This article uses the example of a person who is overly competitive to illustrate the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination. The Twelve Nidanas are a sequence of links that explain how causes and conditions give rise to suffering and unsatisfactoriness. In this context, the Twelve Nidanas explain how ignorance and mental formations based on competitiveness lead to craving, attachment, and suffering.

The first link in the Twelve Nidanas is ignorance (avijja). In the context of competitiveness, ignorance refers to a lack of understanding of the true nature of reality, such as the impermanence of all things and the interdependence of all phenomena. The person who is overly competitive may believe that their worth is based on their achievements or success, and may not recognize the deeper connections and meanings of life beyond competition.

The second link is mental formations (sankhara), which are habitual patterns of reacting to situations. Due to ignorance, the person who is overly competitive has formed a habit of striving to be better than others. This habitual pattern may have been reinforced by social conditioning or past experiences.

Consciousness (viññana) is the third link, which refers to the mental states and awareness that arise in response to situations. In the context of competitiveness, the persons consciousness is conditioned by the mental formations of competitiveness, making them more likely to experience competitiveness and feelings of superiority in response to situations that trigger these patterns.

The fourth link is name and form (nama-rupa), which refers to the psychophysical constituents that make up a sentient being, namely the body and mind. In this context, the persons body and mind manifest in a way that is susceptible to competitiveness, meaning that their physical and mental makeup reinforces their competitive tendencies.

The fifth link is the six sense bases (salayatana), which are the five physical senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) and the mental faculty. The persons sense organs interact with the external world, including situations or stimuli that trigger competitiveness.

The sixth link is contact (phassa), which refers to the interaction of the sense bases with their respective objects, including situations or stimuli that trigger competitiveness.

Feeling (vedana) is the seventh link, which refers to the pleasant or unpleasant feelings that arise based on the outcome of the competition. Winning may cause feelings of pleasure, reinforcing the craving for more success, whereas losing may cause feelings of disappointment, reinforcing the attachment to self-worth based on achievements.

The eighth link is craving (tanha), which is a strong desire to be better than others that develops as a result of competitiveness. This desire may be reinforced by social conditioning or past experiences and may be reinforced by the pleasure and positive reinforcement that comes from winning.

Clinging (upadana) is the ninth link, which is the attachment to the desire for success and recognition as a means of self-worth. This attachment may be reinforced by past experiences or social conditioning and may become a habitual pattern that reinforces craving and mental formations.

Becoming (bhava) is the tenth link, which refers to the karmic process of becoming that results from clinging, leading to the formation of a new existence. In this context, the persons clinging to competitiveness reinforces their habitual patterns and karmic tendencies, perpetuating the cycle of competitiveness.

Birth (jati) is the eleventh link, which is the manifestation of competitiveness in the form of an attempt to dominate others, perpetuating the cycle of mental formations and karmic consequences. This attempt to dominate others may arise from the attachment to self-worth based on achievements and the desire for success and recognition.

Old age and death (jara-marana) are the twelfth link, which refers to the suffering caused by competitiveness, especially if the desired outcomes are not achieved. Additionally, this craving for success and attachment to self-worth can cause suffering in future lives if left unchecked. The cycle of karmic consequences is perpetuated if recognition of these desires contributing to suffering is not acknowledged, and the person continues to experience the suffering caused by competitiveness.

To break the cycle of dependent origination, the person must cultivate mindfulness and insight to gain greater understanding of the true nature of reality, specifically that all things are impermanent and interconnected. Mindfulness practices like sensory restraint, awareness of feelings that arise from competition, and cultivating healthy patterns of behavior and thought can help reduce attachment to competitiveness and desires for success. Developing virtues like kindness, generosity, empathy, and equanimity can help shift motivations and actions towards cultivating compassion and wisdom, leading to liberation from the cycle of samsara.