The Buddhist Perspective on Cause and Condition
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can then ab<strong>and</strong><strong>on</strong> all the pains <strong>and</strong> anxieties that are<br />
associated with this imperfect worldly existence. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
scripture states, “All phenomena arise out of causes<br />
<strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s; all phenomena cease due to causes<br />
<strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s.” What do we mean by causes <strong>and</strong><br />
c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s? <strong>Cause</strong>s <strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s are nothing other<br />
than human interacti<strong>on</strong>s <strong>and</strong> relati<strong>on</strong>ships. Relati<strong>on</strong>ships<br />
can be loving <strong>and</strong> respectful, antag<strong>on</strong>istic <strong>and</strong><br />
competitive, or good <strong>and</strong> bad. If we can grasp the law<br />
of cause <strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>, we can underst<strong>and</strong> the rise<br />
<strong>and</strong> fall of sentient beings’ welfare, the origin <strong>and</strong><br />
extincti<strong>on</strong> of existence, <strong>and</strong> the reality of the universe<br />
<strong>and</strong> humanity.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are usually four ways people look at the<br />
ever arising <strong>and</strong> ceasing of causes <strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s:<br />
A. Without <strong>Cause</strong>, Without C<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong><br />
Comm<strong>on</strong>ly held beliefs about life include predeterminati<strong>on</strong>,<br />
r<strong>and</strong>om chance, <strong>and</strong> divine design.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se perspectives do not look at life from the<br />
st<strong>and</strong>point of cause <strong>and</strong> c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>. For example,<br />
rocks do not normally produce oil, but let us suppose<br />
that some<strong>on</strong>e accidentally mines some fossil oil from<br />
rocks. Instead of analyzing the fossil oil <strong>and</strong> finding<br />
the cause of its formati<strong>on</strong>, the pers<strong>on</strong> just assumes it<br />
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