<p>Because I believe I understand twelve nidanas, I suggest you approach them <em>from the bottom up</em>.</p>

<p>This way, each next nidana <em>up</em> will be the "cause" (or, more precisely, the ground or the context) for the one below it.</p>

<p>As I said <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/45/43">here</a>, I believe the relationship between nidanas is that of implication. Be sure to check out <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/48/learning-materials-for-dependent-origination-pa%E1%B9%ADiccasamupp%C4%81da-in-theravada-bud/1434#1434">the thoughts of Nanavira Thera and ven. Buddhadasa</a> for useful hints. I do not agree with <em>all</em> of their conclusions but they are on the right path, as far as I can see.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-29T13:40:40.083Z
2014-06-29T13:40:40.083Z
2017-04-13T12:51:05.990Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>From what I can gather (from wikipedia) there are four methods:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The Twelve Nidānas are explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa, the central text of the Mahāvihāra commentarial tradition. Buddhaghosa recounts four methods to interpret the Twelve Nidanas:</p>
</blockquote>

<ol>
<li>Working from "bottom to top",</li>
<li>Working from the "middle to the top",</li>
<li>Working from "top to bottom",</li>
<li>Working from the "middle to the source".</li>
</ol>

<blockquote>
  <p>The first method begins with ignorance and proceeds to sickness, old age, and death. The second method begins with attachment and proceeds to birth. The third method begins with birth and proceeds back to ignorance. The fourth method begins with attachment and proceeds to ignorance.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Given these different approaches, how can an individual decide which they are most suited to follow in order to revert the chain and where in the suttas can each approach be found?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-29T06:17:25.607Z
I guess, you should follow exactly like stated in the *suttas*, because phrasing is important.
catpnosis
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-29T17:49:18.993Z
I had to look up what this meant. My understanding was that they went round and round. But I see you are just talking about different starting points. Is it possible to request a clarification in the question? I know the formulation is traditional but I wasn't aware
Crab Bucket
<pratityasamutpada><dependent-origination><paticcasamuppada>
How does someone decide from what direction to approach the twelve-Nidānas?
# How does someone decide from what direction to approach the twelve-Nidānas?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-29)

From what I can gather (from wikipedia) there are four methods:

> The Twelve Nidānas are explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga of Buddhaghosa, the central text of the Mahāvihāra commentarial tradition. Buddhaghosa recounts four methods to interpret the Twelve Nidanas:

1. Working from "bottom to top",
2. Working from the "middle to the top",
3. Working from "top to bottom",
4. Working from the "middle to the source".

> The first method begins with ignorance and proceeds to sickness, old age, and death. The second method begins with attachment and proceeds to birth. The third method begins with birth and proceeds back to ignorance. The fourth method begins with attachment and proceeds to ignorance.

Given these different approaches, how can an individual decide which they are most suited to follow in order to revert the chain and where in the suttas can each approach be found?

**Tags:** pratityasamutpada, dependent-origination, paticcasamuppada

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I guess, you should follow exactly like stated in the *suttas*, because phrasing is important.  
> **username_2**: I had to look up what this meant. My understanding was that they went round and round. But I see you are just talking about different starting points. Is it possible to request a clarification in the question? I know the formulation is traditional but I wasn't aware  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2014-06-29. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Because I believe I understand twelve nidanas, I suggest you approach them *from the bottom up*.

This way, each next nidana *up* will be the "cause" (or, more precisely, the ground or the context) for the one below it.

As I said [here](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/a/45/43), I believe the relationship between nidanas is that of implication. Be sure to check out [the thoughts of Nanavira Thera and ven. Buddhadasa](https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/48/learning-materials-for-dependent-origination-pa%E1%B9%ADiccasamupp%C4%81da-in-theravada-bud/1434#1434) for useful hints. I do not agree with *all* of their conclusions but they are on the right path, as far as I can see.


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