Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

‘Majjhena(中) or majjhimā paṭipadā(中道)’ and paṭiccasamuppāda(緣起) are the most critical teachings of Buddha in the early Buddhism. Majjhena heads into a genuine view, getting over the conflicting claims, so that paṭiccasamuppāda, the result drawn by majjhimā paṭipadā(中道), makes us know the phenomena of yathābhūtaṃ(如實). The previous studies, however, have not clarified how they work together. They only interpret paṭiccasamuppāda as accounting of saṃsāra(輪回) in context of anuloma(順觀) or else explain it as an interdependent relationship between two things in interactive position. I have analyzed that existing studies lay a misleading assumption which covers up the direction of paṭiloma(逆觀). The flow of paṭiloma begins with jarāmaraṇa(老死), and moves to seek for the condition of jarāmaraṇa, thinking like “With what being present, does ageing-and-death occur?” ‘Paṭiccasamuppāda of paṭiloma’ contacts with views to carry bhava․abhava(有․無), ekatta․puthutta(一․異), dukkha․sukha(苦․樂), sayaṃkata․paraṃkata(自作․他作), sassata․uccheda(常․斷) over and majjhena leads us into a true observation beyond such conflicting views. That is, in the direction of paṭiloma, the limits of ‘bhava(有), jāti(生), and jarāmaraṇa’(老死) are overcome by ‘majjhena of bhava․abhava;’ the limits of ‘taṇhā(渴愛) and upādāna(取)’ are overcome by ‘majjhena of ekatta․puthutta,’ the limits of ‘vedanā’(受) are overcome by ‘majjhena of sukha․dukkha,’ the limits of ‘viññāṇa(識), nāmarūpa(名色), saḷāyatana(六處), and phassa (觸)’ are overcome by ‘majjhena of sayaṃkata․paraṃkata,’ and the limits of ‘avijjā(無明) and saṅkhāra(行)’ are overcome by ‘majjhena of sassata․uccheda’. This paper, therefore, will show ‘paṭiccasamuppāda of paṭiloma’ to be the philosophical explanation, which is involved in being, mind and body, value, and the recognition of truth in terms of majjhena.