The Twofold Origin

Please note that ignorance (avijjā) is the root cause of the past, and craving (taṇhā) is the root cause of the present. In the cycle of existence (saṃsāra), these two take turns leading the way to prolong our stay. In a past life, ignorance took the lead with craving following; in the present life, craving takes the lead with ignorance following. In this way, the two phenomena that stretch and prolong saṃsāra are ignorance and craving. In terms of the Abhidhamma, ignorance is delusion (moha). Not knowing is delusion, or ignorance. Not knowing the Four Noble Truths is ignorance. Knowing the Four Noble Truths is knowledge (vijjā). That is the concise explanation. To be precise, ignorance has eight aspects of non-knowing: 1. Not knowing the past end (pubbanta), 2. Not knowing the future end (aparanta), 3. Not knowing both the past and future ends (pubbantāparanta), 4. Not knowing dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda), 5. Not knowing the Four Noble Truths. Note: The first four aspects combined with not knowing the Four Noble Truths (four aspects) make eight aspects of non-knowing. Not knowing which past phenomena caused the present aggregates to arise is not knowing the past end (pubbanta). In terms of existence, it is not knowing past lives. If we refer to the circle, it is not knowing Section number 1. Not knowing the future life, the next life, is not knowing the future end (aparanta). It is not knowing Section number 4 of the circle. When one does not know both the past and the future, it is not knowing both ends (pubbantāparanta). If we draw a vertical line through the center of the circle, dividing it into two halves, Sections 1 and 2 are on one side (the right side of the vertical line), and Sections 3 and 4 are on the other (the left side of the vertical line). Due to ignorance and volitional formations (saṅkhāra) in Section 1, the five aggregates—consciousness (viññāṇa), mind and matter (nāmarūpa), six sense bases (saḷāyatana), contact (phassa), and feeling (vedanā)—in Section 2 arise. This means that the present aggregates arise solely due to ignorance and volitional formations. They are not created by a deity, Brahma, or an eternal god. They arise due to ignorance and volitional formations. Since we possess the present aggregates due to ignorance and volitional formations, we can combine Section 1 (ignorance and volitional formations) and Section 2 (the five aggregates) and call them the "past cycle" (pubbantacakka) (1+2 = past cycle). The right half of the great circle is called the past cycle. Not knowing this past cycle is also ignorance (pubbanta). The first phenomenon encountered in the past cycle is ignorance. Therefore, we see that ignorance leads the past cycle. With ignorance leading, it has turned the past saṃsāra to prolong it. Thus, remember that ignorance is one root of saṃsāra. In this life, if we cannot cut off the shift towards craving due to experiencing feelings, then Section 3—craving (taṇhā), clinging (upādāna), and kammic becoming (kammabhava)—will certainly arise. As long as kamma exists due to Section 3, it is impossible to avoid a future life. When a future life arises, birth (jāti), aging, and death (jarāmaraṇa) will inevitably come. So, Section 4 will definitely appear. As long as Section 3 is not cut off, Section 4 cannot be avoided. Therefore, we can combine Section 3 (craving, clinging, kammic becoming) and Section 4 (birth, aging, death) and call them the "future cycle" (aparantacakka) (3+4 = future cycle). The left half of the great circle is called the future cycle. Not knowing this future cycle is also ignorance (aparanta). The first phenomenon encountered in the future cycle is craving. Therefore, we see that craving leads the future cycle. With craving leading, it will turn the future saṃsāra to prolong it. Thus, remember that craving is one root of saṃsāra. Ignorance is one root, craving is one root. Now we have the twofold origin. In brief, not knowing (avijjā) means not knowing the past cycle, not knowing the future cycle, not knowing both the past and future cycles, not knowing dependent origination, and not knowing the Four Noble Truths. I will explain further in appropriate places later. Here, I would like to add that while there is ignorance that does not know, there is also ignorance that "knows" in a certain way. Not knowing what should be known is ignorance, and knowing what should not be known is also ignorance. For example, one should know mind and matter (nāmarūpa) as they truly are, but instead of knowing them correctly, one knows them as a person (puggala). This is not knowing what should be known. In terms of the concept of a person, one knows; but in terms of the phenomenon (dhamma), one does not know. Not knowing the Four Noble Truths that should be known, not knowing the doctrine of dependent origination that should be known—these are types of ignorance that do not know what should be known, not knowing the phenomenal process. As another example, instead of knowing mind and matter, one knows them as a person or a being. This is knowing what should not be known; knowing in terms of the concept of a person. Although ignorance is said to be "not knowing," it does know something. It knows the path that does not lead to liberation from death. However, ignorance does not allow knowledge of the path to liberation; it obscures it. Because ignorance obscures and blocks the path to liberation, we have been revolving solely along the path of death throughout saṃsāra. We have been traveling only the path of death. This is also one of ignorance's deceptions. Therefore, remember that there is ignorance that does not know, and there is also ignorance that "knows." What does it know? It knows what should not be known instead of what should be known; it knows the concept of a person instead of the phenomenal process; it knows the path that does not lead to liberation instead of the path to liberation. This is ignorance. The leader of the past cycle is ignorance; the leader of the future cycle is craving. Since each stands firmly in its own place in the two divisions of the two cycles, later verses refer to them as "the twofold origin in two places" (နှစ်ရပ်မူလ). In other words, since ignorance leads in the past cycle, it is placed first according to the twofold origin; since craving leads in the future cycle, it is placed first according to the "twofold origin in two places." Essentially, they are the same. When the past and future cycles are combined, they form a circle, hence it is called a "cycle" (cakka). So, for whom is the past cycle taught? It is taught for those with a view-oriented temperament (diṭṭhicarita). For what purpose? It is taught to eliminate the annihilistic view (ucchedadiṭṭhi). For whom is the future cycle taught? It is taught for those with a craving-oriented temperament (taṇhācarita). For what purpose? It is taught to eliminate the eternalistic view (sassatadiṭṭhi). Please remember this. When the great circle is divided into four parts, four Sections appear. There, Section number 1 is ignorance and volitional formations. Ignorance is not knowing the Four Noble Truths. It is not knowing that the five aggregates are suffering (dukkhasaccā); not knowing that craving is the cause of suffering (samudayasaccā); not knowing the cessation of suffering (nirodhasaccā); not knowing the path leading to the cessation of suffering (maggasaccā). Because of this not knowing, one mistakenly thinks that obtaining the aggregates is good, and with wrong view (diṭṭhi) and craving, one longs for a future life and future aggregates, thus performing wholesome and unwholesome kammas—this is volitional formations (saṅkhāra). Then, one obtains the desired human life and human body. In Section number 2, the five aggregates—consciousness, mind and matter, six sense bases, contact, and feeling—arise. Thus, it becomes clear that the cause for the arising of the five aggregates is volitional formations led by ignorance. In terms of Sections, Section 1 causes the five aggregates of Section 2 to arise. When one understands that cause produces effect, wrong view is eliminated. It is eliminated by knowledge. There is no person in the cause, and no person in the effect. The misconceptions of self, others, persons, humans, and deities disappear, and one correctly knows the five aggregates as mere mind and matter phenomena—this becomes right view (sammādiṭṭhi). In terms of time, ignorance and volitional formations belong to the past. They are finished. They are phenomena that occurred in the past life, the past aggregates. But have they ceased without any connection to the present? Not exactly. They did not cease completely; they supported this life as cause, and thus the present five aggregates arose. When one realizes that due to past causes, effects appear in the present, one understands: "Oh, the past mind and matter did not cease completely; they have appeared as results in this life in the form of consciousness." This knowledge eliminates the annihilistic view (ucchedadiṭṭhi) that holds to complete annihilation. Therefore, as said earlier, the past cycle is taught for those with annihilistic views. Simultaneously, when the cause is understood with wisdom, doubt (vicikicchā) is cleared. How is it cleared? Once one accepts that the aggregates arise due to ignorance and volitional formations, doubts such as "Were they created by deities, Brahma, or God?" automatically vanish. (Reposting an old post previously shared.) Dr. Ashin Parami