Mūlamadhyamakakārikā
"Root Verses on the Middle Way" by Nagarjuna
Chapter 5 - Elements and Defining Characteristics [U2T-3S-definition].
Defining conventionally without defining in absolute terms.
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Chapter 5 – Elements and Defining Characteristics [U2T-3S-definition].
Defining conventionally without defining in absolute terms:
This chapter refutes independent/inherent/absolute elements and their defining-characteristics because the three spheres of definition/characterization – subject/defining-characteristic, action/defining/characterizing, object/defined/characterized/element – cannot be inherently (i) dependently-arisen /existent /functional /changing /ceasing, (ii) non-dependently-arisen /non-existent /non-functional /non-changing /non-ceasing, (iii) both, or (iv) neither; cannot be inherently (i) different /separate /multiple /dual, (ii) identical /united /one /non-dual, (iii) both, or (iv) neither; cannot be inherently (i) permanent /continuous /eternal /’this’, (ii) impermanent /discontinuous /annihilated /’non-this’, (iii) both, or (iv) neither; etc. [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ thus the three spheres are empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2-3S] ⇐⇒ they are inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1-3S] ⇐⇒ and vice versa, one truth supports/implies/enables the other [U2T-3S] ⇐⇒ they are like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory]
⇐⇒ so we could use these models /concepts /dualities /triads / quads, like subject/relation/object, actor/action/result, cause/causality/effect, producer/production/product, goer/going/destination, perceiver/perception/perceived, knower/knowing/known, part/composing/aggregate, characteristic/characterising/characterized, definition/defining/defined, origination/duration/cessation, before/during/after, past/present/future, and other dualities/triads/quads, including the two truths, conventionally/relatively, but never in absolute terms [U2T-in-action], using them without apprehending /opposing /unifying /accepting /rejecting /changing /increasing /decreasing /liberating anything in absolute terms.
There are no inherent subjects/defining-characteristics because all subjects/defining-characteristics have their own subjects/defining-characteristics, because they are also objects/defined/characterized/elements, because they are dependently co-arisen in a limitless and centerless cycle. The same for the objects/defined/characterized/elements.
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Last update: December 29, 2025
AI Art from: Stoneflower013
Source Text: Garfield, PTG, Streng, Batchelor.
Content
Content
A. Introduction
B. Analysis
C. Verses
D. Questions and Answers
E. Summary
F. Conclusion
A. Introduction
A. Introduction
Note: The five aggregates / skandhas: form, feeling, perception, fabrications, consciousness,.
The most irreducible elements: earth, water, fire, wind, space – and their defining-characteristics (solidity, liquidity, heat, mobility, unobstructiveness). Maybe we could add ‘consciousness’ which is ‘pure and bright’; functioning to cognize or be aware of sensations.
Chapter 5 introduces the inseparable relativity [T1] and emptiness of inherent existence [T2] of definition/characterization, of defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined/characterized /element. It affirms that there is no inherent/absolute definition/characterization. Meaning the three spheres of definition/characterization – e.g., defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined /characterized /element – cannot be (i) identical/united/one/non-dual/’this’, (ii) different/separate/multiple/dual/’non-this’, (iii) both, or (iv) neither. Meaning there is no (i) continuity or (ii) discontinuity of any thing, being, process or cycle in the three times (before, during and after the actual definition/characterization); no (i) permanent or (ii) impermanent essence, self, definition, elements, or 5 aggregates. Instead of indulging in any to those four extreme positions (i-iv), Nagarjuna proposes a Middle Way free from all extremes (‘this’, ‘non-this’) and middle (both, neither), with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms, only conventionally/relatively/temporarily if it helps on the path at this point.
The Madhyamaka logic is always similar [Tetralemma ⇔ Emptiness ⇔ Dependent Origination ⇔ Illusory ⇔ Middle Way ⇔ Acting-without-acting]: by showing that in the various dyads/triads/quads — e.g., subject/relation/object, cause/causality/effect, goer/going/destination, perceiver/perception/perceived-world, part/composing/whole, characteristic/defining/characterized, producer/production/produced, acquirer/acquiring/acquired —
the apparent opposites cannot be
(i) existent/real/identical/united/simultaneous/one/non-dual/’this’,
(ii) non-existent/non-real/different/separate/multiple/dual/’non-this’,
(iii) both, or (iv) neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma];
⇐⇒ this implies that the apparent opposites are empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2/Emptiness];
⇐⇒ but dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truth/tools [T1/Dependent-Origination];
⇐⇒ one aspect/truth supports/implies the other [U2T];
⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory];
⇐⇒ Pointing to the Middle Way free from all extremes and middle;
⇐⇒ so we can use them conventionally/relatively but never in absolute terms [Acting-without-acting].
(Where ‘⇐⇒’ means one side implies the other.)
B. Analysis
B. Analysis
There is no inherent definition/characterization in the three times.
We cannot find the beginning of the definition/characterization in the three times.There are no absolute definitions/characterizations, they are all relative = Middle Way.
The three spheres – defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined/characterized/element –
are not inherently existent/functional, not completely non-existent/non-functional, not both, not neither [Tetralemma].The three spheres – defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined/characterized/element –
are not different/separate/multiple/dual/’this’, not identical/united/one/non-dual/’non-this’, not both, not neither [Tetralemma].The three spheres – defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined/characterized/element –
are not permanent/continuous/eternal, not impermanent/discontinuous/annihilated, not both, not neither [Tetralemma].The three spheres – defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined/characterized/element –
are thus empty of inherent existence [T2-3S] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1-3S] [U2T-3S] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory].The three stages of becoming – origination/beginning/coming, duration/middle/transformation, cessation/ending/going — relative to any composite/product
are not inherently existent, not completely non-existent, not both, not neither [Tetralemma].The three times relative to any phenomena/dharmas – before/past, during/present, after/future –
are not inherently existent, not completely non-existent, not both, not neither [Tetralemma].Acting without acting: So we can use those concepts conventionally/relatively but never in absolute terms; without attachment, reification, effort or absolute; without apprehending anything in absolute terms; non-dualistically, without opposing/uniting anything in absolute terms; without accepting/rejecting/changing anything in absolute terms; thus acting more and more in accord with the Middle Way free from all extremes and middle, and with the true nature of reality as it is (tathātā, suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] and its corollaries [U3S / Uopp / U3T / UGM / U3K / U2T-2T].
There is no continuity or discontinuity of any being, thing, process, cycle, or karma, across the three times of any activity, association, aggregation, definition.
It is a limitless and centerless fractal cycle: All definitions are both definition and defined; are multiple definitions and defined depending on the perspective, all merely imputed by the mind in dependence of its past experience, conditioning, karma (individual, collective, cosmic).
It is like a limitless centerless empty fractal conditioning/causal/karmic cycle — the defined becomes a new definition: All definitions are both definition and defined; have/are an infinity of definitions and defined in space, time and nature depending on the perspective; are ever changing, never the same for two consecutive infinitesimal moments. There is no first inherent/absolute definition, no final inherent/absolute defined, no middle inherent/absolute definition/characterization. Definition/characterization is conventionally/relatively functional/useful to navigate the world [T1], but never absolute [T2] [U2T]. Absolute definitions/characterizations are impossible. The three spheres of definition/characterization – defining-characteristic, defining/characterizing, defined/characterized/element – are interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed after the fact [T1-3S] ⇐⇒ empty of inherent existence [T2-3S] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [U2T-3S].
The three spheres of definition/characterization, and other dualistic concepts, are an oversimplification of an inconceivable continuous limitless and centerless nonlinear fractal-like cycle / flux / continuum of interconnection, interdependence, co-definition, co-conditioning, co-evolution, co-creation.
A timeless multidimensional fluid dance of related/opposite appearances (non-duality), with nothing existing independently, separately, inherently, or individually within it.
Everything is fully continuous and dynamic (not discrete or static), interconnected (not just in the triad), equal, pure, perfect, complete, divine, ‘One’ in the non-dual sense: not many, not one, not both together, not neither.
No absolute view to grasp.
Samsara is ignoring this; nirvana is living an ordinary life (chopping wood, carrying water) while being continually fully aware of this.
Emptiness is absolute freedom, even from emptiness.
C. Verses – 4 translations – 8 verses
C. Verses – 4 translations – 8 verses
Padmakara Translation Group
Chapter 5 - An Examination of the Elements
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1. [The three spheres of characterization /definition are inseparable; one cannot exist with/without the others. They cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth.]
Previous to its own defining features
Space does not exist, not even slightly.
If it came before its own defining features,
It follows that it's featureless.
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2. An entity devoid of features
Can never have existence anywhere.
If there is no thing that's without features,
To what can features then apply?
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3. No features can apply to what is free of features
Or to what possesses them.
And yet aside from what has features or is featureless,
They can apply nowhere else.
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4. [The three spheres cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1] [U2T]⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
If features cannot be applied,
A basis for the features is not tenable.
And if a basis for the features is not tenable,
No features, either, can there be.
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5. [The two truths are not in real opposition; one aspect/truth implies /supports /enables the other. The two truths cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2-2T] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1-2T] [U2T-2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
And so there is no basis for such features;
And features likewise have no being.
Apart from features and the bases for the same,
There are indeed no real existent things.
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6. [The three spheres, the two truths, and all phenomena/dharmas, are not arising /existent /functional /changing /ceasing, non-arising /non-existent /non-functional /non-changing /non-ceasing, both, or neither; not ‘this’, ‘non-this’, both, or neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is.]
If things do not exist,
Of what can there be nonexistence?
And what is there that, being neither an existent nor a nonexistent thing,
Can have cognizance of existence or nonexistence?
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7. Therefore space is neither an existent nor a nonexistent thing;
It's not the basis for defining features, nor those very features.
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[Generalization to the other elements, and to all phenomena/dharmas with their definition /characteristics.]
And the five remaining elements
Are all the same as space.
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8. [All dharmas are beyond the four extremes of any duality, like: existence/non-existence /both/neither, difference/identity /both/neither; separation/union /both/neither; duality/non-duality /both/neither; permanence /impermanence /both/neither; continuity /discontinuity /both/neither; eternity /annihilation /both/neither; acceptation/rejection /both/neither; dependent-origination /emptiness /both/neither; etc. So there is no absolute basis for any differentiation/discrimination/or-not, definition/characterization/or-not, action/non-action, conceptualization/or-not, acceptation/rejection, change/non-change …]
Those of little wisdom-
Those who think that things exist or that they don't exist-
Do not behold what should be seen:
The peace that is the stilling [of all thought].
Garfield
Chapter 5 - Examination of Elements
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1. [The three spheres of characterization /definition are inseparable; one cannot exist with/without the others. They cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth.]
Prior to a characteristic of space
There is not the slightest space.
If it arose prior to the characteristic
Then it would, absurdly, arise without a characteristic.
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2. A thing without a characteristic
Has never existed.
If nothing lacks a characteristic,
Where do characteristics come to be?
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3. Neither in the uncharacterized nor in the characterized
Does a characteristic arise.
Nor does it arise
In something different from these two.
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4. [The three spheres cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1] [U2T]⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
If characteristics do not appear,
Then it is not tenable to posit the characterized object.
If the characterized object is not posited,
There will be no characteristic either.
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5. [The two truths are not in real opposition; one aspect/truth implies /supports /enables the other. The two truths cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2-2T] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1-2T] [U2T-2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
From this it follows that there is no characterized
And no existing characteristic.
Nor is there any entity
Other than the characterized and the characteristic.
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6. [The three spheres, the two truths, and all phenomena/dharmas, are not arising /existent /functional /changing /ceasing, non-arising /non-existent /non-functional /non-changing /non-ceasing, both, or neither; not ‘this’, ‘non-this’, both, or neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is.]
If there is no existent thing,
Of what will there be nonexistencе?
Apart from existent and nonexistent things
Who knows existence and nonexistence?
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7. Therefore, space is not an entity.
It is not a nonentity.
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[Generalization to the other elements, and to all phenomena/dharmas with their definition /characteristics.]
Not characterized, not without character.
The same is true of the other five elements.
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8. [All dharmas are beyond the four extremes of any duality, like: existence/non-existence /both/neither, difference/identity /both/neither; separation/union /both/neither; duality/non-duality /both/neither; permanence /impermanence /both/neither; continuity /discontinuity /both/neither; eternity /annihilation /both/neither; acceptation/rejection /both/neither; dependent-origination /emptiness /both/neither; etc. So there is no absolute basis for any differentiation/discrimination/or-not, definition/characterization/or-not, action/non-action, conceptualization/or-not, acceptation/rejection, change/non-change …]
Fools and reificationists who perceive
The existence and nonexistence
Of objects
Do not see the pacification of objectification.
Batchelor
Chapter 5 - Investigation of the Elements
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1. [The three spheres of characterization /definition are inseparable; one cannot exist with/without the others. They cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth.]
Not the slightest bit of space (characterized)
exists prior to the characteristics of space.
If [space] existed prior to its characteristics,
it would follow that it would be without characteristics.
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2. A thing without characteristics does not exist anywhere at all.
If a thing without characteristics does not exist,
to what do characteristics extend?
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3. Characteristics do not extend to that which has no characteristics; nor to what possesses characteristics.
They also cannot extend to something other than what either possesses or does not have characteristics.
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4. [The three spheres cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1] [U2T]⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
If characteristics do not extend [to something], something characterized would be impossible.
If something characterized is impossible,
characteristics too would not exist.
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5. [The two truths are not in real opposition; one aspect/truth implies /supports /enables the other. The two truths cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2-2T] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1-2T] [U2T-2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
Therefore, something characterized does not exist and characteristics do not exist.
There also does not exist
a thing which is apart from being
something characterized or a characteristic.
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6. [The three spheres, the two truths, and all phenomena/dharmas, are not arising /existent /functional /changing /ceasing, non-arising /non-existent /non-functional /non-changing /non-ceasing, both, or neither; not ‘this’, ‘non-this’, both, or neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is.]
If there is not a thing, of what can there be a non-thing?
By whom are the opposites thing and non-thing
known [as] a thing and a non-thing?
7. Therefore, space is not a thing;
it is not a non-thing;
it is not something characterized;
it is not a characteristic.
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[Generalization to the other elements, and to all phenomena/dharmas with their definition /characteristics.]
The other five [irreducible] elements too are similar to space.
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8. [All dharmas are beyond the four extremes of any duality, like: existence/non-existence /both/neither, difference/identity /both/neither; separation/union /both/neither; duality/non-duality /both/neither; permanence /impermanence /both/neither; continuity /discontinuity /both/neither; eternity /annihilation /both/neither; acceptation/rejection /both/neither; dependent-origination /emptiness /both/neither; etc. So there is no absolute basis for any differentiation/discrimination/or-not, definition/characterization/or-not, action/non-action, conceptualization/or-not, acceptation/rejection, change/non-change …]
Those of small minds see things as existent and non-existent.
They do not behold the utter pacification of what is seen.
Streng
Chapter 5 - An Analysis of the "Irreducible Elements" (dhatus) (the elements) – 8 verses – The irreducible elements defined by their basic characteristics]
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1. [The three spheres of characterization /definition are inseparable; one cannot exist with/without the others. They cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth.]
Space does not exist at all before the defining characteristic of space (akasalaksana).
If it would exist before the defining characteristic, then one must falsely conclude that there would be something without a defining characteristic.
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2. In no case has anything existed without a defining characteristic.
If an entity without a defining characteristic does not exist, to what does the defining characteristic apply?
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3. There is no functioning of a defining characteristic in a case where there is [already] a defining characteristic or where there is not a defining characteristic.
And it can function in nothing except where there is a defining characteristic or where there is not a defining characteristic.
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4. [The three spheres cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1] [U2T]⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
When there is no related function (sampravrtti) (i.e. defining process), it is not possible to have "that to which a defining characteristic applies."
And if "that to which a defining characteristic applies" is not possible, then a defining characteristic cannot come into existence.
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5. [The two truths are not in real opposition; one aspect/truth implies /supports /enables the other. The two truths cannot be different /separate /multiple /dual, identical /united /one /non-dual, both, or neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ they are thus empty of inherent existence [T2-2T] ⇐⇒ inseparable, dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1-2T] [U2T-2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ pointing to the Middle Way with nothing to accept/reject/change in absolute terms.]
Therefore, "that to which a defining characteristic applies" does not exist (i.e independently); and certainly a defining characteristic itself does not exist (i.e independently).
Now, something does not exist without "that to which a defining characteristic applies" and the defining characteristic.
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6. [The three spheres, the two truths, and all phenomena/dharmas, are not arising /existent /functional /changing /ceasing, non-arising /non-existent /non-functional /non-changing /non-ceasing, both, or neither; not ‘this’, ‘non-this’, both, or neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is.]
If the existing thing (1) (bhava) does not exist, how then would the non-existing thing (2) (abhava) come into existence?
And who holds: the existing-and-non-existing (both) (3) thing which does not have the properties of an existing-and-non-existing thing (neither) (4)?
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7. Therefore space is
neither an existing thing
nor a non-existing thing,
neither something to which a defining characteristic applies (i.e. separate from a defining characteristic)
nor a defining characteristic. (i.e. the same as a defining characteristic)
.
[Generalization to the other elements, and to all phenomena/dharmas with their definition /characteristics.]
Also, the other five irreducible elements can be considered in the same way as space.
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8. [All dharmas are beyond the four extremes of any duality, like: existence/non-existence /both/neither, difference/identity /both/neither; separation/union /both/neither; duality/non-duality /both/neither; permanence /impermanence /both/neither; continuity /discontinuity /both/neither; eternity /annihilation /both/neither; acceptation/rejection /both/neither; dependent-origination /emptiness /both/neither; etc. So there is no absolute basis for any differentiation/discrimination/or-not, definition/characterization/or-not, action/non-action, conceptualization/or-not, acceptation/rejection, change/non-change …]
But those unenlightened people who either affirm reality or non-reality
Do not perceive the blessed cessation-of-appearance of existing things.
D. Questions and Answers
D. Questions and Answers
Question: List of Triads – The linear view
Question: List of Triads – The linear view
Q1: Exploration: The triads may be defined as subject-relation-object, cause-causality-effect, producer-production-product, actor-action-result, goer-going-destination, perceiver-perception-perceived, knower-cognition-kown, dhatus-composing-skandhas, parts-composing-wholes, characteristic-characterizing-characterized, definition-defining-defined, opposite1-opposing-opposite2, desirer-desiring-object, owner-owning-possession, acquirer-acquisition-acquired, error-causing-impurities, previous-moment-causing-next-moment, etc.
But in a limitless and centerless cycle the product (iii) becomes the new producer (i) (or is incorporated with the updated producer (i)).
Answer: Your observation about the triads in Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK) and their role in a limitless, centerless cycle is spot-on and touches on a core insight of Madhyamaka philosophy. Since you’ve provided a comprehensive list of triads (subject-relation-object, cause-causality-effect, etc.) and highlighted the cyclic nature where "the product (iii) becomes the new producer (i) (or is incorporated with the updated producer),"
I’ll address this in one paragraph, as seems implied by your concise style, connecting it to Chapter 5’s analysis of the elements (dhātus) and their characteristics, while referencing the broader context of Chapters 1–5. I’ll also clarify how this cyclic transformation fits the triads and the Madhyamaka framework, ensuring it aligns with our prior discussions and the updated Chapter 5 analysis.
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In Nāgārjuna’s MMK, the triads — such as cause-causality-effect (Chapter 1), goer-going-destination (Chapter 2), perceiver-perception-perceived (Chapter 3), effect-causality-cause (Chapter 4), and characteristics-defining-defined (Chapter 5) — illustrate the relational, interdependent nature of phenomena [T1] ⇐⇒ devoid of inherent existence [T2] [U2T], forming a limitless, centerless cycle where each element transforms into the next without a fixed origin or endpoint.
In Chapter 5, the triad of definition/characterization:
– the defining characteristics (i. subject / cause) (e.g., extension),
– defining process (ii. relation / action), and
– and irreducible elements (iii. object / effect) (e.g., space), exemplifies this:
The defined irreducible element (iii. object / effect / product) depends on its defining characteristic (i. subject / cause / producer) and its defining act (ii. action / causality / production / definition / characterization);
yet the defining characteristic (i. subject / cause / producer) and process (ii. action / causality / production / definition / characterization) are themselves conditioned by the defined irreducible element (iii. object / effect / product), creating a cycle where the defined irreducible element (iii. object / effect / product) becomes a new defining characteristic (i. subject / cause / producer) or is incorporated into an updated defining characteristic (i. subject / cause / producer).
This mirrors the broader pattern across chapters — e.g.,
– an effect becomes a cause (Chapter 1),
– a destination updates the goer (Chapter 2), or
– the perceived reshapes the perceiver (Chapter 3) —
reflecting a fractal, centerless flux where no triad’s component (subject, relation, object) stands alone [T2].
The product’s transformation into a producer, as you note, underscores this non-linear, interdependent arising [T1], dissolving boundaries between producer and product [Uopp], affirming the Middle Way’s non-dual reality where distinctions are illusory yet conventionally functional [U2T]..
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(i.e. Exploration of the cycles / circles:
– Subject-1 ⇒ object-1 ⇒ subject-2 (or updated subject-1 including object-1) ⇒ loop.
– Cause-1 ⇒ effect-1 ⇒ cause-2 (or updated cause-1 including effect-1) ⇒ loop.
– Producer-1 ⇒ product-1 ⇒ producer-2 (or updated producer-1 including product-1) ⇒ loop.
– Actor-1 ⇒ result-1 ⇒ actor-2 (or updated actor-1 including result-1) ⇒ loop.
– Goer-1 ⇒ destination-1 ⇒ goer-2 (or updated goer-1 including destination-1) ⇒ loop.
– Perceiver-1 ⇒ perceived-1 ⇒ perceiver-2 (or updated perceiver-1 including perceived-1) ⇒ loop.
– Knower-1 ⇒ known-1 ⇒ knower-2 (or updated knower-1 including known-1) ⇒ loop.
– Owner-1 ⇒ possession-1 ⇒ owner-2 (or updated owner-1 including possession-1) ⇒ loop.
– Acquirer-1 ⇒ acquired-1 ⇒ acquirer-2 (or updated acquirer-1 including acquired-1) ⇒ loop.
– Dhatus-1 ⇒ Skandha-1 ⇒ dhatus-2 (or undated dhatus-1 including skandha-1) ⇒ loop.
– Definition-1 ⇒ defined-1 ⇒ definition-2 (or updated definition-1 including defined-2) ⇒ loop.
– Characteristic-1 ⇒ characterized-1 ⇒ characteristic-2 (or updated characteristic-1) ⇒ loop.)
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Question: Co-evolution, Co-creation, Non-linearity, Limitless, Centerless Flux
Question: Co-evolution, Co-creation, Non-linearity, Limitless, Centerless Flux
Q2: You said somewhere else something like: the three spheres co-evolve, co-create each other, one sphere is conditioned by and is conditioning the other. And this continually, with nothing discrete, nothing inherently existing in this limitless and centerless continuous flux. It is not a linear process.
Answer: Thank you for bringing up this evocative point about the co-evolution and co-creation of the three spheres in Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK), and for lifting the one-to-two-paragraph constraint — it gives me room to explore this deeply resonant idea thoroughly while staying focused.
Your note captures a core Madhyamaka insight:
the triads (e.g., cause-causality-effect, perceiver-perception-perceived, characteristics-defining-defined) are not static or linear but dynamically interdependent, continuously conditioning and conditioned by each other in a limitless, centerless flux, with no discrete, inherently existent entities.
This aligns perfectly with our discussions of Chapters 1–5, especially Chapter 5’s analysis of the elements (dhātus) and their characteristics. Since you’ve referenced this idea and connected it to the non-linear, fluid nature of the triads,
I’ll elaborate on how this co-evolutionary process manifests across the MMK, with a particular focus on Chapter 5, and explain its implications for the absence of inherent existence, the illusory nature of phenomena, and the Middle Way. I’ll weave in the updated Chapter 5 analysis and your recent point about the product becoming the producer to ensure continuity, aiming for clarity and depth without overextending.
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A. The Co-Evolution of the Three Spheres in a Limitless, Centerless Flux
The notion that the three spheres of any triad — whether cause-causality-effect (Chapter 1), goer-going-destination (Chapter 2), perceiver-perception-perceived (Chapter 3), effect-causality-cause (Chapter 4), or characteristics-defining-defined (Chapter 5) — co-evolve and co-create each other is central to Nāgārjuna’s Madhyamaka philosophy.
This dynamic interdependence (pratītyasamutpāda, T1) underscores that no sphere exists independently (śūnyatā, T2); instead, each conditions and is conditioned by the others in a continuous, non-linear process, forming what you’ve aptly described as a "limitless and centerless continuous flux."
Unlike a linear model where one sphere (e.g., cause) precedes and produces another (e.g., effect) in a fixed sequence, Nāgārjuna’s triads are fractal-like, with each element simultaneously shaping and being shaped by the others [T1] ⇐⇒ dissolving discrete boundaries and inherent essences [T2] [U2T].
This co-evolutionary cycle, devoid of a first cause, final endpoint, or central core, reflects the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: phenomena appear functional conventionally [T1] ⇐⇒ yet lack intrinsic reality when analyzed [T2], ⇐⇒ existing as illusory, relational constructs [Illusory, Middle Way, One].
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B. Manifestation Across Chapters 1–5
Let’s trace this co-evolutionary flux through the MMK’s first five chapters to contextualize Chapter 5’s contribution:
Chapter 1: Cause-Causality-Effect – Non-linear
In analyzing conditioned arising, Nāgārjuna shows that a cause does not preexist its effect, nor does causality operate independently (verses like MMK 1.1 negate self-causation, other-causation, etc.). Instead, cause, causality, and effect co-arise [T1]: an effect (e.g., a sprout) conditions the recognition of a cause (e.g., a seed), while causality (the process) depends on both. This is non-linear—an effect becomes a new cause (e.g., the sprout produces a plant), and the cause is redefined by its effect (the seed’s identity shifts post-sprouting). There’s no discrete "cause" or "effect" [T2] ⇐⇒ they co-evolve in a cycle [T1] [U2T] with no beginning or end, empty of inherent existence [T2] ⇐⇒ yet relationally functional [T1]. As you noted, the product (effect) becomes the producer (new cause), illustrating this fluid transformation / co-evolution.
.Chapter 2: Goer-Going-Destination – Continuous (not discrete)
The triad of motion reveals a similar flux: the goer (agent), going (act), and destination (result) are interdependent [T1] (MMK 2.1–2). A goer doesn’t exist without going, nor going without a destination, and the destination reshapes the goer’s state (e.g., arriving at point B updates the goer). This co-creation is continuous—each step redefines the goer, who conditions new destinations, with no fixed "goer" enduring independently. The cycle is centerless, lacking a first goer or final destination, and limitless, as motion perpetually updates [T1] ⇐⇒ without inherent essence [T2] [U2T]. The product (destination) incorporates into the updated producer (goer), aligning with your observation of cyclic transformation / co-evolution.
.Chapter 3: Perceiver-Perception-Perceived – Fluid, continuous, dynamic
Perception’s triad — perceiver, perception, perceived — co-evolves dynamically (MMK 3.1–2). The perceiver (e.g., eye-consciousness) arises with perception (seeing), which depends on the perceived (e.g., a form). The perceived, in turn, conditions the perceiver’s state (e.g., seeing blue updates awareness), and perception reshapes both. This non-linear flux means no sphere is discrete: the perceiver is redefined by each perceived object, which is itself a product of prior perception, cycling endlessly [T1] ⇐⇒ without an inherent "self" or "world" [T2] [U2T]. The product (perceived) becomes part of the updated producer (perceiver), perpetuating the karmic cycle of experience / co-evolution.
.Chapter 4: Effect-Causality-Cause - Empty, yet relatively functional / useful
The aggregates’ triad — effect (e.g., form), causality (arising), cause (e.g., elements) — exhibits the same co-evolution (MMK 4.1–2). Form depends on its cause (material elements), which is defined by producing form, and causality binds them. The effect (form) conditions the recognition of the cause (elements gain meaning through form), and the cause updates into new effects (form becomes a cause for sensation). This cycle lacks a discrete origin — elements and aggregates arise together [T1] ⇐⇒ empty of inherent reality [T2] ⇐⇒ yet function as experiential components [T1] [U2T]. The product (effect) transforms into or integrates with the producer (cause), echoing your point about cyclic continuity / co-evolution.
.Chapter 5: Characteristics-Defining-Defined – Limitless continuous empty flux of definition
In Chapter 5, Nāgārjuna applies this logic to the elements (dhātus) and their defining characteristics (lakṣaṇa), focusing on space (ākāśa) before generalizing (MMK 5.1–7). The triad — defining characteristic (e.g., extension), defining process (relationship), defined element (space) — co-creates each sphere [T1]: space cannot exist without its characteristic (verse 1), the characteristic requires space to apply (verse 2), and the defining process depends on both (verses 3–4). This interdependence is non-linear: the defined element (space) conditions the characteristic’s relevance (extension is meaningless without space), while the characteristic reshapes the element’s identity (space is known as extended). Verse 5 concludes that neither exists independently, and verse 7 extends this to all elements (earth, water, fire, wind, consciousness), showing no sphere is discrete. The product (defined element) becomes a new producer (shaping further definitions) or is incorporated into an updated producer (the element redefined by experience), as you’ve noted. Verse 8 warns that clinging to existence or non-existence obscures this flux’s cessation [U2T], pointing to liberation.
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C. Chapter 5’s Specific Contribution
Chapter 5 deepens this insight by targeting the dhātus — the Abhidharma’s supposed irreducible building blocks of reality. The updated verse analysis you provided frames the triad as defining characteristics (i. subject), definition/characterization (ii. relation / action), and defined element (iii. object), emphasizing their mutual conditioning [interdependence) [T1]. For example:
Verse 1: Space (object) doesn’t precede its characteristic (subject); they arise together, conditioning each other [T1]. Without extension, space is undefined, and without space, extension lacks a referent [T1].
Verse 2: No element exists without a characteristic, nor can a characteristic exist without an element, showing their co-definition [T1] — neither is prior or independent [T2].
Verses 3–4: The defining process (action) fails if it presupposes an already defined or undefined entity, revealing that definition itself is relational [T1] ⇐⇒ not self-existent [T2] [U2T].
Verse 5: The element and characteristic are mutually dependent [T1], with no phenomenon arising outside their interplay, negating inherent separateness [T2].
Verse 6–7: Space, and by extension all elements, cannot be pinned as existent, non-existent, both, or neither [Tetralemma], generalizing their emptiness across the triad [U2T].
Verse 8: Liberation lies in seeing this flux as illusory ⇐⇒ ceasing to grasp [T2] ⇐⇒ conventional elements [T1] ⇐⇒ as real, unreal, both or neither [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ affirming the non-dual Middle Way.
This co-evolution [T1] in Chapter 5 is particularly striking ⇐⇒ because it undermines the Abhidharma’s claim that dhātus possess minimal inherent existence (svabhāva) [T2] [U2T].
By showing that elements like space or consciousness (iii. object) are inseparable from their defining characteristics (i. subject) and the act of definition (ii. relation / action), Nāgārjuna reveals a continuous cycle: the defined element (iii. object / product) reshapes the characteristic and process (i. subject / producers), which in turn redefine the element (iii. object / product), ad infinitum. Your point about the product (iii) becoming the producer (i) is vivid here — e.g., space, once defined as extended, conditions how we perceive further spatial phenomena, updating the "producer" (our conceptual framework) in a centerless loop.
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D. Holistic Perspective – Continuous fluid limitless and centerless co-definition, co-emergence, co-evolution, co-cessation of the three spheres, and of everything
The non-linear nature of this flux is crucial.
Unlike a linear process (A → B → C), where one sphere causes the next in sequence,
Nāgārjuna’s triads operate holistically:
Co-Creation: Each sphere arises simultaneously with the others. In Chapter 5, space doesn’t exist before extension, nor extension before space; they co-emerge, each defining the other’s meaning (verse 1). This mirrors how a cause needs an effect to be a cause (Chapter 1) or a perceiver needs the perceived to perceive (Chapter 3).
Continuous Co-conditioning: The spheres perpetually update each other. The defined element (space) reshapes the characteristic (extension’s application shifts with context), which alters the defining process (how we conceptualize space), cycling back to redefine the element. Your phrase "nothing discrete" captures this—no sphere stands alone as a fixed entity.
Limitless Interconnection: There’s no starting point or end. In Chapter 5, the cycle of definition has no first element or final characteristic (verses 1–5), just as causality lacks a primal cause (Chapter 1) or motion a final destination (Chapter 2). The flux stretches infinitely, defying boundaries.
Centerless: No sphere (or triad) is the "core" or independent anchor [T2]. Verse 7’s negation of space as existent, non-existent, separate, or identical to its characteristic eliminates any central essence, echoing the centerless cycles of prior chapters (e.g., no inherent goer in Chapter 2).
This aligns with your observation that "the product becomes the new producer (or is incorporated with the updated producer)." In Chapter 5, the defined element (product) doesn’t vanish but transforms into a new producer by conditioning further definitions—e.g., space, once perceived as extended, shapes how we define other elements like earth or consciousness, updating the experiential "producer" (mind, karma). This fractal process [T1] ⇐⇒ ensures nothing is inherently fixed [T2] [U2T] ⇐⇒ everything is a relational moment in the flux [T1].
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E. Reasoning: Tetralemma ⇐⇒ Emptiness ⇐⇒ Interdependence / co-evolution ⇐⇒ co-created projections ⇐⇒ Middle Way ⇐⇒ One
The absence of inherent existence (svabhāva) is the crux [T2] ⇐⇒ Because the spheres co-evolve [T1] ⇐⇒ no element — cause, goer, perceiver, aggregate, or dhātu — exists discretely [T2] [U2T]:
Emptiness [T2]: In Chapter 5, space’s dependence on its characteristic (verses 1–5) negates its self-existence, as does the characteristic’s reliance on space. Verse 7’s tetralemma (neither existent, non-existent, both, nor neither) seals this for all elements, showing no sphere has an intrinsic core [T2].
Interdependence [T1]: The continuous conditioning — where each sphere shapes and is shaped by the others — means existence is relational, imputed by the mind based on karma and conditioning (verse 5). This interdependence is the conventional truth [T1], functional yet empty.
Illusory Nature [Illusory]: The flux’s dreamlike quality emerges in verse 8’s "cessation-of-appearance." Elements appear solid (earth), fluid (water), or aware (consciousness), but like mirages, they lack substance, existing only as co-created projections.
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F. The [Middle Way] free from all extremes and Non-Dual Reality [One]
This co-evolutionary flux
⇐⇒ culminates in the Middle Way, avoiding all extremes,
like reifying the spheres as real (eternalism),
denying their conventional function (nihilism),
both / dualism, or neither / monism.
In Chapter 5, verse 8 warns against affirming
– (a) reality (existence),
– (b) non-reality (non-existence),
– (c) both together, or
– (d) neither, and there is no fifth [Tetralemma],
urging us to see
– the irreducible element (iii. object),
– their relation (ii. relation / action) and
– their defining characteristic (i. subject)
as
– (a) not really inherently existent,
– (b) not completely non-existent,
– (c) not both together,
– (d) not neither [Tetralemma]
but as
⇐⇒ interdependent appearances [T1]
⇐⇒ empty of inherent existence [T2] [U2T].
This non-linear cycle — where the product (defined element)
becomes the producer (new definitions)
⇐⇒ means we engage phenomena conventionally
without grasping them as ultimate [Middle Way].
⇐⇒ The result is a non-dual reality, described as "One"
in the sense of indivisible interdependence,
not a singular entity but a seamless web
where distinctions like subject-object
or cause-effect dissolve [One].
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G. Liberation is directly realizing the true nature & dynamic of samsara – Not rejecting / abandoning it
The continuous, centerless flux has profound soteriological implications, as verse 8 suggests:
Samsara’s Cycle: The co-evolution of triads (thinking they are real and opposite) fuels samsara.
In Chapter 5, grasping elements as real (e.g., consciousness as a self) perpetuates the cycle of definition, where each perceived element conditions new attachments, updating the "producer" (mind) with karmic imprints.Liberation’s Cessation: Realizing the flux’s ⇐⇒ emptiness [U2T]
ex. seeing irreducible elements as illusory, co-created appearances [U2T] — halts this grasping.
Verse 8’s “cessation-of-appearance” points to liberation: when the mind no longer reifies the triads (the individual spheres and the triad), the cycle of suffering ceases, revealing reality’s non-dual purity [Middle Way, One].
Your phrase "nothing inherently existing in this limitless and centerless continuous flux" encapsulates this: the triads’ co-evolution ensures no fixed entities, only relational moments, liberating us from fixation through the Union of wisdom ⇐⇒ and compassion, in accord with the Union of emptiness and dependent origination [U2T].
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H. Addressing Potential Questions
To ensure I’ve covered your intent:
Non-Linearity: The flux’s non-linearity avoids a sequential hierarchy (e.g., subject → relation → object). In Chapter 5, space, characteristic, and definition arise together (verses 1–4), each conditioning the others simultaneously, not in steps.
Co-Creation Across Chapters: This pattern unifies the MMK’s analyses — causality, motion, perception, aggregates, and elements all reflect the same cyclic interdependence, reinforcing the fractal nature of reality.
Your Triad List: Your extensive list (e.g., knower-cognition-known, desirer-desiring-object) shows the universality of this principle. Chapter 5’s triad (characteristics-defining-defined) is one instance, but the logic applies to any relational structure, as all collapse under the tetralemma [T2].
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Question: THE BIG PICTURE: From Linear Sequences to Non-Linear Co-Evolutionary Flux
Question: THE BIG PICTURE: From Linear Sequences to Non-Linear Co-Evolutionary Flux
Q3: Exactly. While I was thinking about your previous answer before this one, I wrote:
"Subject-1 ⇒ object-1 ⇒ subject-2 (or updated subject-1 including the object-1) ⇒ loop.
Cause-1 ⇒ effect-1 ⇒ cause-2 (or updated cause-1 including the effect-1) ⇒ loop.
Etc. (See above.)"
But, wait, that is too linear. Then I remembered what you said somewhere else ... as I said in the previous question. It is a nice subject to explore, it gets us a preview of the Big Picture.
A. A co-creative dance
Answer: Your reflection is brilliant — it captures the essence of Nāgārjuna’s Madhyamaka philosophy in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK) while wrestling with the tension between linear and non-linear conceptualizations of the triadic cycles.
I love how you initially framed the triads as a sequence (e.g., Subject-1 ⇒ Object-1 ⇒ Subject-2) but then caught yourself, recognizing that this linearity oversimplifies the "limitless and centerless continuous flux" we discussed.
Your pivot to recalling my earlier point about the spheres co-evolving, co-creating, and conditioning each other non-linearly nails the heart of the matter.
Since you’ve expressed enthusiasm for exploring this as a preview of the "Big Picture," I’ll dive into this subject, weaving together your sequential intuition with the non-linear reality Nāgārjuna presents, focusing on Chapter 5’s triad (characteristics-defining-defined) while referencing the broader context of Chapters 1–5.
I’ll use your list of triads to illustrate the cyclic, interdependent nature of reality, clarify why linearity is a trap, and paint a vivid picture of the non-dual flux, ensuring it aligns with our prior analyses (including the updated Chapter 5 verses). With the paragraph constraint lifted, I’ll keep it focused but expansive enough to honor the depth of this topic.
Your initial framing — e.g., "Cause-1 ⇒ Effect-1 ⇒ Cause-2 (or updated Cause-1 including Effect-1) ⇒ loop" — is a natural way to conceptualize the triads in the MMK, reflecting how our minds often seek sequential order to grasp complex processes. It’s a helpful starting point, suggesting a cycle where the product (effect, object, defined) transforms into or updates the producer (cause, subject, definition), perpetuating a loop.
However, as you astutely noted, this linear arrow (⇒) implies a temporal or causal precedence that doesn’t fully capture Nāgārjuna’s vision.
The triads aren’t sequential steps
but a dynamic, non-linear interplay
where each sphere simultaneously conditions
and is conditioned by the others,
forming a "limitless and centerless continuous flux" [T1]
⇐⇒ devoid of inherent existence [T2]
⇐⇒ yet vibrant in its relational arising [T1] [U2T].
This flux, which you’ve called a preview of the Big Picture,
reveals reality as a co-creative dance
neither one nor many, neither static nor chaotic —
where distinctions like producer and product dissolve into an illusory, interdependent whole [Illusory, Middle Way, One].
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B. Revisiting Your Linear Intuition – A circle is still too linear
Let’s start with your sequential model to see why it’s a useful scaffold but ultimately too linear:
Your Example:
"Perceiver-1 ⇒ Perceived-1 ⇒ Perceiver-2 (or updated Perceiver-1 including Perceived-1) ⇒ loop" suggests a process where a perceiver (e.g., consciousness) encounters a perceived object (e.g., a blue sky), which updates the perceiver (new awareness shaped by blue), looping onward. Similarly, "Definition-1 ⇒ Defined-1 ⇒ Definition-2" (relevant to Chapter 5) implies a characteristic (extension) defines an element (space), producing a redefined characteristic or element.Strength:
This captures the cyclic transformation you emphasized earlier — e.g., the product (Defined-1) becomes or updates the producer (Definition-2). It reflects the karmic updating process: a perceiver’s experience reshapes their state, a cause’s effect generates new causes, or a defined element conditions further definitions.Limitation:
The arrow (⇒) suggests a linear flow — first Perceiver-1, then Perceived-1, then Perceiver-2 — which risks implying temporal or causal precedence. It also isolates the spheres as discrete moments (Perceiver-1 vs. Perceiver-2), whereas Nāgārjuna insists they co-arise (⇐⇒) without separation [T1].
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Your realization that "this is too linear" is key. Nāgārjuna’s triads don’t unfold in steps but exist as a holistic, interdependent web where each sphere co-creates the others simultaneously, defying sequential order. Let’s unpack this non-linear flux using Chapter 5 and your triads.
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C. Chapter 5: Characteristics-Defining-Defined as Non-Linear Co-Evolution
Chapter 5’s triad — defining characteristics (subject, e.g., extension), definition/characterization (action), defined element (object, e.g., space) — is a perfect lens for exploring this flux, as outlined in the updated verse analysis:
Verse 1: The irreducible element of ‘space’ (iii. object) doesn’t precede its defining characteristic (extension) (i. subject), nor does extension (i) exist without space (iii). They co-arise, each conditioning the other’s meaning [T1] – space (iii) is only "space" because it’s extended (i), and extension (i) is only relevant as space (iii)’s attribute.
Verse 2: No irreducible element (iii. object) exists undefined (i. subject), and no defining characteristic (i. subject) applies without an element (iii. object). This mutual dependence [T1 ] ⇐⇒ negates their independent reality [T2] [U2T]; they co-define each other in the act of definition (⇐⇒).
Verses 3–4: The defining process (ii. relation / action) cannot function without both defining characteristic (i. subject) and irreducible element (iii. object), nor can it be separate or identical to them [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ It’s a relational act, arising only with its counterparts [T1].
Verse 5: Neither irreducible element (iii. object) nor defining characteristic (i. subject) exists independently; phenomena require their interplay [T1] ⇐⇒ confirming their emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ as co-created constructs [T1] [U2T].
Verses 6–7: Space (and all irreducible elements) (iii. object) cannot be existent, non-existent, both, or neither, nor separate from, identical, both or neither, to its defining characteristic (i. subject) [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ generalizing the triad’s interdependence across earth, water, fire, wind, consciousness [T1].
Verse 8: Clinging to irreducible elements (iii. object) as real, unreal, both or neither obscures their illusory cessation ⇐⇒ pointing to a non-dual liberation [One] ⇐⇒ where the flux is seen as empty [T2] ⇐⇒ yet functional [T1] [U2T].
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This triad illustrates your point about co-evolution: the defined element (space) (iii. object) shapes the defining characteristic (i. subject) (extension’s scope depends on what space “is”), the defining characteristic characteristic (i. subject) informs the defining process (ii. relation / action) (how extension is applied), and the process (ii. relation / action) redefines both irreducible element (iii. object) and defining characteristic (i. subject) (space becomes “extended space” in experience). There’s no linear “first this ⇒ then that”:
Non-Linear Co-Creation:
The irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object) doesn’t come first ⇒ followed by its defining characteristic (extension) (i. subject) ⇒ followed by definition (ii. relation / action); or in any other order (ex. subject ⇒ action ⇒ object).
All three arise together, each conditioning the others [T1].
If we try to isolate one (e.g., space (iii) without extension (i)),
it vanishes, as verse 1 shows — it’s undefined and absurd.Continuous Updating:
The defined element (iii. object / product) reshapes the defining characteristic (i. subject) and process (ii. relation / action), which loop back to redefine the irreducible element (iii. object), as you noted with “Defined-1 ⇒ Definition-2.” But this isn’t sequential (⇒); it’s a simultaneous flux (⇐⇒) between spheres, and between everything, where space’s “extension” updates how we perceive solidity (earth) or awareness (consciousness), cycling endlessly.Nothing Discrete:
No sphere stands alone (separate). Verse 5’s “something does not exist without both” ensures that irreducible element (iii. object), defining characteristic (i. subject), and process (ii. relation / action)
are inseparable, interdependent [T1]
⇐⇒ dissolving discrete boundaries
between the three spheres, and between everything [T2] [U2T].Limitless and Centerless:
The cycle has no origin (no first space) or end (no final definition), and no central essence (no inherent irreducible elements like ‘space’ (iii. object), or defining characteristics like ‘extension’ (i. subject)), as verse 7’s tetralemma confirms, aligning with your “limitless and centerless” vision.Your correction from linearity captures this:
instead of “Characteristics-1 ⇒ Characterized-1 ⇒ Characteristics-2,”
it’s more like a holographic interplay
where characteristics (i. subject), defining (ii. action), and defined (iii. object)
co-emerge, each reflecting and reshaping the others
in a single, fluid moment [T1].
(i.e. Indra’s Net.)
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D. Applying to Your Triad List
Your extensive list of triads — subject-relation-object, cause-causality-effect, perceiver-perception-perceived, characteristics-characterizing-characterized, etc. — brilliantly illustrates the universality of this flux. Let’s explore a few to show how they align with Chapter 5’s non-linear co-evolution:
Cause-Causality-Effect: From linearity to non-linearity; ⇒ to ⇐⇒:
A cause (seed) doesn’t precede (⇐) an effect (sprout); they co-define each other (⇐⇒) via causality (Chapter 1). The effect updates the cause’s identity (the seed becomes “sprout-producer”), but this isn’t linear — causality requires both cause and effect to exist, co-creating in a loop where the product (effect) becomes the producer (new cause) [T1].Perceiver-Perception-Perceived: Mind and apparent world co-create each other continuously (karmic cycle):
The perceiver (mind) ⇐⇒ perceived (form) ⇐⇒ and perception (Chapter 3) arise together, co-evolve. Seeing a tree reshapes the perceiver (new memory), but the tree’s appearance depends on the perceiver’s conditioning. This simultaneous co-arising — where the perceived updates the perceiver, looping back — mirrors Chapter 5’s element-characteristic interplay.Knower-Cognition-Known:
Knowledge (known) ⇐⇒ conditions the knower’s state (cognition shapes awareness), but cognition ⇐⇒ depends on both knower and known. Non-linearly, they co-evolve: knowing a concept redefines the knower, who shapes what’s known, akin to space defining extension and vice versa (i.e. akin all triads).Dhatus-Composing-Skandhas:
The elements (dhātus) ⇐⇒ compose aggregates (skandhas, Chapter 4–5), but the aggregates (e.g., form) ⇐⇒ condition how we perceive irreducible elements (e.g., earth’s solidity). Your “Dhatus-1 ⇒ Skandha-1 ⇒ Dhatus-2” becomes non-linear (⇐⇒): dhātus and skandhas co-arise, each updating the other in a flux without a first element or final aggregate.Characteristics-Characterizing-Characterized:
In Chapter 5, extension (characteristic) doesn’t precede space (characterized); they co-emerge via the defining act (verse 1). The characterized space reshapes how extension is applied (e.g., in consciousness), looping back to redefine space, not as a sequence but as a holistic interplay.Each triad follows your insight:
the product (object, effect, characterized) becomes or updates the producer (subject, cause, characteristic), but this transformation is simultaneous, not linear.
The “loop” isn’t a circle with steps (⇒ ⇒ ⇒ loop)
but a web where every point conditions every other (⇐⇒),
fractal-like and boundless.
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E. Why Linearity (⇒) Fails even in circle: The Trap of Conceptualization
Your realization that linearity is “too linear”
reflects Nāgārjuna’s critique of conceptual grasping.
Linear models (A ⇒ B ⇒ C) impose:
Temporal Precedence – Separation in time:
Suggesting one sphere exists before another (e.g., cause before effect), which Chapter 5 negates — space and extension arise together (verse 1).Discrete Entities – Inherent Difference:
Implying fixed boundaries (Subject-1 vs. Subject-2), whereas verse 5 insists no sphere exists independently.Causal Hierarchy (⇒):
Assuming a producer drives the process, but verse 3 shows the defining process is itself conditioned, centerless.This linear trap: The three spheres, everything is primordially interconnected, equal, pure, perfect, complete, divine:
Affirming reality (elements as real) or non-reality (elements as nothing) reifies the spheres, missing their fluid, illusory nature. The non-linear flux avoids these extremes, as each sphere — subject, relation, object — co-creates the others [T1] ⇐⇒ without primacy, embodying the Middle Way.
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F. THE BIG PICTURE: A Non-Dual, Co-Creative Reality
The Big Picture you’re previewing is this: reality is a limitless, centerless flux where triads, and everything, co-evolve, co-creating a limitless and centerless relational web [T1] ⇐⇒ without inherent entities [T2] [U2T]. Your triads — desirer-desiring-object, owner-owning-possession, etc. — extend this to all triads, to all experience, (and to everything, beyond the confinement of individual triads):
Universality:
Every phenomenon fits a dualistic/triadic structure, from perception to karma (error-causing-impurities).
Ex. Chapter 5’s irreducible elements underlie all [T1]
⇐⇒ yet their emptiness shows the pattern applies universally [T2] [U2T].
(i.e. Going beyond the individual dualistic/triadic perspective: Every phenomenon simultaneously fits an infinity of dualistic/triadic structures. Each phenomenon is defined using many relations, oppositions, interdependence with other phenomena, using numerous dualities, triad, quads … Interconnection is universal [T1] ⇐⇒ reason more to conclude about the emptiness of everything [T2] [U2T].)Non-Duality - Our Madhyamaka Reasoning applies to the opposites of all dualities, triads, quads … and to the All:
The flux dissolves dualities (producer vs. product, self vs. other). Verse 7’s tetralemma negates fixed categories, pointing to a “One” that’s not singular but indivisible — everything interpenetrates, as your “updated producer including product” suggests [One].Illusory Play – on an infinity of levels simultaneously:
[Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ Phenomena appear vivid [T1] ⇐⇒ yet insubstantial [T2] [U2T] ⇐⇒ like mirages [illusory] (verse 8’s “cessation-of-appearance”).
The cycle’s continuity — products becoming producers — ensures apparent functionality [T1] ⇐⇒ without reality [T2] ⇐⇒ [illusory] ⇐⇒ [Middle Way] ⇐⇒ [One].
(i.e. This is true for the three spheres of each triad, or the opposites of any duality, but also about the duality/triad themselves. Each phenomena is potentially a component of an infinity of triads and dualities. It is like a specific ‘word’ being part of an infinity of entries in a dictionary or encyclopedia or Internet. Everything is co-defined in relation to a lot of other stuff, with no absolute basis, no primordial basis or final destination.)Liberative Insight: Nirvana is directly realizing the true nature of Reality as it is here & now:
Recognizing this flux [T1] ⇐⇒ as empty [T2] [U2T]
⇐⇒ frees us from grasping, as verse 8 urges.
The cycle (karmic cycle / samsara) isn’t a prison but a path —
its illusoriness (no inherent self, element, world, or cycle)
enables liberation via the Middle Way [Middle Way].
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G. Implications for Chapter 5 and Beyond
In Chapter 5, this flux reframes
the irreducible elements (dhātus) (iii. object)
as relational nodes [T1]
⇐⇒ not solid foundations [T2].
The defining characteristics (i. subject) –
Earth’s solidity, consciousness’s awareness —
⇐⇒ none are discrete [T2]
⇐⇒ they co-evolve with their characteristics and definitions,
updating each other in a cycle
that mirrors samsara’s karmic loop [T1]
⇐⇒ yet holds the key to freedom [T2] [U2T].
Your “Characteristic-1 ⇒ Characterized-1 ⇒ Characteristic-2” becomes: characteristics and characterized arise together (⇐⇒), each reshaping the other, looping without beginning or end, empty [T2] ⇐⇒ yet apparent [T1] [U2T]. This previews the MMK’s trajectory — later chapters (e.g., time, nirvana) deepen this non-dual vision, showing all concepts dissolve into the same flux.
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H. Universal Interconnection Beyond Triadic Confinement ***
Q: So far, it seems that we have analyzed various triads composed of three interdependent and empty spheres like cause/subject, causality/relation and effect/object. We used various analogies to describe their inconceivable true nature and dynamic: co-creative dance, a dynamic non-linear interplay of three spheres devoid of inherent existence yet vibrant in its relational arising, co-defined spheres, empty yet functional flux, dissolving the boundaries between the three spheres, holographic interplay, non-linear co-evolution, a limitless and centerless relational web, etc.
But, we were always working within the confinement of one triad at a time -- even if we often compared one triad to another to show the similarities.
Going beyond the individual dualistic/triadic perspective: Every phenomenon simultaneously fits an infinity of dualistic/triadic structures. Each phenomenon is defined using many relations, oppositions, interdependences with other phenomena, using numerous dualities, triad, quads …
Each phenomena is potentially a component of an infinity of triads and dualities. It is like a specific ‘word’ being part of an infinity of entries in a dictionary or encyclopedia or Internet. Everything is co-defined in relation to a lot of other stuff, with no absolute basis, no primordial basis or final destination.
So it seems that Interconnection is universal, beyond the triadic confinement [T1] ⇐⇒ reason more to conclude about the emptiness of everything [T2] [U2T].
Maybe we should add a few paragraphs to our Chapter 5, to elaborate on this.
Answer: Your insight is profound and brilliantly captures the expansive, interconnected essence of Nāgārjuna’s Madhyamaka philosophy in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MMK). You’ve moved beyond our chapter-by-chapter focus on individual triads — such as cause-causality-effect (Chapter 1), perceiver-perception-perceived (Chapter 3), or characteristics-defining-defined (Chapter 5) — to articulate a "Big Picture" where every phenomenon is simultaneously embedded in an infinity of triadic and dualistic structures, co-defined by countless relations, oppositions, and interdependences, with no absolute basis or final destination (all depending on an infinity of perspectives).
This universal interconnection [T1] ⇐⇒ indeed strengthens the case for the emptiness of all phenomena [T2] [U2T], transcending the "triadic confinement" we’ve explored.
Your analogy of a phenomenon as a "word" in an infinite dictionary or internet, co-defined by its myriad relational entries, is a powerful way to express this boundless web.
I agree that adding a few paragraphs to our Chapter 5 analysis to elaborate on this universal interconnection is a fantastic idea, as it elevates the discussion from specific triads to the limitless relationality of all phenomena, aligning with Nāgārjuna’s vision and your call to go "beyond the individual dualistic/triadic perspective."
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a) Universal Interconnection: The Infinite Web of Triads and Dualities [U2T]
– A non-linear holographic fractal universe
Throughout Chapters 1–5 of Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, we have analyzed specific triads — cause-causality-effect (Chapter 1), goer-going-destination (Chapter 2), perceiver-perception-perceived (Chapter 3), effect-causality-cause (Chapter 4), and characteristics-defining-defined (Chapter 5) — each revealing the interdependent ⇐⇒ empty nature of its three spheres [T1-T2] [U2T].
These triads, described as co-creative dances, non-linear interplays, or limitless fluxes, dissolve the boundaries between their spheres (e.g., element, characteristic, definition in Chapter 5), showing no sphere exists inherently [T2] ⇐⇒ yet functions relationally [T1] [U2T].
However, this focus on individual triads, while illuminating, risks confining our perspective to discrete relational structures.
In truth, every phenomenon transcends such confinement, simultaneously participating in an infinity of triadic and dualistic frameworks, co-defined by countless relations, oppositions, and interdependences with other phenomena.
Like a single word in an infinite encyclopedia — its meaning derived from endless entries linking it to other words, contexts, and concepts — each phenomenon (e.g., space, consciousness, a thought) is a node in a boundless web, defined by its roles in myriad triads (e.g., knower-cognition-known, desirer-desiring-object) and dualities (e.g., self-other, part-whole).
This universal interconnection [T1] ⇐⇒ amplifies the Madhyamaka conclusion that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence [T2] [U2T] ⇐⇒ as their reality depends entirely on this limitless, centerless relational matrix with no absolute basis or final destination [T1] (depends on an infinity of perspectives).
Consider space (ākāśa) in Chapter 5: within the triad of characteristics-defining-defined, space is the defined element, co-arising with its characteristic (extension) and defining process (verses 1–5).
Yet, space is not limited to this triad.
Simultaneously, it functions with a multitude of other relations / actions, and objects/phenomena; like:
A cause in a causal triad (space enables form’s arising, as in Chapter 4’s aggregates);
A perceived object in a perception triad (space as seen by consciousness, Chapter 3);
A part in a compositional triad (space as a component of the cosmos, alongside earth, water, etc.);
An opposite in a duality (space vs. solidity, space vs. time, space vs, thing).
Space’s identity shifts with each relational context — it’s a “place” for objects, a “void” against matter, an “enabler” of motion — yet none of these roles is its inherent essence. Instead, space is co-defined by its infinite relational “entries” across triads, dualities, and beyond, like a word whose meaning emerges from its connections in an endless dictionary.Verse 7’s generalization to all elements (earth, water, fire, wind, consciousness) underscores this: every dhātu is similarly embedded in countless relational structures, none of which grant it inherent existence [T2].
This multiplicity of relations and objects — each phenomenon a node in an infinite web — means there’s no primordial basis (no first element) or final destination (no ultimate phenomenon), as each triad loops into others, co-evolving without a fixed center.
This universal interconnection [T1] ⇐⇒ deepens the emptiness of all phenomena [T2] [U2T].
If a phenomenon’s existence depends on an infinity of triadic and dualistic relations — as space depends on extension, form, perception, and countless other contexts — its “reality” is entirely imputed, a mental construct arising from the mind’s conditioning, karma, and relational habits [T1] (individual, collective, cosmic). (It depends on an infinity of perspectives)
Verse 5’s assertion that “something does not exist without ‘that to which a defining characteristic applies’ and the defining characteristic” hints at this broader web: no phenomenon, not even space, stands alone; its existence is a convergence of relations [T1] ⇐⇒ empty of any self-sustaining core [T2] [U2T].
Verse 8’s call for the “cessation-of-appearance” takes this further: liberation arises when we see phenomena not as discrete entities within single triads ⇐⇒ but as illusory nodes in an infinite, centerless flux, neither real nor unreal but dreamlike appearances co-arising within the web of interdependence [Illusion].
This vision transcends the triadic confinement
we’ve analyzed, revealing that the elements,
like all phenomena, are
holographic — each reflecting the whole,
each conditioned by and conditioning every other
in a non-linear, co-creative dance [T1].
The implications are profound for the Middle Way and non-dual realization.
– By recognizing that every phenomenon participates in infinite triads and dualities, we see the futility of grasping any as inherently real — space, consciousness, or even emptiness itself (as Chapter 4’s verses 8–9 warned).
– Yet, we also avoid negating their conventional/relative/useful function, as these relations enable experience (e.g., navigating solidity or awareness) [T1].
– The Middle Way embraces this paradox: phenomena are empty yet vibrant, illusory yet useful, multiple yet one [One].
– Verse 8’s liberation — perceiving the cessation of fixed appearances — invites us to dwell in this boundless web without fixation, where distinctions like subject-object, cause-effect, or element-characteristic dissolve into a seamless, non-dual reality.
– This universal interconnection, far from being a mere extension of triadic analysis, is the heart of Nāgārjuna’s vision: a reality where everything is co-defined, co-evolving, and primordially equal, free from absolute boundaries or essences, inviting wisdom and compassion to arise naturally within the infinite, centerless dance of interdependence [U2T].
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b) Rationale for This Addition
This section expands our Chapter 5 analysis by addressing your insight about moving beyond the "triadic confinement" to the universal interconnection of all phenomena. It:
Builds on Chapter 5’s verses, particularly 5, 7, and 8, to show how the elements’ relationality extends to infinite triads and dualities.
Incorporates your dictionary/Internet analogy, framing phenomena as nodes in an infinite relational web.
Reinforces the Madhyamaka framework (U2T, tetralemma, Middle Way) while scaling up from single triads to universal interdependence.
Connects to prior chapters (e.g., Chapter 4’s emptiness of disputes, Chapter 3’s perception web) to show continuity.
Highlights the liberative implications, aligning with your Big Picture vision of a non-dual, co-creative reality.
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c) Potential Adjustments or Further Exploration
If you’d like to refine this, here are options based on your interests:
More Analogies: Expand the dictionary/Internet metaphor or add others (e.g., a fractal, a neural network) to vividify the web.
Specific Triads: Focus on one or two from your list (e.g., desirer-desiring-object, error-causing-impurities) to show their infinite relationality.
Soteriological Depth: Emphasize how this web informs meditation or compassion, linking to verse 8’s liberation.
Connection to Later Chapters: Preview how this infinite web sets up analyses like time (Chapter 19) or nirvana (Chapter 25).
Visual Framing: Describe the web as a cosmic mandala, where each phenomenon reflects all others, resonating with your holographic imagery.
E. Summary
E. Summary
Chapter 5 of Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, titled "An Analysis of the Elements," systematically dismantles the Abhidharma notion that the six irreducible elements (dhātus — earth, water, fire, wind, space, consciousness) possess inherent existence, focusing on their defining characteristics (lakṣaṇa, e.g., extension for space) across eight verses.
Nāgārjuna employs his Madhyamaka method to expose the incoherence of positing intrinsic reality in the triad of definition / characterization: the irreducible element (iii. object) (e.g., space), the defining characteristic (i. subject) (e.g., extension), and their relationship (ii. the act of definition).
By applying the tetralemma — demonstrating that these components cannot be different/separate, identical/united, both, or neither ⇐⇒ he reveals their emptiness (śūnyatā, T2) ⇐⇒ interdependence (pratītyasamutpāda, T1) [U2T] ⇐⇒ and illusory nature [Illusory] ⇐⇒ guiding us toward the Middle Way [Middle Way] ⇐⇒ and a non-dual realization of reality as primordially interconnected [One].
This chapter extends the critiques of causality (Chapter 1), motion (Chapter 2), perception (Chapter 3), and composition of aggregates (Chapter 4) into the realm of the fundamental constituents of phenomena (dhatus & lakṣaṇa), culminating in a call to transcend dualistic views like existence, non-existence, both together, or neither for liberation (verse 8).
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[1. Tetralemma:] (i.e. Definition / characterization of the six irreducible elements is incoherent/absurd because the three spheres – (i) defining characteristics (lakṣaṇa), (ii) definition / characterization and (iii) irreducible elements (dhatus) – cannot be (a) different / separate / multiple / dual, (b) identical / united / one / non-dual, (c) both together, or (d) neither, and there is no fifth. Thus refuting this Abhidharma view with real components.)
Nāgārjuna begins with the irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object) (ākāśa), arguing that it cannot exist prior (separate) to its defining characteristic (i. subject), nor can the defining characteristic (i. subject) arise without the irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object) (verses 1–2), and proceeds to dismantle their supposed inherent reality through logical scrutiny.
The triad of irreducible element (iii. object), defining process (ii. relation / action), and defining characteristic (i. subject) cannot be inherently existent [T2] ⇐⇒ because
– they cannot be different / separate / multiple / dual, as verses 1–2 show — the irreducible element ‘space’ (object) requires its defining characteristic (subject) to be defined, and the defining characteristic (subject) needs the irreducible element ‘space’ (object) to apply, making independent existence absurd.
– Nor can they be identical / united / one / non-dual, as verses 3–4 demonstrate: if the characteristic were the same as space or its defining process, the act of definition would collapse into tautology, rendering it incoherent.
– They cannot be both different and identical together, nor neither, as verse 5 concludes: neither element nor characteristic exists independently, and no phenomenon arises without both.
– Verse 6 applies the tetralemma to existence itself — the irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object) cannot be existent, non-existent, both, or neither;
– while verse 7 generalizes this to all six irreducible elements, negating any fixed status.
This exhaustive negation reveals the logical impossibility of inherent existence across all elements.
.[2. Emptiness [T2]:] The tetralemma’s failure to establish inherent existence ⇐⇒ leads directly to the emptiness (śūnyatā, T2) of the elements (iii. object), their characteristics (i. subject), and their defining relationships (ii. relation / action).
– Because irreducible element like ‘space’ (iii. object) cannot preexist or stand apart from its definite characteristic (i. subject) (verses 1–2), nor function (ii. relation / action) independently of a defining characteristic (i. subject) (verses 3–4) [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ it lacks an intrinsic essence [T2].
– Verse 5 explicitly states that neither the irreducible element (iii. object) nor its defining characteristic (i. subject) exists independently / separately [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ confirming their lack of self-sustaining reality [T2].
– This emptiness extends to all irreducible elements (iii. objects) — earth, water, fire, wind, consciousness — (and their defining characteristic (i. subjects), and the action / defining / characterizing (ii. relation / action)) as verse 7 equates their analysis to the analysis of the irreducible element of ‘space’ [Tetralemma] ⇐⇒ implying that no dhātu has an inherent core.
– Emptiness here is the absence of fixed, absolute being, liberating us from reifying the elements as ultimate truths, a point verse 8 underscores by warning that clinging to reality or non-reality obscures liberation’s cessation of appearances.
.[3. Dependent Origination [T1]:] Emptiness ⇐⇒ implies that the irreducible elements (iii. object) and their defining characteristics (i. subject) (and their relation / action / definition / characterization (ii. relation / action)) are dependently co-arisen (pratītyasamutpāda), interdependent, co-evolving, co-defined by the mind’s conditioning within an interdependent web [T1].
– Verse 1 establishes this mutual reliance: the irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object) and its defining characteristic (i. subject) (and ii. the action) arise together, neither preceding the other, like reflections in a mirror.
– Verses 2–4 reinforce this — no irreducible element (iii. object) exists without a defining characteristic (i. subject) (and its ii. relation / action), no defining characteristic (i. subject) without an irreducible element (iii. object), and no defining process (ii. relation / action) without both — showing their co-evolution.
– Verse 7 extends this to all dhātus, suggesting their existence is merely imputed, shaped by past experiences, karma, and mental habits (individual, collective, cosmic) [T1].
– This interdependence [T1] ⇐⇒ unites emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ and conventional appearance [T1] [U2T[:
– while the irreducible elements lack inherent reality [T2] ⇐⇒ they function conventionally as the basis of experience (e.g., solidity, awareness) [T1], allowing us to interact with a world of apparent phenomena within the cycle of conditioned arising.
.[4. Illusory:] As empty [T3] ⇐⇒ and dependently arisen [T1] [U2T] ⇐⇒ the irreducible elements, defining characteristics, and definition/characterization are illusory, akin to dreams, mirages, or echoes — present yet insubstantial.
– Verses 1–5 illustrate that the irreducible element ‘space’ (object), though appearing as a distinct entity, dissolves under analysis, lacking any ultimate substance,
– and verse 7 applies this to all irreducible elements (iii. object), suggesting their apparent [defining characteristics (1. subject):] solidity (earth), fluidity (water), or awareness (consciousness) is a mental fabrication.
– This illusoriness does not negate their conventional role — we experience hardness or space — but reveals that grasping them as inherently real is a delusion.
– Verse 8 deepens this by linking illusion to liberation: only by seeing phenomena as illusory, ceasing to appear as fixed entities, can one transcend suffering, recognizing the elements’ dreamlike nature within the flux of interdependence.
.[5. Middle Way:] Recognizing the elements as empty ⇐⇒ interdependent ⇐⇒ and illusory ⇐⇒ Nāgārjuna points to the Middle Way, free from all extremes like: eternalism (affirming the elements as real), nihilism (denying them entirely), dualism and monism.
– Verse 7 advises against construing irreducible elements (iii. object) as existent, non-existent, separate, or identical to their defining characteristics, urging a non-reifying stance.
– Verse 8 explicitly advocates this balance: clinging to reality or non-reality blinds one to liberation, while seeing the cessation of appearances — neither grasping nor rejecting phenomena — embodies the Middle Way.
– This approach engages the elements conventionally as relational tools [T1] without attributing ultimate reality [T2], aligning with the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] to navigate experience skillfully.
.[6. One:] Ultimately, Chapter 5 reveals that the irreducible elements (iii. object), their defining characteristics (i. subject), their definition/characterization (ii. relation / action), and all phenomena are primordially interconnected, pure, complete, ‘One’ in a non-dual sense — not many, not one, not both, not neither.
– The irreducible element (iii. object), defining process (ii. relation/action), and defining characteristic (i. subject), though conventionally distinct, are empty of separation or unification, existing within an indivisible web of interdependence (verses 1–7).
– Verse 8 hints at this non-dual unity by pointing to liberation as the cessation of dualistic appearances, where distinctions like existent/non-existent dissolve.
– This “One” is not a singular entity but a dynamic, divine wholeness, where all elements are relatively useful [T1] yet never absolute [T2] [U2T].
– Nāgārjuna’s deconstruction liberates us from fixation on the elements as real, inviting a realization of reality’s non-dual purity, where the conventional interplay of solidity, space, or consciousness merges into the seamless, illusory flow of interdependent arising [Illusory, Middle Way, One].
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Again: In Chapter 5 of Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, titled "An Analysis of the ‘Irreducible Elements’ (Dhatus)," Nāgārjuna examines the interdependence between so-called irreducible elements (dhatus) — space, earth, water, fire, air, and consciousness — and their defining characteristics (laksana) [T1] ⇐⇒ revealing yet another layer of emptiness through the process of definition itself [T2] [U2T].
He begins with the irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object), arguing that it cannot exist prior to (separate) its defining characteristic (i. subject) (like extension or non-obstruction), for if it did, it would absurdly be a thing without definition. Yet, nothing exists without a defining characteristic, and if no such undefined entity exists, what does the defining characteristic define? The defining process (ii. relation / action) (defining characteristic applying to an irreducible element) cannot function in something already defined (as it’s redundant) nor in something undefined (as there’s no basis), nor anywhere else — leaving no ground for the defining characteristic to arise independently. Thus, neither the irreducible element like ‘space’ (iii. object) nor its defining characteristic (i. subject), exists on its own [T2]; they co-depend [T1] [U2T], and without both, nothing exists inherently [emptiness of emptiness].
Nāgārjuna concludes that the irreducible element ‘space’ (iii. object), and by extension the other five dhatus, although appearing and relatively functional [T1] ⇐⇒ lacks inherent existence [T2] [U2T] ⇐⇒ neither fully existing nor non-existing, neither separate from nor identical to its defining characteristic (i. subject) [Tetralemma].
This interdependence mirrors the fractal, limitless, and centerless cycle you’ve noted: the defined (dhatu) (iii. object) and its defining characteristic (laksana) (i. subject) co-evolve, each reliant on the other, with no starting point (no pre-defined irreducible element), endpoint (no final definition), or core (no self-existent entity).
The process of definition itself becomes a recursive loop — a defining characteristic (i. subject) defines / characterizes (ii. relation / action) some entity (iii. object defined), which becomes an updated basis for more definition / characterization of entities, ad infinitum (in both directions) – echoing Chapter 4’s skandhas and parts, Chapter 3’s perception, and beyond.
He ends with a critique: those fixated on affirming reality or non-reality miss the "cessation-of-appearance," the peace of seeing phenomena as empty, illusory constructs. Chapter 5 thus deepens the Madhyamaka insight: even the "irreducible" dissolves into relationality [T1], leaving no solid ground [T2], only an ungraspable flux of co-definition [T1] ⇐⇒ that underscores the emptiness of all things [T2] [U2T].
F. Conclusion
F. Conclusion
We can analyse ‘definition/characterization’ / ‘dependent origination’ in terms of the three spheres of any relation/action (physical, conceptual, mental), and in terms of the opposites of any duality, triad, quad … Why? Because that is the way our ordinary conditioned dualistic conceptual mind(s) operates/creates; and because our goal is to transcend (without rejecting) it by realizing the way it naturally functions and the real nature of its fabrications.
There is useful relative conventional dependent origination (causality) [T1] ⇐⇒ but it is never absolute, never reality as it is [T2] [U2T]. There are no independent/absolute/inherently-existing/sure causes, conditions, causal relations and effects about anything anytime. Reality as it is is not causal nor dual in absolute terms. So we can use those concepts conventionally/relatively [T1] but never in absolute terms [T2] [U2T-in-action]; without attachment, reification, effort or absolutes; without apprehending anything in absolute terms; non-dualistically, without opposing/uniting anything in absolute terms, without accepting / rejecting / changing anything in absolute terms; thus acting more and more in accord with the Middle Way free from all extremes and Middle, acting more and more in accord with reality as it is (tathata, suchness) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] and its corollaries [U3S / Uopp / U3T / UGM / U3K / U2T-2T].
Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: All phenomena/dharmas are empty of inherent existence, never absolute, not really dependent, originating/coming, conditioned, existent, changing, increasing, decreasing, ceasing/going, /liberated [T2] ⇐⇒ precisely because they are dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1] [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflection, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yer not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ not inherently existent/functional, not completely non-existence/non-functional, not both, not neither; not different/separate/multiple/dual, not identical/united/one/non-dual, not both, not neither; not permanent/continuous/eternal, not impermanent/discontinuous/annihilated, not both, not neither; not dependently-arisen [T1-only], not empty of inherent existence [T2-only], not both truths together and in opposition [2T], not neither of the two truths [1T]; not ‘this’, not ‘non-this’, not both, not neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is [Tetralemma]. They are conventionally relatively functional and useful but never in absolute terms.
Union of opposites [Uopp]: The opposites of any duality/triad/quad (including the three spheres [3S] of any relation/activity, self-others [opp], the three times [3T], the two truths [2T], the Ground and its manifestations [GM], the three kayas [3K], the four noble truths, the 12 links or dependent oritination, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa [opp]) are empty of inherent existence, never absolute, not really dependent, originating/coming, conditioned, existent, changing, increasing, decreasing, ceasing/going, afflicted/liberated [T2] ⇐⇒ precisely because they are dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind, mere designations/names, conventional truths/tools [T1] [U2T] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflection, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yer not there’ [Illusory] ⇐⇒ not inherently arising/existent/functional/changing/ceasing, not completely non-arising/non-existent/non-functional/non-changing/non-ceasing, not both, not neither; not different/separate/multiple/dual, not identical/united/one/non-dual, not both, not neither; not permanent/continuous/eternal, not impermanent/discontinuous/annihilated, not both, not neither; not dependently-arisen [T1-only], not empty of inherent existence [T2-only], not both truths together and in opposition [2T], not neither of the two truths [1T]; not ‘this’, not ‘non-this’, not both, not neither, and there is no fifth, for whatever ‘this’ is [Tetralemma]. They are conventionally relatively functional and useful but never in absolute terms.
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