
intrinsic beings, circumstance, time, god, nor through dependence upon others. These twelve
individual components are wholly included in the three: afflictions, actions, and suffering.
However, Ngrjuna has shown from what afflictions, actions, and sufferings originate. Namely:
From the three, two originate. From the three which are afflictions: ignorance, craving, and
clinging, two which are actions, volitional formations and becoming, originate. From the two
(which are actions) seven originate. Thus (those seven) sufferings demonstrated above, (that is

9 The Stanzas of the Heart of Interdependent Origination in causality and emptiness: The
Wisdomof Nagarjuna, Peter Della Santina (trans.), (Singapore: Buddhist Research Society,
2002), pp. 60-61.

consciousness, name-and-form, six sense bases, contact, feeling, birth, and ageing and death).
From these seven, in turn, the three originate which are afflictions. Thus again, from the three
(which are) afflictions originate two (which are) actions. Thus the wheel of existence revolves
again and again10.
Ngrjuna asserted that those who did not understand the distinction between the two truth
conventional and ultimate would not understand the profound doctrine of the Buddha. Ngrjuna
connected the theory of two truths to emptiness to elucidate the paradoxical side of emptiness.
The theory of two truths might be misleading because it creates a dualistic structure of distinctive
realities, which conflicts with emptiness. The two truths do not assert that there is a difference
between the conventional truth and ultimate truth on an ontological level. In fact, ultimate and
conventional truths are the same but people think of them differently.
However, Ngrjuna view of Nirvn a is not opposite of sasra, there is no difference between
them. It is mentioned as follows:
Na samsrasya nirvana kincid asti visesanam
Na nirvn asya sasarat kibcid asti vies anam11.
Nothing of sasra is different from Nirvna; nothing of Nirvn a is different from sasra.
Everything is Dependent Origination, thus it is emptiness ( yat ), and it is the middle path of
the Buddhas teaching. Through this stanza we can see some kind of doubtful notions because

10 Ibid.
11 MKV, p. 535

sasra and Nirvna are similar, and Ngrjuna says there is no need for people to strive to get
Nirvna. Actually, this is a more profound thing. Even in the early Buddhism everything is

considered as sunna ( sunnato lokam avekkhassu). Likewise, nirvana is also defined in early
Bddhism as sunna. Every substantial this is void, the realization of voidness of everything is the
realization as nirvn a. In this sense, the absence of substance or an entity sams ra and nirvana
are same.

Conclusion:
With the middle doctrine of Prattyasamutpda is to be seen the nature of dharms the
arising, existing, and ceasing of dharms according to cause and conditions, and being empty of
self-nature. Likewise, Mdhyamika middle doctrine emptiness proclaims that insofar as dharmas
or all phenomena dependently arise, they are said to be empty of self-nature.
In fact, Ngrjuna equates dependent origination and emptiness, and clearly explains that
a thing that is not dependently arisen does not exist. Therefore, Ngrjunas doctrine of
emptiness is in entire harmony with the doctrine of dependent origination.

Bibliography

Primary Sources:
Mlamadhyamakakrik of Ngrjuna: The Philosophy of the Middle Way, David J. Kalupahana
(trans), Delhi: Shri Jainendra Press, 1991.
Nagarjunas Commentary to the Heart of Interdependent Origination in causality and
emptiness: The Wisdom of Nagarjuna, Peter Della Santina (trans.), Singapore: Buddhist
Research Society, 2002.Ngrjunas Mlamadhyamakakrik: The Fundamental Wisdom of the
Middle Way, Jay L. Garfield (trans.), New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
Secondary Sources:
Della Santina, Peter. The Madhyamaka Philosophy Journal of Indian Philosophy 15
(1987), pp. 173-185.
Della Santina, Peter. The Tree of Enlightenment. Taipei: The Corporate Body of the
Buddha Educational Foundation, 1997.
C.W. Huntington. The Emptiness of Emptiness: An Introduction to Early Indian Mdhyamika.
Delhi: University of Hawaii Press, 1989.
Murti, T.R.V. The Central Philosophy of Buddhism: A Study of Mdhyamika System.

New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1998.