Chapter 2 - Three Cycles

Again the doctrine of Paticcasamuppada deals with three cycles or rounds (vattas) viz., the cycles of defilements, kamma and fruits. The first cycle comprises ignorance, desire and attachment (upadana), the second (kamma cycle) comprises kammic effort and kammic existence (bhava), and the third vipaka cycle involves consciousness, mind body, sense bases, impression and feeling.

The third vipaka cycle again leads to the cycle of defilement, the cycle of defilement again gives rise to kamma cycle and so on, each of the three cycles occurring one after another ceaselessly in a vicious circle. The three cycles form the samsaric round of suffering. Samsara means continuum of nama rupa (psycho physical) process occurring in terms of cause effect relationship.

In order to liberate ourselves from the samsaric cycle of suffering, we do good deeds. We become familiar with the Buddhas teaching about the Four Noble Truths. We practise contemplation at the moment of seeing, hearing, etc. We realize the ceaseless arising and dissolution of psycho physical phenomena. This vipassana insight forestalls illusion and frees us from craving and attachment that leads to rebirth and suffering.

Visuddhimagga describes the contribution of kamma to the cycle of defilement. A certain yogi sees how mind body complex is born of kammic cycle and vipaka (kammic fruits) cycle. He realizes that there are only kamma and its fruits: As a result of kamma in the past, there arise nama rupa in the present life; nama rupa is the cause of present kamma; it gives rise to kammic deeds in present life. These kammic deeds lead to rebirth. In this way there is the arising (becoming) of nama rupa (being) without cessation.

Here, the arising or becoming of nama rupa means the arising of phenomena from the senses e.g. seeing, hearing, etc. These lead to defilement, kamma, and rebirth successively. Thus, the nama rupa process is conditioned by the cycle of kamma and its fruit. According to Visuddhimagga, this insight knowledge means paccayapariggahanana and kankhavitarana visuddhi (Purity of Escape from all Doubt).