‘As the Buddha described the Awakening experience in one of his discourses, first there is the knowledge of the regularity of the Dhamma — which in this context means dependent co-arising — then there is the knowledge of nibbana.
‘In other passages, he describes the three stages that led to insight into dependent co-arising: knowledge of his own previous lifetimes, knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of all living beings, and finally insight into the four Noble Truths.
‘The first two forms of knowledge … have been reported by other seers throughout history, although the Buddha's insight into the second knowledge had a special twist: He saw that beings are reborn according to the ethical quality of their thoughts, words, and deeds, and that this quality is essentially a factor of the mind…
‘This insight had a double impact on his mind. On the one hand, it made him realize the futility of the round of rebirth — that even the best efforts aimed at winning pleasure and fulfillment within the round could have only temporary effects. On the other hand, his realization of the importance of the mind in determining the round is what led him to focus directly on his own mind in the present to see how the processes in the mind that kept the round going could be disbanded…
‘When we address the question of how other "enlightenment" experiences recorded in world history relate to the Buddha's, we have to keep in mind the Buddha's own dictum:
‘First there is the knowledge of dependent co-arising,
then there is the knowledge of nibbana.‘
— Thanissaro Bhikkhu, The Meaning of the Buddha’s Awakening
How Buddha Solved Life | His Greatest Insight
Hello, friend,
This week I completed my most challenging (and I feel, most valuable) project so far. That is, my video on the Buddha’s greatest teaching: Dependent Origination.
It took me months to process and find a way to relay the teaching in a meaningful way. Here are some of the key point I cover in the video:
Buddha’s fundamental insight into causality
The 12 links of Dependent Origination explained one by one (Avijjapaccaya Sutta)
The 4 kinds of clinging and how they shape existence
The relationship between consciousness and the body-mind
The 4 Noble Truths
The 2 kinds of causality in Dependent Origination
The interpenetration of the 12 links across different scales of space-time
The Buddha’s little-known original simile for Dependent Origination (Upanisa Sutta, Upayanti Sutta)
Dependent Origination and the non-self teaching
Dependent Origination and karma / free will
Dependent Origination and emptiness (shunyata)
Dependent Origination and the 3 Marks of Existence
Dependent Origination and our existential ignorance
Dependent Origination and liberation / nirvana
The nature of the Buddha
Transcendental Dependent Origination (a little-known early teaching from Upanisa Sutta)
I hope the video brings you joy and new understanding. And I thank you for your patient support!
My best wishes,
Simeon