Fundamental Two Roots – Lanka Q&A
Q: What are the two original roots?
A: Ignorance (Avijjā) and Craving (Taṇhā).
Q: What are the two Noble Truths involved?
A: The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (Samudaya Sacca) and the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Sacca).
Q: What are the four layers (divisions)?
A: One layer of past cause, one layer of present result, one layer of present cause, and one layer of future result.
Q: What are the twelve links (factors)?
A: Ignorance (Avijjā), Volitional Formations (Saṅkhārā), Consciousness (Viññāṇa), Name-and-Form (Nāma-rūpa), Six Sense Bases (Saḷāyatana), Contact (Phassa), Feeling (Vedanā), Craving (Taṇhā), Clinging (Upādāna), Becoming (Kamma-bhava), Birth (Jāti), Aging-and-Death (Jarāmaraṇa).
Q: What is meant by the whole set of dhammas?
A: From Ignorance (Avijjā) at the beginning to Aging-and-Death (Jarāmaraṇa) at the end.
Q: What are the three connections (joints)?
A: One joint between Volitional Formations and Consciousness, one between Feeling and Craving, one between Becoming and Birth.
Q: What are the two root origins?
A: Craving and Ignorance.
Q: What are the three rounds (vattas)?
A: The round of defilements (Kilesa-vatta), the round of kamma (Kamma-vatta), and the round of results (Vipāka-vatta).
Q: What are the three time periods?
A: The past that has already passed, the present that is happening now, and the future that is yet to come.
Q: What are the twentyfold modes of conditionality?
A:
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Five past causes,
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Five present results,
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Five present causes,
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Five future results.
Detailed Q&A for each part continues:
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The past time consists of Avijjā and Saṅkhārā — these are part of Kilesa-vatta (defilements) and Kamma-vatta (kamma).
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The present result includes Viññāṇa, Nāma-rūpa, Saḷāyatana, Phassa, and Vedanā, which are Vipāka-vatta (results).
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These five make up the five Khandhas (aggregates), and therefore are classified as Dukkha Sacca (Noble Truth of Suffering).
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The present cause includes Taṇhā, Upādāna, Kamma-bhava, which are Kilesa and Kamma, part of Samudaya Sacca (Noble Truth of the Origin).
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The future result is Jāti, Jarā, Maraṇa — also part of Vipāka-vatta and Dukkha Sacca.
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All are organized in four divisions (layers), five factors in each, making 20 total.
Further Explanation
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Ignorance is the root cause of not knowing: the Four Noble Truths, the Five Aggregates, the Twelve Sense Bases, the Eighteen Elements, and Dependent Origination itself.
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Ignorance leads to misperception: taking the impermanent as permanent, the painful as pleasant, the non-self as self.
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Craving arises from this misperception. Clinging arises from craving.
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Actions arise from these, producing results — rebirth, aging, death — which are all suffering.
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Therefore, Kilesa (defilements): Avijjā, Taṇhā, Upādāna
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Kamma (actions): Saṅkhārā, Kamma-bhava
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Vipāka (results): The other 8 factors
Final Teaching Recap
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Four compartments: (1) Past Cause, (2) Present Result, (3) Present Cause, (4) Future Result
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Each with five links = 20 links total
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Five Aggregates are all Dukkha
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The root of bondage is Avijjā
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Liberation from Samsāra comes from realization of truth.
Sayadaw: "Five Fives equal Twenty"
Yogis: "Must be easily memorized and understood."
Sayadaw: "Only then will you be freed from the cycle of rebirth."
Yogis: "Indeed, Venerable Sir."
(Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu — Well said, well done!)
