TWELVE NIDANAS Meaning and
Definition
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The term "twelve nidanas," also known as the "twelve links of dependent origination" or "twelve causes and conditions," is a concept that holds significant importance in Buddhist philosophy, particularly in the teachings of the Buddha.
Derived from Sanskrit, "nidana" refers to "cause" or "source," and "twelve" represents the number of interlinked phenomena or factors in this particular concept.
In Buddhist philosophy, the twelve nidanas describe the cycle of conditioned existence and the process of birth, aging, and death, known as samsara. It represents the interconnectedness and interdependence of various factors that perpetuate the cycle of suffering.
The twelve nidanas are presented as a sequence, starting with ignorance (avidya) as the initial cause and ending with aging and death (jaramarana). The links that connect these two are, in order: mental formations (samskara), consciousness (vijnana), name and form (nama-rupa), the six sense bases (sadayatana), contact (sparsa), feeling (vedana), craving (trshna), clinging (upadana), becoming (bhava), and the process of birth (jati).
Each nidana represents a step in the causal chain, where the previous link gives rise to the subsequent one, creating a cyclical pattern of suffering. According to Buddhist teachings, the ultimate goal is to break free from this cycle and achieve liberation, known as nirvana, by cultivating wisdom and ending ignorance.
Understanding the twelve nidanas is considered essential for individuals seeking to grasp the nature of suffering and the means to transcend it through the practice of mindfulness, meditation, and the cultivation of compassionate action.
Etymology of TWELVE NIDANAS
The term "Twelve Nidanas" originates from Sanskrit, an ancient language of India. To understand its etymology, we can break down the components of the term:
1. Twelve: The English word "twelve" comes from the Old English word "twelf", which is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "twalif", meaning "two left" or "two remaining" after counting to ten. This ultimately traces back to the Proto-Indo-European word "dwóh₁deḱṃt", which also means "twelve".
2. Nidanas: The word "nidanas" is a plural form of "nidana", which comes from the Sanskrit language. In Buddhism, "nidana" refers to the twelve links of dependent origination or dependent arising, which describe the causal connections that lead to suffering.
