[Buddha-l] Dependent arising variants

[Dan Lusthaus]

Robert,

While we wait for Lance's response (I'm as eager to see what he says as you
are), here are a couple of quick comments:


> Actually, I was referring to the 'Quarrels and Disputes' sutta from the
> Sutta Nipaata

I thought that might be the one. It is Q and A, so an example of how to
tailor p-s to a variety of quesions, not an alternate formulation per se.
The most interesting point you make is that alternate terms are used, but
actually that is not unusual. In other p-s passages substitute terms are
used for various links, often context driven.

> >>There is, for example, a 23 nidaana version at S ii. 31.

> What is it to know and see the destruction of the aasavas? ... 'With
> spiritual ignorance as proximate cause [upanisaa], karmic formations [come
> to be], . viññaa.na . naamaruupa - sa.laayatana - phasso - vedanaa -
ta.nhaa
> - upaadaana - bhava - jaati - dukkha [replacing the usual 'old-age and
> death'] - saddhaa - paamojja - piiti - passaddhi - sukha - samaadhi -
> yathaa-bhuuta-ñaa.na-dassana - nibbidaa - viraago - vimutti - khaye ñaa.na
> [of the aasavas]'.

The framing question is how to destroy the asavas. This is not a 23 nidana
version, but two very well known models -- p-s and the jhaanas -- grafted
together. It is an exhortation to practice. One is not dead yet, so this is
the way to destroy the asavas; get to it before you die. "Death," in fact,
typically comes in the standard listings with various templates about this
whole of suffering, woe, etc., so this "substitution" of dukkha for death -- 
the splice between the two models -- is not unusual.

Apparently what is not well known is how to differentiate the basic model
from its varied applications.

best,
Dan Lusthaus