Nagarjuna on Dependent Arising : The Most Profound View

Dependent Arising Defined:

Dependent Arising refers to the principle that all phenomena arise, exist, and cease due to a complex web of causes and conditions. Nothing exists independently or in isolation; everything is interdependent. This principle is not just about temporal causality but also about the lack of inherent existence in entities.

Key Aspects of Nagarjuna's View on Dependent Arising:

1. No Intrinsic Existence:

   • Nagarjuna uses Dependent Arising to argue against the idea of inherent existence or self-nature. If something had an inherent, independent existence, it wouldn't need to depend on anything else to arise, exist, or cease. Since everything arises dependent upon causes and conditions, inherent existence is untenable.

2. The Nature of Causality:

   • He critiques traditional notions of causality where causes produce effects directly. Instead, he presents causality as a process where phenomena manifest through an interplay of conditions, without any single cause being the sole producer of an effect. This undermines the notion of a fixed, substantial cause-effect relationship.

3. Emptiness and Dependent Arising:

   • For Nagarjuna, understanding Dependent Arising leads to the realization of emptiness. If phenomena arise dependent upon others, they lack self-existence. Emptiness, in this context, does not mean non-existence but rather the absence of inherent, independent existence. Dependent Arising is the positive expression of emptiness; they are two sides of the same coin.

   • Mulamadhyamakakarika (Chapter 24, Verse 18): "Whatever is dependently co-arisen / That is explained to be emptiness."

4. Critique of Essentialism and Nihilism:

   • By emphasizing Dependent Arising, Nagarjuna avoids both essentialism (the belief in inherent existence) and nihilism (the belief in non-existence). He shows that things exist conventionally due to their causes and conditions but are empty of inherent existence when scrutinized at the ultimate level.

5. The Process of Negation:

   • Nagarjuna employs a method of logical negation to demonstrate Dependent Arising. He systematically negates all possible assertions about existence, non-existence, both, or neither, leading to the understanding that phenomena are neither truly existent nor non-existent in the ultimate sense but arise due to conditions.

6. Practical Implications for Understanding Reality:

   • This understanding serves as a basis for liberating wisdom in Buddhism. Realizing that all phenomena are dependently arisen helps practitioners to see through the illusion of a permanent, independent self, leading to the cessation of suffering by not clinging to these transient phenomena.

Significance in Practice:

• Meditation and Insight: Meditating on Dependent Arising helps practitioners realize the impermanent and interconnected nature of all things, which is crucial for achieving enlightenment.

• Ethical Living: Understanding that one's existence and actions are bound up with others' encourages compassionate behavior, as one sees the interdependence of all beings.

• Philosophical Insight: It provides a philosophical framework to understand the nature of reality, which is both useful for debate and for personal realization.

Nagarjuna's work on Dependent Arising is not just an abstract philosophical concept but a lived experience that guides Buddhist practice. His philosophy challenges the reification of phenomena, promoting a view where phenomena are seen as processes rather than static entities, thereby aligning with the Buddha's original teachings on the nature of existence.