Relationship Between Upadana and Bhava with Reference to Patthana

Abstract

Among the twelve links of Paṭiccasamuppāda, the link of upādāna and bhava is an interesting fact. Despite the scholarly numerous perspectives offered on Paṭiccasamuppāda, the Paṭṭhāna viewpoint has received less attention on it. It remains challenging to comprehend relationship between upādāna and bhava from Paṭṭhāna perspective. For instance, Paṭiccasamuppāda cannot provide the satisfied answer to how upādāna as unwholesome consciousness conditions wholesome kamma without help of Paṭṭhāna. There are several conditions in which upādāna cause bhava: kammabhava and upapattibhava from the Paṭṭhāna perspective. It is apparent that Paṭṭhāna supplements Paṭiccasamuppāda according to Visuddhimagga, which express twelve links of Paṭiccasamuppāda in conjunction with Paṭṭhāna. But a brief mention is found that Visuddhimagga asserts that eight out of twenty-four relations in Paṭṭhāna such as upanissaya, sahajāta, aññamañña, nissaya, sampayutta, atthi, avigata and hetu are applied between upādāna and bhava. Moreover, these relations have not been extensively analyzed and examined in sense of their relevance to upādāna and bhava. Therefore, the researcher’s aim here was to examine eight relations and their application between upādāna and bhava with special reference to Paṭṭhāna. This study claimed that Paṭṭhāna provides the understanding of relationship between upādāna and bhava and, to some extent, clarifies the answer that Paṭiccasamuppāda cannot deliver as to the relationship. It was a textual study based on Pāli canonical texts. Some commentarial texts and works related to this study were also used whenever deemed reasonably relevant.