Piyadassi Thera

Dependent Origination (Paticca Samupadda)

Dependent Origination (Paticca Samupadda)

Dependent origination, paṭicca-samuppāda, is a basic teaching of Buddhism. The doctrine therein being so deep and profound it is not possible within the limited scope of this essay to make an extensive survey of the subject.

Based solely on the teaching of the Buddha an attempt is made here to elucidate this doctrine, leaving aside the complex details.

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About Piyadassi Thera

Piyadassi Thera (8 July 1914 – 18 August 1998) was born in Kotahena in Colombo, Sri Lanka and was educated at Nalanda College, Colombo, thereafter at the University of Sri Lanka and the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University as a research student.

He is best known as a great preacher of the Dhamma both in Sinhala and in English and it was in this field that his popularity was foremost. Piyadassi Thera was one of the world's most eminent Buddhist monks having traveled widely carrying the message of the Buddha-Dhamma, both to the East and to West, he was able to write in a style that has universal appeal.

Piyadassi Thera was the Sinhala editor at the Buddhist Publication Society until his death. Along with Nyanaponika Thera, he was one of the chief kalyāṇamittas of well-known American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi.

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You yourselves must strive, the Buddhas only point the way

Buddha, Dhp 276