Sugeng Shi

An Explanation of the First Principal and the Divisions of the Dependence by Master Vasubandhu (350AD). A detailed explanation of the 12 links of dependence, and how we can become free from pain.

What’s exciting about Vasubandhu’s commentary on the links of the Wheel is that he is writing from the school he himself was excited about; in a sense, he “comes out of the closet” and puts a very deep, beautiful spin on the entire Wheel. Not just that, but we can see him let loose in a way that he can never do in the Abhidharma Kosha; thus, this commentary is actually a better insight into him, as a very lively, dialectic, cutting thinker, much like Je Tsongkapa (as if some of his half-brother had worn off on him).

We feel that this translation will be a great contribution to the entire subject of dependence. This book is unique in the sense that since we have not located a single relevant commentary from the 17 centuries for this book. Further, the Sanskrit original is missing in this world, and the Tibetan translation we’re working from is—in a word—quirky.

This is a deep analysis—written in debate format—of the twelve links of dependence, the main message of the Wheel of Life. This is the reason why people who received the painting from Lord Buddha keep achieving good result to see emptiness directly. And getting out of the wheel after seeing the emptiness directly will help us stop the circle of sadness.

This book is written in the classical style of one of the great monastic textbooks of classical Tibet—a style which began as the Tsongkapa tradition by Je Tsongkapa (1357–1419) and his major disciples. This book starts with the explanations of the divisions of dependence; of how these different divisions can be grouped; of how many lives are required for all the divisions to be completed; and of the parity between the different levels at which they are found.

At some point as you work on grasping the whole significance of Lord Buddha’s little painting, you come to a sudden realization that each and every inch of the Wheel (at least the part in the arms of Death) really is suffering—and that the purpose of learning about the Wheel is to get out of it.