This work puts forward a new interpretation, based entirely upon Pali canonical sources, of the early Buddhist doctrine of interdependent origination (paticca-samuppada); its ultimate aim is to clarify the subtle relationship between cessation and liberation, between nirodha and nibbana. The paticca-samuppada has long been interpreted as representing a temporal sequence of factors, defined over three lifetimes, which explains the process of rebirth. However, the factors of the doctrine can also be taken as being temporally concurrent, as elements of a dynamic system of events, and this view serves as a point of departure for the interpretation of the paticca-samuppada proposed in this work. Our suggestion is that when the doctrine of interdependent origination is understood as a model of a human being in bondage to suffering, then it can also serve as an ideal model of human liberation from suffering.
A close scrutiny of the paticca-samuppada, in light of the central Buddhist teaching of liberation in this lifetime, suggests that there must be an implicit two-part structure to the doctrine: one group of factors ceases with the attainment of nibbana, while another group continues to function for the duration of natural life. One group is made up of all of the factors defining suffering (dukkha), i.e., ignorance (avijja), craving (tanha), grasping (upadana), existence (bhava), birth (jati), ageing and death (jaramarana). The other group forms a working definition of a being (satta), and includes consciousness (vinnana), name and form (namarupa), six spheres (salayatana), contact (phassa) feeling (vedana), and the very difficult sankhara (defined below as intention/activities/formations). These are normally bound together in a single process of mutual origination and cessation, but become detached with the attainment of liberation.
When understood as being made up of two integrated but separable groups of interdependent factors, the paticca-samuppada can provide a helpful model of liberation. The model is capable of representing the difference between an ordinary man, subject to rebirth, and an arahant liberated in this lifetime (nibbana), although it does not help explain the state of an arahant who has passed fully away (parinibbana). In addition, the model may tentatively be suggested as a way of understanding what happens to a man who attains the meditative state of the cessation of perception and feeling (sannavedayita-nirodha).
