Mūlamadhyamakakārikā 中觀論誦 (MMK14): Chapter 14 Association of Conditions: Saṃsarga-parīkṣā

By Paramartha

Definition

Association (saṃsarga) is the bringing together into the unity of the object (draṣṭavya) and the subject (draṣṭṛ) in order to have a visual perception (dar’sana).It is the unity of contigent existence. It can be summed up in the following equation:-

           Subject  + object  = Association of perception

The metaphysicians or substantialists affirm that the unity of different or identical things or entities or elements produce a conditioned phenomenon. The conception of discrimination between difference and identity is a deluded view according to Nāgārjuna in defence of the original Word Śākyamuni Buddha. The association or unity between the subject and object is valid only when the non-dualistic or holistic relationship between the subject and object is intuitively discerned or perceived. The dualistic view between difference and identity of the interdependent entities do not exist in the ultimate sense. Two identities are contrasted as being different or compared to be identical if and only if they are separate and independent entities. However in the ultimate Reality, discrete entities do not exist. All entities or phenomena are conditioned into a whole or totality in which individuations vanish.

The ultimate Truth of all phenomena is that they are neither different nor identical. If this Truth is grasped, the universal Unity is apprehended. This is soteriologically very significant. All major’s world esoteric religions are reconciled when universal Unity of the cosmic Self is intuitively discerned. When one sees oneself (individual self) as other than oneself, one sees the cosmic Self.

The dual concepts of difference and identity are only valid in the conventional sense. However, they are unreal and illusive in the ultimate perspective. If the contigent conditions are either different or identical, such an association or unity is not a dependently co-arisen phenomenon. When objects are different or identical intrinsically, they possess either self-natures (svabhāvas) or other natures (para-svabhāvas). An object of permanent difference and permanent identity can not be associated and conglomerated into a unity. Anything that is permanent own nature of either identity or difference can not be associated or unified with others.The entire cosmos is a cosmic Unity because all phenomena are empty of their own natures and thus can be associated and unified together without individual forms. The forms perceived by the ordinary worldlings are illusory and unreal. All esoteric religions without any exception unveil this illusive nature of the phenomenal world. Cosmic Unity is the only Truth. Unification means interdependence or interconnectedness of the world as a global village.

Buddhist concept of association is the notion of dependently co-arisen Unity of contigent entities which have no individual signs, marks or characteristics. All contigent entities are signless, markless and characteristicless in order for them to be associated to constitute a universal whole or totality. Sign, mark or characteristic of an entity or phenomenon is possessed by only a substantial entity. A substantial entity is an autonomous existent. An autonomous entity does not associate with any other autonomous entity. However, in actuality, an autonomous entity does not exist in the ultimate Reality. Every phenomenon is the unity of all the necessary contigent conditions. Contigent conditions are not substantial entities. They are insubstantial.

 Even these so called modern independent nations are merely autonomous politically. Economically and culturally, no independent nation is truly independent. Independent economy is doom and gloom. Spiritual Truth reflects the ultimate reality of the world. If one does not learn the Truth, one learns the untruth. What is other than Truth is untruth. This is known as religious perversion, the cause of the turmoils of the world.

As a unity of multiplicity, every conditioned phenomenon is empty of any inherent existence or any permanent substance. The contigent conditions of a conditioned phenomenon are intrinsically united into a unity of existence or interdependent existence. In unity of interpenetration, the signs, marks or characteristics of contigent conditions are dissolved. Therefore, every conditioned phenomenon is a unity of its parts. Therefore, the designation of a conditioned phenomenon is merely a concept or appearance but not the Reality. The diverge forms perceived are mere appearances mistaking the ropes for the snakes.

The concept of a phenomenon is just like the reflected moon in the water. The reflected moon is unreal. Though illusory and unreal, all wholesome phenomena have their pragmatic and utilitarian values, they can not be denied. For instance, language and concepts do not mirror the ultimate Truth but they do reflect the conventional Truth. The Middle Path of ‘One Mind in Three Contemplations’ (Central theme of Diamond Sūtra) must be exercised so that religion is employed to cut the vegetables, fruits or meat. They are not utilized to assassinate others. The Relative-Absolute relationship ought to be apprehended through religion.

 Whoever perceives multiplicity does not perceive the Unity. Therefore, the associating condition, the associated condition and the agent of association are not evident because they can not be distinguished in Unity or Totality. What can be distinguished or identified separately are only the separable entities. However, separate entities are mere imagination or false conceptualizations of ordinary worldlings. They are merely false mental constructs or fabrications. They are illusory and unreal. Different or identical contigent conditions do not exist separately or independently. Differentiations are falsely conceived by the ordinary worldlings. The Gnostics perceive that they are not distinguishable or identifiable. They perceive Unity behind the multiplicity. The worldlings perceive multiplicity and are entangled by karmic bondage.

In the ultimate analysis, Nāgārjuna exerts in his dedicatory verses in his MMK that all phenomena are neither different nor identical. All phenomena are intrinsically united and interpenetrated into the whole or totality. For instance, fuel and fire are inseparable. A fuel, which does not produce fire, is not evident; a fire that is not produced by a fuel is also not evident. All contigent conditions of an association or unity are non-dualistic or exist in unity with all others. An association or unity is the occurrence of an empirical experience. It is an occasion of human experience from a necessary organic existent or conditioned phenomenon dependently co-arisen from the unity of contigent conditions. Human being is an example of the dynamic occurrence of becoming arisen from dependently co-arisen unity of the five aggregates (pañcakkhandhā) or the eighteen elements (dhātus). The contigent five aggregates are form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness. The contigent eighteen elements are six faculties, six corresponding objects of perception and six corresponding consciousness. The five aggregates and eighteen elements do not exist independently or autonomously. They are all interdependent.

Refutations

Nāgārjuna raised his following philosophical objections against the substantialist views of the metaphysicians or substantialists thus:

1. How are the absolutely independent discrete entities which possess intrinsic existences (having permanent substances) able to associate or conglomerate with one another?
2. They are susposed to be independent, permanent and immutable or unchangeable. How could they associate or conglomerate to form a new becoming with others to produce a change? There should be no whatsoever change arisen from permanent, independent and immutable entities. What is permanent, independent and immutable cannot undergo a change. How can it undergo change?

Nāgārjuna was adept in employing his astute debating skill of reduction ad absurdum. He was astute in capitalizing on the substantial or non-empty views of his philosophical opponents to defeat them through logical paradoxes. His very sharp logical paradoxes floored his opponents immediately. The motive of Nāgārjuna was not to win a philosophical debate but to defend the authentic teaching of Śākyamuni Buddha.

 If entities can be differentiated or distinguished, their individual identities can be analysed and defined in isolation. But the common-sense truth is that if the entities or things are different, they require dependence or support. Different things are dependent upon different things. But permanent self-natures and other natures exist, they cannot be interpenetrated and interdependent.

The Buddha’s Standpoint

 All things are interdependent. We are related to one another. This is what Dependent Co-arising means in terms of symmetric relationships among the contigent beings. Pratītyasamutpāda can only occur if and only if things or entities are empty of respective permanent substances, self-natures or other-natures. Entities embodying permanent substances are not compatible with dependently co-arisen phenomena. A permanent substance connotes independence whilst Dependent Co-arisen Unity or Non-duality connotes interdependence. They are thus mutually exclusive.

Dependent Co-arising (Pratītyasamutpāda) is compatible with process or perennial philosophy of the Ontology of dynamic becoming in the light of the eternal Truth of the Unity in the multiplicity and the multiplicity in the Unity. The Unity concurs with the Buddhist philosophy of Insubstantiality (anātmatā), Emptiness (Śūnyatā) and Impermanence (Anityatā). Therefore, Buddhism advocates that the mind (nāma) and body (rūpa) are non-dualistic, organic, mutual, and inseparable in association with all contigent beings or things in human environment. To distinguish the mind from the body is ignorant of the eternal Truth of Non-duality.

In more detailed analysis and reduction, we ascertain that the mind-body human personality comprises organically five aggregates. The five aggregates are form, feelings, perceptions, volitions and consciousness. The form is the physical dimension of the human personality and the remaining four aggregates are the mental dimension of the human personality. These four mental aggregates interpenetrate with the external world of Man – the diverge environmental stimuli. Therefore, Man and the entire world comprising the eighteen Elements (six sense faculties, six objects of perception and six sense consciousness) are one and non-dual. It is soteriologically significant that the five aggregates or the eighteen Elements actually depict the unity of Man as contigent beings of the cosmic or universal unity. Ignorance of this cosmic or universal Unity or Non-duality between Man and his environment or the world around him is the source of vexation or suffering.

 Whoever is able to identify oneself as an integral part of whole or totality of the world will completely annihilate the superimposed self-centric ego. The complete annihilation of self- centric ego will eradicate selfishness and egoism totally from one’s human personality. Such a wise person is said to have gained emancipation and have realized Nirvāṇa. Nirvāna denotes the complete destruction of selfishness and egoism which, in turn, wipes out greed, hatred and delusion.

Theory of Identity or Difference

The Theory of Identity raises a logical paradox and was refuted by Nāgārjuna. The Theory of Difference also poses a similar ontological problem of logical paradox and is refuted by Nāgārjuna as follows:-

But, if the entities or things are absolutely different, the operation of the Principle of Dependent Co-arising (pratītyasamutpāda) can not effect the association or synthesis of contigent entites or things because absolutely different entities are mutually exclusive. They intrinsically repel Unity as they are intrinsically autonomous or independent ontologically. This is the logical paradox of the Theory of Absolute Difference propounded by the metaphysicians or substantialists. That a phenomenon is neither different or identical connotes that every phenomenon is empty of its own nature which is permanent and immutable. If a phenomenon is permanent and immutable, change is not possible. Owing to the universal attribute of Emptiness, the phenomenal world is incessantly created. The relative phenomena and the Absolute can be interpenetrated because of the attribute of Emptiness. When it is monotheistically asserted that God creates the world, it actually means that it is the premordial potentialities of Emptiness that creates the world. In this sense, Buddhism and Monotheism can be reconciled.

In order for pratītityasamutpāda to operate, Nāgārjuna asserts that only Emptiness of self-natures (niḥsvabhāva or Śūnyatā ) has the potentiality for to effect the Unity of contigent conditions. Throughout the MMK, it is the philosophical mission of Nāgārjuna to negate the self-nature with Emptiness as the expedient device or skillful means to preserve the natural Law of Dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. The sole objective is to rectify heretical views in order to preserve the purity of the Word of Śākyamuni Buddha. It is comparable to the metaphor of weeds that have contaminated the lotus pond. The weeds ought to be cleared off to facilitate the growth of the lotus plants in the pond. MMK is a philosophical crusade to protect the purity of Buddhist teaching. It serves the same function as the Theravāda Abhidhamma treatise ‘Kathāvatthu’ to purge Buddhism of heretical views of substantial Ontology which impedes enlightenment – the perfection of human wisdom and conduct. Substantial ontology is incompatible with Emptiness or Insubstantiality which correlates intimately with the Principle of dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality.

Conclusion

Both the Theories of Identity and Difference of phenomena are negated in the dedicatory verses in the opening of the MMK. Nāgārjuna put forwards the profound Doctrine of the Eight Negations of neither arising nor ceasing, neither eternalism nor annihilationism, neither identity nor difference, and neither coming nor going. The Eight Negations illustrate the Truth of Emptiness which is synonymous with dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. Whoever intuitively apprehends the Eight Negations intuitively discerns the notion of Brahman, Tao, Buddha, God or Allah in monotheism. In fact, MMK is a profound exegetical literature on the Theosophy of esoteric religions. Theosophically and pantheistically put, it is as profound and significant as late Upaniṣads or Vedānta Sūtra of Hinduism, Fuṣūṣ al Ḥikam of Islamic Sufism, Tao Te Ching of Taoism, Philokalia of Christianity and the Great Learning of Neo-confucianism. All these soteriologically significant religious treatises concur on the communal Truth of Process or Perennial philosophy of the Ontology of dynamic becoming. These influencial religious literature can form a powerful basis to promote and foster inter-faith understanding. The ultimate Truth is most effectively depicted as the identity of the opposites.

Buddhism depicts the ultimate Truth as neither absolute existence nor absolute non-existence which is synonymous with the identity of the opposites of both existence and non-existence. It is both affirmation and negation. Monotheism depicts the ultimate Truth of God as both beginning and the ending; both the first and the last; both the manifest and unmanifest; both the One and the many. In fact, all religions instruct us to seek for the Truth of the identity of the opposites, that is, the affirmation equals negation. Most importantly, the Truth of the identity of the opposites is soteriologically significant. The most important agenda in life is to discern the soteriological significance of the identity of the opposites which will cause one’s Dharma Eye to arise. Truth is only one and not two. The communal Truth of Wisdom should be discovered by the interfaith religious leaders to avert current clashes of civilizations.