Extracted from the website of Buddhist Vajrayana Charity Funds Association and translated (緣生性空) into English:
Conditioned Arising Nature Emptiness
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Origination |
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At the time the understanding of the non-Buddhist sects could be classified into approximately 3 types:. |
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Theory of Pre-determined Life: |
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Human destiny is determined by the law of nature and individual fate, also known as naturalism. |
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Theory of God’s Will: |
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Myriad things arising from Mahesvara (Mahabrahma/Deva), which is the central thought of Brahmanism. |
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Theory of Contingency: |
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Myriad things are arisen without causes and without conditions, merely as a result of contingency. |
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Remark: |
The Buddha explained the Theory of Conditioned Arising Nature Emptiness in order to eradicate all sorts of evil views.
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Condition: |
Dependent existence. |
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Existence: |
Arising from. |
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Nature : |
Body/Form, inner nature, entity (thing that has a material existence), independent and unchanged solid. |
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Emptiness: |
False and unreal, no entity, ultimate complete nothingness. |
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The Conditioned Arising (緣生) is also known as Conditioned Origination (緣起). In modern terms, it is derived from a group of conditions. Not only things are Conditioned Arising and the same applies to mind. For example, wheat grains, seeds are the ‘causes’ and conditions (「因」緣), and water, soil, air, rain and dew, labour, agricultural tools, etc. are the ‘auxiliary’ conditions (「助」緣). Conditions such as these mutually dependent existence; that give rise to the form and appearance of wheat grains.
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Nature Emptiness: Matters and things arise dependent on many many conditions. Without various conditions, matters and things cannot come into existence as they have no entity of their own (no actual nature). Thus, all matters and things are empty (of intrinsic existence and nature).
Take for example, a balcony/tower/high building (樓台) was demolished. There would not be the existence of a balcony/tower/high building anymore with the cessation of bricks, wood and stones.
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The Four Conditions (四緣, Sanskrit: catvarah pratyayah) |
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Conclusion: |
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Theory of Conditioned Arising Nature Emptiness has an intricate meaning in Buddhism, which is suited for one's contemplation. |
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Emptiness doesn’t mean nothing, but means 'false and unreal', just like a flower within the mirror, moon within water; they are not nothing, which is suited for remembering. |
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The origin of all Dharmas are without self-nature, which means all conditions are also empty. |
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The universe and human life are the aggregate of mutually dependent existence. |
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Since everything arises from its anticipated condition, and ceases to exist in the absence of its condition; may as well making use of this to change one's destiny. |
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For example: |
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Continuously and diligently do good deeds, use the mighty power of good deeds as Contributory Factor As Condition (增上緣) to assist and support the good retributions/good karma of one's previous life/lives to arise (remarks: one’s good deeds at present life act as auxiliary condition (助緣) which can help accelerate good deeds of one's previous life/lives to be mature, and so good retributions arise.) ; whilst the unwholesome deeds as Contributory Factor As Condition (增上緣) can stop bad retributions/bad karma of one's previous life/lives from arising due to the absence of condition.
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