Purejāta-Pacchājāta – Condition of Latency and Manifestation

The condition wherein things, material or immaterial, exist rather as a potential, without actually being manifest, is what is called a condition of latency. It is the condition of mental or material phenomena existing in germ form (the term Purejata literally means pre-nascence).While anything (any phenomena) that already is in existence exists in the condition…

Anantara Paccaya – Condition of Combinations

A combination is a coming together of various elements, material or immaterial, to form a new whole. In fact, the whole universe is but a combination of elements. But to start small, comprehending this condition in childlike simplicity, we seek to understand it first in matters of the four elements. Thus we may observe, how…

Āsevana Paccaya – Condition of Repetition

The term Āsevana means both repetition and practice. Repetition is what establishes, makes strong and develops, both in regards to mind and matter. And, in its own boundaries, whatever it is that is repeated, becomes gradually easier with each repetition. Starting small, beginning again with a consideration of the four elements, we may acquire a…

Vigata Paccaya – Condition of Dissolution and Destruction

All phenomena sooner or later come to a condition of fading, dying and disappearance. And becoming thus, they are instances of this condition. This condition may perhaps equally be translated as 'going asunder', 'falling apart', 'moving towards destruction', or the familiar Buddhist favourite, 'impermanence'. Old age, sickness, death, loss of property, loss of relatives and…

Avigata Paccaya – Condition of Retention or Lastingness

As the great oceans retain their waters without diminishing, or as large civilisations and empires often continue for long periods of time, so do phenomena of all scales at times continue, retaining their primary qualities for long periods of time. Amongst the four elements in the abstract sense, is the element of earth, the element…

Sahajāta Paccaya – Condition of Synchronicity

Whenever two or more phenomena become attuned to each other, they temporarily become more than singular, separate phenomena and may at that time function almost as one. .... When we relate synchronicity to the four elements, we can find only a rather simple dynamic: that of a passive element being receptive to the active nature…

Vippayutta Paccaya – Condition of Repulsion

All forces have their counterparts. The reverse of the previous condition, this condition describes how and why mental and material phenomena repel other mental and material phenomena. Antagonisms, conflicts, wars, hatred and fear, and even diseases are examples of this condition of repulsion. But why are there conflicts, why are there wars? How can our…