Envy And Jealousy | Dependent Origination

Overcoming Envy and Jealousy through the Twelve Nidanas of Dependent Origination

Here is an example of envy and jealousy illustrated with the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination:
1. Ignorance (avijja): The person lacks understanding of the true nature of reality and the causes of their suffering.
2. Mental formations (sankhara): Due to ignorance, the person forms habitual patterns of comparing themselves to others and feeling envy or jealousy towards those they perceive as having more.
3. Consciousness (viññana): The persons consciousness is conditioned by these mental formations, making them prone to experiencing envy and jealousy.
4. Name and form (nama-rupa): The persons body and mind manifest in a way that is susceptible to envy and jealousy.
5. The six sense bases (salayatana): The persons sense organs interact with the external world, including comparing themselves to others and their possessions.
6. Contact (phassa): The person encounters a situation or stimulus (such as seeing someone with material possessions they dont have) that triggers feelings of envy and jealousy.
7. Feeling (vedana): The person experiences a negative feeling when comparing themselves to others, feeling like they lack or are lacking.
8. Craving (tanha): The person develops a strong desire to have what another person has or to be like another person.
9. Clinging (upadana): The persons attachment to their desires and their sense of lacking intensifies, perpetuating the cycle of envy and jealousy.
10. Becoming (bhava): This clinging to envy and jealousy reinforces the persons habitual patterns and karmic tendencies.
11. Birth (jati): The persons envy and jealousy manifest in the form of unhealthy competition, pettiness, or even spiteful behavior.
12. Old age and death (jara-marana): The persons envy and jealousy, if not addressed, can lead to physical, mental, and emotional suffering and perpetuate negative consequences in future situations or even future lives.
This example illustrates how the Twelve Nidanas can be applied to the arising and perpetuation of envy and jealousy. By understanding the interdependence of the Twelve Links, a person can develop greater self-awareness and cultivate contentment and compassion.

How to break cycle at each point:

To break the cycle of envy and jealousy at each point of the Twelve Nidanas, an individual can follow these steps:

1. Ignorance (avijja): The person can recognize and acknowledge their lack of understanding concerning the nature of envy and jealousy. They can seek to become more educated about these emotions and how they manifest.

2. Mental formations (sankhara): By understanding the causes and conditions that lead to envy and jealousy, the person can work to break the habitual patterns that reinforce these negative emotions. They can develop alternative ways of thinking and responding to situations that do not involve envy and jealousy.

3. Consciousness (viññana): Mindfulness and meditation practice can help the person become more aware of the conditioning of their consciousness by their mental formations. This awareness can help them to recognize when envy and jealousy arise and to respond skillfully.

4. Name and form (nama-rupa): The person can work to develop a healthier sense of self and cultivate self-love and compassion. By doing so, they can reduce insecurities and the perceived need to compare themselves to others.

5. The six sense bases (salayatana): The person can practice restraint of the senses and develop an awareness of how their senses interact with the world. They can work to reduce sensory input that triggers envy and jealousy.

6. Contact (phassa): When encountering situations that might trigger feelings of envy and jealousy, the person can work to approach them mindfully, observing and recognizing their emotional response without judgment.

7. Feeling (vedana): By recognizing and accepting negative feelings without attachment or aversion, the person can reduce the impact of those emotions and work to develop a more balanced emotional state.

8. Craving (tanha): The person can practice letting go of desires and attachments, recognizing that these desires are not the key to their happiness and well-being.

9. Clinging (upadana): The person can work to recognize and release attachments that reinforce envy and jealousy. This can include developing a greater sense of gratitude for what they do have and shifting the focus away from what others have.

10. Becoming (bhava): The person can practice mindfulness and cultivate a witness perspective, observing and releasing patterns of thought and behavior that reinforce envy and jealousy.

11. Birth (jati): By becoming more aware of how envy and jealousy manifest in their thoughts and actions, the person can work to change these behaviors and responses.

12. Old age and death (jara-marana): By addressing and letting go of the habitual patterns and conditions that lead to envy and jealousy, the person can reduce suffering and improve their quality of life in the present and future.

Conclusion

Envy and jealousy can be difficult emotions to overcome, but by understanding the origins and perpetuation of these negative patterns, one can develop practical steps to break the cycle. The Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination provide a helpful framework for understanding the interdependence of mental formations and patterns of thought and behavior. Cultivating mindfulness and awareness, developing a healthy sense of self, and letting go of desires and attachments can all contribute to a more balanced emotional state and reduced suffering.

Submit A Comment