Neglecting Personal Values | Dependent Origination

Aligning with Personal Values through the Twelve Nidanas of Dependent Origination

Let me give you an illustration on the topic of Neglecting Personal Values to demonstrate the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination:
1. Ignorance (avijja): A person fails to understand the importance of personal values (such as honesty or compassion) for their own well-being and the well-being of others.
2. Mental formations (sankhara): Due to their ignorance, the person forms habitual patterns of neglecting their personal values in favor of personal gain or convenience.
3. Consciousness (viññana): The persons consciousness is conditioned by these mental formations, leading them to prioritize their egoic desires over their personal values.
4. Name and form (nama-rupa): The persons body and mind manifest in a way that is susceptible to neglecting personal values.
5. The six sense bases (salayatana): The persons sense organs interact with the external world, providing them with opportunities to act in accordance with or against their personal values.
6. Contact (phassa): The person encounters situations that challenge their personal values or provide opportunities to act in accordance with them.
7. Feeling (vedana): The person experiences emotional responses to their interactions with the world, including the internal conflict between acting in accordance with their personal values and acting in accordance with their egoic desires.
8. Craving (tanha): The person develops a strong craving for personal gain, pleasure, or convenience at the expense of their personal values.
9. Clinging (upadana): The persons attachment to their egoic desires and neglect of their personal values intensify, leading to further internal conflicts and suffering.
10. Becoming (bhava): This clinging to egoic desires and neglect of personal values reinforces the persons habitual patterns and karmic tendencies, perpetuating the cycle of neglect.
11. Birth (jati): The persons neglect of personal values manifests in the form of choices and actions that are contrary to their core values, leading to negative consequences in personal and interpersonal relationships.
12. Old age and death (jara-marana): This neglect can lead to deterioration of personal relationships, lack of self-esteem or self-worth, and ultimately, mental suffering and external conflicts.
This example highlights how the Twelve Nidanas can apply to circumstances in which an individual neglects their personal values, leading to negative consequences and suffering. It demonstrates how understanding the interconnectedness of phenomena and the dependent origination of our thoughts and actions can lead to greater mindfulness and the cultivation of beneficial habits that contribute to well-being and happiness.

How to break cycle at each point:

To break the cycle of neglecting personal values in the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination, one can follow the following steps:

1. Ignorance (avijja): To break the cycle at this point, the person can start by learning about the importance of personal values and how they contribute to their own well-being and that of others. This involves recognizing the impact of their actions and the need to have a set of personal values to live by.

2. Mental formations (sankhara): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to actively work on changing their habitual patterns of neglecting personal values. This involves developing a sense of purpose and direction that aligns with their personal values, and making positive choices that reflect those values.

3. Consciousness (viññana): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to cultivate awareness of their actions and the impact they have on themselves and others. This involves practicing mindfulness and being present in the moment, so that they can make intentional choices that are guided by their personal values.

4. Name and form (nama-rupa): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to align their mental and physical faculties with their personal values. This involves recognizing when their desires are in conflict with their values, and making choices that honor their principles.

5. The six sense bases (salayatana): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to be mindful of their interactions with the external world and recognize when they are being driven by material gain or pleasure, rather than by ethical or moral considerations. This involves practicing restraint and making choices that prioritize their personal values over immediate gratification.

6. Contact (phassa): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to recognize when they are facing situations that challenge their personal values, and actively work to overcome their inner conflict. This involves developing the strength and resilience to stay true to their principles, even when its difficult.

7. Feeling (vedana): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to develop emotional intelligence and recognize when they are feeling guilty, ashamed, or disappointed due to acting against their personal values. This involves using those emotions as a feedback mechanism to adjust their course of action and steer back towards their principles.

8. Craving (tanha): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to cultivate equanimity and recognize when they are being driven by craving for personal gain, pleasure, or convenience at the expense of their personal values. This involves developing the ability to let go of immediate gratification and prioritizing their personal values over short-term desires.

9. Clinging (upadana): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to recognize when they are rationalizing their behavior and deceiving themselves into believing that their actions are not morally or ethically wrong. This involves being honest with themselves and recognizing when their ego is leading them astray.

10. Becoming (bhava): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to actively work on changing their habits and course of action to be more aligned with their personal values. This involves being mindful of their patterns of thought and behavior and intentionally making choices that contribute to their well-being and happiness.

11. Birth (jati): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to recognize when their actions are contrary to their core values, and make choices that lead to positive outcomes for themselves and others. This involves recognizing the interconnected nature of their experiences and understanding that their actions have a ripple effect on others.

12. Old age and death (jara-marana): To break the cycle at this point, the person needs to recognize the importance of personal values to their overall sense of well-being and purpose in life. This involves valuing their principles over materialistic gain, building meaningful relationships based on mutual respect and trust, and living a life that is true to their principles.

Conclusion

Neglecting personal values can be a complex issue that is deeply rooted in our habits, desires, and perceptions. However, by understanding the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination and taking steps to break the cycle of neglect, we can prioritize our personal values for greater mindfulness, well-being, and happiness. By cultivating awareness of our actions, recognizing our emotional responses, developing emotional intelligence, and making choices that align with our personal values, we can break free from the cycle and live a life that is true to our principles. This, in turn, can lead to deeper personal fulfillment and greater happiness, both for ourselves and those around us.

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