Causally continuous doctrine of being (Buddhism)

This logical sequence, which argues that death, decay and suffering are absent only when birth ceases, is a central doctrine of early [Buddhism]

. It covers the sequence of birth - death - birth through to enlightenment, or of "coming to be" and "ceasing". Ignorance in a previous life is said to have resulted in actions whose results are transmitted into the present life, where the consciousness sequence continues leading to future birth (whether in earth, a heaven, a hell), decay and dying.

There are 12 [nidana]

(links) in the sequence, although these must not be considered as necessarily sequential in time. The first two are related to previous existence: (i) ignorance - [avidya]

- of suffering as the nature of existence and therefore ignorance of the first of the four noble truths; ignorance conditions (ii) [samskara]

, the aggregate of mental impulses or activities which precede any action, whether mental, verbal or physical, and are the prerequisite for rebirth. The next five links relate to the conditions of present existence. The mental impulses affect (iii) [vijnana]

- individual consciousness - which re-enters a womb after death of an unliberated individual in a previous life; it is the aggregate of mental impulses which determines the quality of consciousness and therefore the choice of which womb to enter. The individual consciousness instigates (iv) a new being having name and form - [namarupa]

- consisting of the five aggregates or [skandhas]

; and also (v) the six bases or object realms - [sadayatana]

- being the awareness of consciousness, or senses, which are presented after the individual being is born. The [sadayatana]

condition (vi) contact - [sparsa]

- with the surroundings, which evokes (vii) feeling or sensation - [vedana]

. The next three links relate to the results or fruits of the current existence. [Vedana]

leads to ignorance of the second noble truth, (viii) [trisna]

- thirst or craving for something to cling to in the inevitable process of change; after death this becomes (ix) clinging - [upadana]

- to a new womb so that (x) yet another [bhava]

- becoming - commences. The final two links relate to this following life. The "becoming" state resulting from the present life leads to (xi) birth - [jati]

- resulting in the inevitable (xii) old age and death - [jara maranam]

.

Sometimes referred to as the second of the four noble truths.