[Buddha-l] Dependent arising variants

[Mike Austin]

When discussing these causes/conditions, it may be worthwhile to reflect
on Nagarjuna's words in 'Examination of Conditions' verse 2 in the MMK:

2. There are four conditions: efficient condition;
   Percept-object condition; immediate condition;
   Dominant condition, just so.
   There is no fifth condition.

Garfield gives an example:

 Suppose that you ask, "Why are the lights on?" I might reply as
 follows: (1) "Because I flicked the switch." I have appealed to an
 efficient condition. Or, (2) "Because the wires are in good working
 order, the bulbs haven't burned out, and the electricity is flowing."
 These are supporting conditions. Or, (3) "The light is the emission of
 photons each of which is emitted in response to the bombardment of an
 atom by an electron, and so forth." I have appealed to a chain of
 immediate conditions. Or, (4) "So that we can see." This is the
 dominant condition. Any of these would be a perfectly good answer to
 the "Why?" question. But note that none of them makes reference to any
 causal powers or necessitation.

-- 
Metta
Mike Austin