Dependent Origination
Dependent origination is one of the central teachings of Buddhism. It is thekey that unlocks every dhamma teaching. It explains the interconnected and conditional nature of all phenomena. It teaches that nothing exists independently; everything arises due to specific causes and conditions. This principle encapsulates the cyclical process of existence, showing how suffering (dukkha) emerges and persists in a chain of causation.
The expression of DO can be found in several Pali Canon texts, as it represents a core principle repeatedly emphasized in early Buddhist teachings. One of the most prominent suttas that contains this expression is the Samyutta Nikaya, specifically:
Samyutta Nikaya 12.20 – Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta (Analysis of Dependent Origination)
“If this is, that comes to be;
From the arising of this, that arises;
If this is not, that does not come to be;
From the stopping of this, that is stopped.
This sounds linear but it is actually a dynamic web. The basic principle — “If this is, that comes to be; if this is not, that does not come to be” — reveals itself not as simple linear causality, but as a vast, dynamic web of interconnected conditions all conditioning one another.
This understanding transforms how we practice. Rather than trying to force particular experiences, we learn to work skillfully with conditions, trusting that when we bring the right elements together, the fruits of practice will naturally arise.
Compassion (Karuna)
I have used this principle of Dependent Origination to come up with a meditation for cultivating Compassion. This is one of the 4 Brahma-viharas or Divine Abodes. They are also called The 4 Immeasurbles because their depths, when properly cutivated, cannot be measured. These are four qualities of mind and heart cultivated in Buddhist practice: loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha).
My meditation comprises of 7 phrases or affirmations. The first 3 are used to resource ourselves so that we can increase our capacity for compassion. These resources form some of the causes and conditions that naturally allow Compassion to flow through us. The next 3 phrases are used for the person to whom we are directing our compassion practice to. This can be person whom we know is going through a difficult time. The final phrase rounds up this practice by cultivating a strong feeling of shared humanity by reflecting on the universality of suffering and feeling a natural kinship with the person to whom we are sending our Compassion.
Causes and Conditions that arouse Compassion
- Self Compassion
Self-compassion is innate to us. We utilize it every day without realizing it. Whenmoments of anger, guilt or shame arise within us, we can notice self-compassion underneath these emotions. By focusing on self-compassion during these moments, we do not get carried away by unskillful actions but use these moments to cultivate self-compassion in our lives. This is like poison becoming our medicine. We reaffirm and remind ourselves by using a phrase like this one:
“May I notice the many moments of self-compassion throughout the day”.
2. Soothing Experience
Practicing compassion is supposed to lighten us. That is the only way it can become limitless. If it hardens us then we are not doing it right. Dalai Lama has said that when we are supporting others and expressing our caring, we become joyful. It is a source of joy. He calls it “selfish altruism” and asks us to enjoy it. This also increases our capacity for compassion. We remind ourselves of this principle by utilizing a phrase like this one:
“May I have a soothing experience while offering compassion to others”
3. Kindness and Care
Our experience of compassion is supposed to feel like a tender heart—open and emotionally responsive to the pain or struggle of others. This is another aspect of having a soothing experience but it involves a sense of soft vulnerability, but not weakness – a clear awareness that suffering exists, paired with the desire to relieve it. We remind ourselves of this principle of kindness and care by utilizing a phrase like this one:
“May I hold my pain with kindness and care.”
Directing Compassion to someone who is suffering
We now focus on someone we know who is suffering. We can take a relatively simple example for now. We can always expand our practice to include more extensive suffering at a later stage.
4. Presence of community or Sangha
Our suffering, though deeply human, often feels like an isolating force, drawing us inward as if pain were a burden too heavy to share. It isolates us from other beings and becomes a self-imposed exile, fueled by shame, fear, or the belief that our struggles make us unworthy of connection. We do not want our loved ones to be isolated like this because we understand that their pain is a bridge to others, a shared thread of vulnerability that quietly runs through us all. We therefore affirm for others that they always sense the presence of a community or Sangha that supports them in their healing efforts.
We utilize a phrase like this one for someone we know is suffering.
“May you feel the presence of caring hearts around you.”
5. Courage
We experience Karuna as an active and courageous force. It carries a strength, a willingness to stay present with suffering instead of turning away. This strength may feel like emotional resilience, the ability to witness pain without shutting down.
We utilize a phrase like this one for someone we know is suffering:
“May you be courageous in the face of suffering”.
6. Strength, love and clarity
We experience Karuna that may bring up sadness and sorrow but ensure that it is balanced with strength, love and clarity. Compassion is feeling with, not drowning in, another’s pain.
We utilize a phrase like this one for someone we know is suffering:
“May you feel your suffering without being overwhelmed by it.”
7. Reflecting on our experience of Shared Humanity
We round up our practice of compassion by experiencing Karuna as a strong feeling of shared humanity. We see the universality of suffering and feel a natural kinship with others. We experience Karuna as a quiet and intimate connection.
We utilize a phrase like this one for ourselves as well as for someone we know is suffering:
“May our hearts remain open to the suffering we both share”.
The practice highlighted above is an expression of Dependent Origination. This is highly customizable practice. You can come up with your own version of this practice and utilize your own version of phrases or affirmations.
Please check out a recording of my talk on this subject on YouTube
