This teaching is from the section Shining the Light of Wisdom of the book “In the Buddha’s Words” by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

At Sāvatthi.

“I will teach you, bhikkhus, about dependent origination and the phenomena arisen from dependent origination. Listen carefully, pay close attention, I will speak.”

“So be it, Venerable Sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:

"What, bhikkhus, is dependent origination? With birth as condition, bhikkhus, there is aging and death. Whether Tathāgatas arise or not, this property, this stability of the Dhamma, this orderliness of the Dhamma, this conditionality, remains. The Tathāgata fully understands this and makes it known. Having fully understood, he reveals, teaches, proclaims, establishes, discloses, analyzes, and makes it clear, saying: ‘See, bhikkhus, with birth as condition, there is aging and death.’

With continued existence as condition, there is birth… with clinging as condition, there is continued existence… with craving as condition, there is clinging…

with feeling as condition, there is craving… with contact as condition, there is feeling… with the six sense bases as condition, there is contact… with name-and-form as condition, there are the six sense bases…

with consciousness as condition, there is name-and-form…

with volitional formations as condition, there is consciousness… with ignorance as condition, there are volitional formations. Whether Tathāgatas arise or not, this property, this stability of the Dhamma, this orderliness of the Dhamma, this conditionality, remains. The Tathāgata fully understands this and makes it known. Having fully understood, he reveals, teaches, proclaims, establishes, discloses, analyzes, and makes it clear, saying: ‘See, bhikkhus, with ignorance as condition, there are volitional formations.’ Thus, bhikkhus, such is the truth, the unerring, the not otherwise, the conditionality—this is called, bhikkhus, dependent origination.

And what, bhikkhus, are the phenomena arisen from dependent origination? Aging and death, bhikkhus, are impermanent, conditioned, arisen dependently, subject to ending, subject to fading, subject to cessation, subject to relinquishment. Birth, bhikkhus, is impermanent, conditioned, arisen dependently, subject to ending, subject to fading, subject to cessation, subject to relinquishment. continued existence, bhikkhus, is impermanent, conditioned, arisen dependently, subject to ending, subject to fading, subject to cessation, subject to relinquishment. Clinging, bhikkhus… craving, bhikkhus…

feeling, bhikkhus… contact, bhikkhus… the six sense bases, bhikkhus… name-and-form, bhikkhus…

consciousness, bhikkhus…

volitional formations, bhikkhus… ignorance, bhikkhus, is impermanent, conditioned, arisen dependently, subject to ending, subject to fading, subject to cessation, subject to relinquishment. These are called, bhikkhus, the phenomena arisen from dependent origination.

When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple sees as they really are with correct wisdom this dependent origination and these phenomena arisen from dependent origination, then they will not run back into the past, thinking: ‘Was I in the past, was I not in the past, what was I in the past, how was I in the past, having been what, what did I become in the past?’ nor will they run forward into the future, thinking: ‘Will I be in the future, will I not be in the future, what will I be in the future, how will I be in the future, having been what, what will I become in the future?’ nor will they now in the present be tormented with doubt thinking: ‘Am I, am I not, what am I, how am I, where has this being come from, where will it go?’ For such a place does not exist. Why is that? For, bhikkhus, a noble disciple sees this dependent origination and these phenomena arisen from dependent origination as they really are with correct wisdom."

The Buddha is sharing the uncertainty of a Buddha having arisen and his teaching shining in the world. While dependent origination would continue regardless, in such a case, beings would not be able to able to attain enlightenment and continue wandering on in samsāra.

An experiential understanding of dependent origination leads to a shift in perception: from seeing a self (and along with it, remorse of the past and worries of the future) to seeing processes that are ongoing.

Related Teachings:

Navigating through 30 mental qualities that lead to enlightenment, to the arising of the Buddha (AN 10.76) - Greed, hate and delusion are the last layer of the ten layers of three mental qualities each to be uprooted to get to enlightenment. This teaching can be used to see the next layer of qualities to uproot and its antidote qualities to be cultivated.

Mindfulness of body (AN 1.575 - 590) - Mindfulness of body is important to cultivate for it is through cultivated mindfulness that one can effectively investigate into one’s experiences and see the applicability of the Buddha’s teachings.

Gradual training and gradual progress: The Habit Curve - Gradually training through good bodily, verbal and mental actions by following the precepts, applying sense restraint, being moderate in eating, dedicating to wakefulness, applying situational awareness leads to cultivation and growth in the mindfulness of the body, in singleness of mind, and to cultivation of jhānas. This teaching shares Buddha’s recommendation on gradual training guidelines to be in line with the science of habit formation. Each of these practice areas when approached as new habits to cultivate with consistency, slowly but surely, leads to the practice of being mindful to become easy, automatic, second nature.