五因

The five causes, v. 倶舍論 7. i. e.

(1) 生因 producing cause;

(2) 依因supporting cause;

(3) 立因 upholding or establishing cause;

(4) 持因 maintaining cause;

(5) 養因 nourishing or strengthening cause. These all refer to the four elements, earth, water, fire, wind, for they are the causers or producers and maintainers of the infinite forms of nature. Another list from the Nirvana-Sutra 21 is

(1) 生因 cause of rebirth, i. e. previous delusion;

(2) 和合因 intermingling cause, i. e. good with good, bad with bad, neutral with neutral;

(3) 住因 cause of abiding in the present condition, i. e. the self in its attachments;

(4) 增長因 causes of development, e. g. food, clothing, etc.;

(5) 遠因 remoter cause, the parental seed.