Lets use the example of pathological jealousy to illustrate the Twelve Nidanas of dependent origination.
1. Ignorance (avijja): The person lacks understanding of the true nature of reality, including the impermanence and emptiness of phenomena, and the fact that their jealousy is irrational and self-destructive.
2. Mental formations (sankhara): Due to ignorance, the person has formed habitual patterns of jealousy, constantly comparing themselves to others and feeling inadequate.
3. Consciousness (viññana): The persons consciousness is conditioned by these mental formations, making them prone to experiencing jealousy.
4. Name and form (nama-rupa): The persons body and mind (psychophysical constituents) manifest in a way that is susceptible to jealousy.
5. The six sense bases (salayatana): The persons sense organs (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mind) interact with the external world.
6. Contact (phassa): The person encounters a situation or stimulus (e.g., seeing their partner talking to a member of the opposite sex) that triggers jealousy through their sense bases.
7. Feeling (vedana): The person experiences an unpleasant feeling as a result of the contact with the situation that triggers their jealousy.
8. Craving (tanha): The person develops a desire to possess and control their partner and eliminate any perceived threats to their relationship.
9. Clinging (upadana): The persons attachment to their desire for control and possessiveness intensifies, and they cling to their jealousy as a way of dealing with the situation.
10. Becoming (bhava): This clinging to jealousy reinforces the persons habitual patterns and karmic tendencies, perpetuating the cycle of jealousy.
11. Birth (jati): The persons jealousy manifests in the form of controlling and possessive behaviors that strain or even destroy their relationships.
12. Old age and death (jara-marana): The persons unaddressed jealousy can lead to physical, mental, and emotional suffering and perpetuate negative consequences in future situations or even future lives.
In this example, we can see how the Twelve Nidanas apply to the arising and perpetuation of pathological jealousy. By understanding the dependent origination of jealousy and recognizing the interdependence of the Twelve Links, a person can cultivate mindfulness and work towards breaking the cycle of jealousy, ultimately leading to greater peace and freedom from suffering.

How to break cycle at each point:

To break the cycle of dependent origination in the context of pathological jealousy, one can work towards breaking the cycle at various points:

1. Ignorance (avijja): By developing wisdom and insight, one can gain a deeper understanding of the true nature of reality, including the impermanence and emptiness of phenomena. This understanding can help one to overcome the mistaken beliefs and wrong views that fuel jealousy.

2. Mental formations (sankhara): By practicing mindfulness and cultivating positive mental states, one can weaken the grip of negative patterns such as jealousy. This involves developing positive intentions, engaging in virtuous actions, and cultivating mental qualities like loving-kindness, compassion, and equanimity.

3. Consciousness (viññana): By becoming more aware of the workings of consciousness through meditation, one can become less prone to experiencing jealousy. By developing awareness and concentration, one can be more mindful of the triggers and patterns that give rise to jealousy.

4. Name and form (nama-rupa): By cultivating mindfulness of the body and mind and practicing restraint of the senses, one can reduce attachment and sensitivity to external triggers that activate jealousy.

5. The six sense bases (salayatana): By practicing mindfulness of the sense bases and the interactions with the external world, one can become less reactive to external stimuli that trigger jealousy. This involves cultivating awareness of the sense bases and developing equanimity towards sensory experiences.

6. Contact (phassa): By recognizing and understanding the triggers that activate jealousy, one can develop skills for responding skillfully to these triggers. This includes developing insight into the arising and passing away of sensory experiences and actively working to weaken the link between contact and feeling.

7. Feeling (vedana): By developing equanimity towards feelings, one can reduce the potential for craving and attachment. This involves cultivating awareness of feelings as they arise and passing, and becoming less reactive to them.

8. Craving (tanha): By recognizing and becoming aware of the desire to possess and control, one can develop more skillful ways of relating to others. This might involve developing an attitude of non-attachment towards relationships and letting go of the need to control things.

9. Clinging (upadana): By letting go of clinging to jealousy and developing a healthier relationship with emotions and thoughts, one can reduce the attachment to the object of their craving.

10. Becoming (bhava): By examining and challenging negative patterns and tendencies, one can reduce the likelihood of perpetuating the cycle of jealousy. This involves becoming aware of the ways in which clinging to jealousy reinforces negative habits and working actively to break these patterns.

11. Birth (jati): By developing a more skillful relationship with oneself and others, one can reduce the likelihood of manifesting jealousy in harmful behaviors. This involves cultivating positive habits and relationships that are characterized by love, kindness, and compassion.

12. Old age and death (jara-marana): By breaking the cycle of negative habits and tendencies, one can reduce the potential for suffering in the present and in future lives. This involves cultivating wisdom and insight, and actively working to break negative patterns that perpetuate suffering.