12 links of interdependent origination – lectures with Khenpo Chochok
From May 2025 we warmly invite you to a course with the esteemed teacher, Khenpo Chochok. Khenpo will provide explanations on the teachings of the 12 links of interdependent origination, which, alongside the Four Noble Truths, form one of the fundamental views in Buddhism.
The course will take place in person in Warsaw (or, if there is a high level of interest, in nearby Legionowo). There will also be an option to participate online. Join us for a special May retreat with the Precious Dharma!
12 Links of Interdependent Origination – Understanding Samsara and Realizing the Absence of a “Self”
The 12 links of interdependent origination (Tib. tendrel jenlak chu nyi, Skt. dvādaśāṅga-pratītyasamutpāda) explain the mechanism of samsara—the cycle of conditioned existence marked by suffering. These links illustrate how ignorance gives rise to the cycle of rebirth and clarify how this cycle can be reversed to attain liberation.
The 12 Links and Their Sequence
- Ignorance (Skt. avidyā): Lack of understanding of the ultimate nature of phenomena, particularly the illusion of a separate, permanent “self.”
- Karmic formations (Skt. saṃskāra): Actions conditioned by ignorance, creating the causes for future rebirths.
- Consciousness (Skt. vijñāna): The emergence of individual consciousness marked by attachment to a “self.”
- Name and form (Skt. nāma-rūpa): The arising of the five aggregates (skandhas), which constitute an individual.
- Six sense bases (Skt. ṣaḍāyatana): The development of sensory faculties, reinforcing the illusion of a “self” perceiving an external world.
- Contact (Skt. sparśa): The meeting of the senses with objects, fueling the distinction between subject and object.
- Feeling (Skt. vedanā): The experience of pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral sensations, influencing our reactions.
- Craving (Skt. tṛṣṇā): Attachment to pleasure and aversion to pain, reinforcing the illusion of a “self.”
- Clinging (Skt. upādāna): The strengthening of attachments and karmic habits.
- Becoming (Skt. bhava): The formation of karmic conditions leading to future rebirth.
- Birth (Skt. jāti): The arising of a new conditioned existence.
- Aging and death (Skt. jarā-maraṇa): The continuation of suffering, leading to another rebirth.
The 12 Links and the Cycle of Samsara
The first three links relate to past lives. The fourth to eleventh links shape our present experience. The twelfth link (aging and death) determines future rebirth. This process illustrates the interdependence of phenomena and the absence of a fixed, real “self”.
At the root of the entire cycle is ignorance—the illusion of a permanent “self” is what keeps the wheel of samsara turning. By analyzing the 12 links, we understand that an individual is merely a dependent construct without an inherent essence. Each link exists only in relation to others—nothing exists independently. Understanding interdependence dismantles this illusion.
Attachment to a permanent identity is the cause of samsara. Ignorance sustains this cycle, whereas understanding the 12 links helps deconstruct this illusion and break free from it. This knowledge paves the way to inner freedom. Studying the 12 links is, therefore, a fundamental Dharma practice, revealing the path to the cessation of suffering and ultimate liberation. It is a key tool for understanding how samsara operates and how to free oneself from it. As we realize the absence of a fixed “self”, we gradually free ourselves from attachments, opening the path to awakening.
Khenpo Chochok will provide in-depth teachings on the 12 links of interdependent origination during the course from May 2025 in Warsaw.
Registration will be available soon.