Expert: Joe McSorley - 6/1/2005

Question
Am I right is saying that the links in the 'dependent arising' are only logical in the buddha's time and setting, wherein the prominent beliefs at the time were 'reincarnation' and 'escape' form this round of rebirths as salvation and all that? That the buddha merely found a synthesis of the current beliefs at the time and produced the links in the 'dependent arising'?

In the present time and setting, for the modern non-believer of reincarnation, can this 'logical' dependent arising be applicable?  If so, how?

Or am I wrong altogether in saying these things?  If so, what do you think?

Sorry for the questions.  Again, I know this is too much theory, and its killing me and I dont know if I can stop all this reading. I just want to be silent and do what Im supposed to do, but I think Im addicted to all this buddhist studies. Doctrine is a major impediment to insight, I think.  I think I was going smoothly until I heard about buddhism and started reading about it.

Thanks.

Answer
First of all I don't know that the historical Buddha himself came up with the links.  I think any theologian/philosopher at the time wanting to expound upon the Buddha's teachings would have logically used the paradigms of the Vedic and Upanishad traditions to do so.  I think this idea of hermeneutics where you have to see it in its place and time is quite faulty in this matter.  The idea of dependent arising is not a social/historical concept but one that is trans-cultural/historical.  If it only applied to a particular place and time it would not be expressing a universal truth.
  If you want to apply this to modern day physics you can say that all things arose with the big bang.  Modern scientific theory has it that matter can neither be created or destroyed so all things arise at once with the big bang and all things decay with the big bang.  The configurations of matter after the big bang, be they planets or humans, is still one continuous source and not a new creation.  That man can see himself as separate from other things is what creates the separation but we are not separate from other things in reality.  What we are composed of the rest of the Universe is composed of, we just have the ability to say, “I am this and I am not that”.  This is ultimately the illusion of self.  That which says “ I am” doesn't know who it is that is saying that.  It then projects all kinds of ideas.  It is the act of separation that creates the ego and the separate world in our consciousness or dualism.  To see things as they are without this dualistic distinction is the goal of awakening.
  You are already aware of the problems of studying Buddhism as a ‘thing'.  It has no substance.
You can study music theory all you want but it does not enable you to play an instrument.  You want to know and understand that which cannot be known or understood, and that's understandable but ultimately will fail.  When you truly realize this you will start to develop.
 Take care,
        Joe