Lens of Adaptation: Dependent Origination
Lenses, in the context of the Beacons of Everyday Enlightenment represent more specific concepts and practices through which we can understand the rich meaning of each Beacon. There are Primary Lenses, which are the most commonly understood and most robust meditative concepts, and there are Other Lenses which are a collection of other closely related ideas for that Beacon.
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| Lens: Dependent Origination | |
|---|---|
| Beacons | Adaptation |
Dependent Origination is a way of understanding existence as a whole made up of intimately connected parts. We may often think in terms of "cause and effect", and another insight is to see that things are so interconnected that a simple cause/effect relationship is a needlessly reductive perspective. Additionally, we can see that all things in our consciousness do not come about on their own but have a dependency on other things simply for them to exist in their current form. To take an extremely simple example, you may enjoy some coffee or tea, but how dependent is that enjoyment on the mug holding your drink? Another aspect of Dependent Origination is that just as everything relies on other things for their existence, so do those same things enable the existence of other things. Closely related to Dependent Origination are the Lenses of Impermanence and Emptiness, which all taken together can show us how everything we experience lacks a permanent or substantive quality when understood through these concepts.
Landmarks
The Realms of Everyday Enlightenment each have some noticeable Landmarks which show the likely alignment someone within that Realm has with each of the Beacons and their various Lenses. These Landmarks are things that need to be noticed and explored in the context of those Lenses and Beacons. And then through working on the Trails and Guides these Landmarks will serve as markers toward the next Realm where new Landmarks await.
Landmarks of Enrollment
Landmarks for this Realm (Enrollment) will be added here when those pages are created.
Landmarks of Engagement
Landmarks for this Realm (Engagement) will be added here when those pages are created.
Landmarks of Enrichment
Landmarks for this Realm (Enrichment) will be added here when those pages are created.
Resources
- Pratītyasamutpāda - "... "if this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist" ... [all things] arise in dependence upon other things."