尼陀那

(sa) nidāna, a band, bond, link, primary cause.

I.

The [lang id =1028]十二因緣 twelve causes or links in the chain of existence:

(1) (sa) jarā-maraṇa [lang id =1028]老死 old age and death.

(2) (sa) jāti [lang id =1028]生 (re) birth.

(3) (sa) bhava [lang id =1028]有 existence.

(4) (sa) upādāna [lang id =1028]取 laying hold of, grasping.

(5) (sa) tṛṣṇā [lang id =1028]愛 love, thirst, desire.

(6) (sa) vedana [lang id =1028]受 receiving, perceiving, sensation.

(7) (sa) sparśa [lang id =1028]觸 touch, contact, feeling.

(8) (sa) ṣaḍ-āyatana, [lang id =1028]六入 the six senses.

(9) (sa) nāma-rūpa [lang id =1028]名色 name and form, individuality (of things).

(10) (sa) vijñāna [lang id =1028]六識 the six forms of perception, awareness or discernment.

(11) (sa) saṃskāra [lang id =1028]行 action, moral conduct.

(12) (sa) avidyā [lang id =1028]無明 unenlightenment, 'ignorance which mistakes the illusory phenomena of this world for realities. ' Eitel. These twelve links are stated also in Hīnayāna in reverse order, beginning with (sa) avidyā and ending with jarā-maraṇa. The <Fanyimingyi> says the whole series arises from [lang id =1028]無明 ignorance, and if this can be got rid of the whole process of [lang id =1028]生死 births and deaths (or reincarnations) comes to an end.

II.

Applied to the purpose and occasion of writing sutras, (sa) nidāna means

(1) those written because of a request or query;

(2) because certain precepts were violated;

(3) because of certain events.