To put it simply, the emergence of all things or phenomena is due to mutual (relative) relationships and conditions. Without relationships and conditions, no thing or phenomenon can arise. Cause (Hetu) and Condition (Paccaya), generally explained, are relationships and conditions. The Buddha once defined "dependent origination" as follows: If this exists, then that exists; if this arises, then that arises; if this does not exist, then that does not exist; if this ceases, then that ceases. These four sentences express simultaneous or heterochronic coexistence.

Give a simple example to illustrate. Such as the relationship between teachers and students: if there are teachers, there are students, and if there are students, there are teachers. Without teachers, there is no student, and without students, there is no teacher. This is a simultaneous interdependent relationship.

For example, the relationship between seeds and buds: because there were seeds in the past, buds can sprout today; and because buds sprout today, the seeds in the past are called seeds. This is a heterogeneous and interdependent relationship. . On the other hand, when the seed dies, it is also when the bud grows, and when the bud grows, it is also when the seed dies. Here, the phenomena of birth and death of the bud and the seed are in a simultaneous mutual relationship.

In short, no matter whether they are at the same time or at different times, all phenomena (methods) must exist in some kind of interdependent relationship, and no phenomenon can be said to have an absolute (absolute) existence.

According to Buddhism, the so-called mutual relationship is a causal relationship. From the perspective of heterochronic coexistence, the seed is the cause and the bud is the fruit. This is heterogeneous cause and effect. From the perspective of simultaneous mutuality, if the teacher is the main person, the teacher is the cause and the student is the effect; if the student is the main person, the student is the cause and the teacher is the effect. This is simultaneous cause and effect.

This is of course a simple example. In fact, the relationship between cause and effect is extremely complicated. From this perspective, such a cause produces such an effect; from another perspective, the same cause produces another effect. For example, A, from the perspective of teacher-student relationship, he is B's teacher; from the perspective of father-son relationship, he is C's father; from the perspective of husband-wife relationship, he is D's husband.

If A is the cause, then B, B, D, and everything else are effects, from which we can see that one cause has multiple effects; if everything else is the cause, then A is the effect, from which we can see that there are multiple causes One fruit. In fact, if there is no cause of despair, there will be no effect of despair. The world is an infinite network organized by countless heterogeneous and continuous causal relationships in time and countless interdependent relationships in space.

Extended information

This sentence talks about the cause and effect of the 12 causes and conditions. It comes from Sutras 262, 335 and 358 of the Zagama Sutra. Mentioned: "This exists, so that other exists, this arises, so that arises. This has no cause, that does not exist, this dies, so that dies." 1. To understand this verse, you must first know what "12 causes and conditions" are. Otherwise There is no need to talk about this verse.

The twelve causes and conditions refer to the process from "ignorance" to "old age and death". Cause and effect follow each other, and the three lives are continuous without interruption, making people flow in reincarnation without being able to derive it. (The continuity of the three lives without interruption refers to the "ignorance" and "action" of the past life as the cause, and the "consciousness" and even "feeling" of the present life as the result; the result obtained from the present life , and the three "love", "taking" and "being" arise, which are the causes of the present life; this also triggers the consequences of "birth", "aging and death" in the future life, and this cycle continues without interruption.

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