<p>Here is an excerpt from the source of the three life-times interpretation:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>287.</strong> The past, the present and the future are its three times. Of these, it should be understood that, according to what is given as
  such in the texts, the two factors ignorance and formations belong to
  the past time, the eight beginning with consciousness belong to the
  present time, and the two, birth and ageing-and-death, belong to the
  future time.<br>
  -<a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf#page=658" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Path of Purification (<em>Visuddhimagga</em>), p.600</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp102s-files/OEBPS/Images/10Main03-4-wheel.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>For additional information, I suggest reading the entire page from which the above excerpt was extracted and the pages that succeed it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-08-12T11:05:38.583Z
2014-08-12T11:05:38.583Z
2017-03-10T09:42:42.223Z
Unrul3r
<p>Can anyone outline the 3 lifetime interpretation of the 12 nidanas. To me there only seems like there are at most two lifetimes in there. One goes from ignorance to becoming then the other goes from becoming to death. I know this is a misunderstanding so I would appreciate anyone clearing this up for me.</p>

<karma><nidanas>
What is the 3 lifetimes interpretation of the 12 nidanas?
# What is the 3 lifetimes interpretation of the 12 nidanas?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-08-12)

Can anyone outline the 3 lifetime interpretation of the 12 nidanas. To me there only seems like there are at most two lifetimes in there. One goes from ignorance to becoming then the other goes from becoming to death. I know this is a misunderstanding so I would appreciate anyone clearing this up for me.

**Tags:** karma, nidanas


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-08-12. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Here is an excerpt from the source of the three life-times interpretation:

> **287.** The past, the present and the future are its three times. Of these, it should be understood that, according to what is given as
> such in the texts, the two factors ignorance and formations belong to
> the past time, the eight beginning with consciousness belong to the
> present time, and the two, birth and ageing-and-death, belong to the
> future time.  
> -[The Path of Purification (*Visuddhimagga*), p.600](http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf#page=658)

![enter image description here](https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp102s-files/OEBPS/Images/10Main03-4-wheel.jpg)

For additional information, I suggest reading the entire page from which the above excerpt was extracted and the pages that succeed it.


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