尼陀那

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

I.

The 十二因緣 twelve causes or links in the chain of existence:

(1) (sa) jarā-maraṇa 老死 old age and death.

(2) (sa) jāti 生 (re) birth.

(3) (sa) bhava 有 existence.

(4) (sa) upādāna 取 laying hold of, grasping.

(5) (sa) tṛṣṇā 愛 love, thirst, desire.

(6) (sa) vedana 受 receiving, perceiving, sensation.

(7) (sa) sparśa 觸 touch, contact, feeling.

(8) (sa) ṣaḍ-āyatana, 六入 the six senses.

(9) (sa) nāma-rūpa 名色 name and form, individuality (of things).

(10) (sa) vijñāna 六識 the six forms of perception, awareness or discernment.

(11) (sa) saṃskāra 行 action, moral conduct.

(12) (sa) avidyā 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 無明 ignorance, and if this can be got rid of the whole process of 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.