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Craving, attachment in the present lead to becoming and fabrication due to ignorance. Ignorance is included and if it is not present there is no craving and clinging to feelings hence no fabrication.
What is subjected to birth decay and death (in the future) is a being composed of the 5 aggregates due to fabrication and ignorance in the present.
Craving, clinging in the past due to ignorance hence leading to becoming and fabrication creates the rebirth, mind and matter, 6 sense bases, contact and feeling in the present.
Upvote:1
It's not to be looked at ring by ring but slice by slice so that the components in the inner rings can be combined with those in the outer to complete the picture. According to the Pali exegetical tradition, Dependent Orginination can be looked at in 2 ways (ref: "Connected Discourses" - NidanaSamyutta - Bhikkhu Bodhi):
3 Periods/12 Factors: 3 slices - 1st, 2nd, and 4th rings
Ex:
Past life slice: 1st ring: Past; 2nd ring: Active side; 4th ring: Avijja and Sankhara
Present life slice: 1st ring: Present; 2nd ring: Active+Passive sides; 4th ring: Vinnana, NamaRupa, Salayatana, Phassa, Vedana, Tanha, Upadana, and Bhava;
Future life slice: 1st ring: Future; 2nd ring: Passive side; 4th ring: Jati and Jara-Marana;
20 Modes/4 Groups: 5 past causes, 5 present effects, 5 present causes, 5 future effects - 4 slices - all rings combined.
Ex:
5 past causes: 1st ring: Past; 2nd ring: Active side; 3rd + 4th rings: Avijja, Sankhara, Tanha, Upadana, and Bhava.
5 present effects: 1st ring: Present; 2nd ring: Passive;3rd ring is empty; 4th righ: Vinnana, NamaRupa, Salyatana, Phassa, and Vedana
etc...
Upvote:1
The third ring appears to be stating: (a) the five aggregates are 'passive' or 'neutral' (per the Khandha Sutta, which describes neutral/mere/pure aggregates versus defiled aggregates subjected to clinging) & (b) it is the activity of ignorance, sankhara, craving, attachment & becoming that actively keep the 'wheel of life' spinning.
This two-fold distinction of the illustrator is based on the premise that 'birth' & 'aging-&-death' refer to physical birth & aging-&-death (rather than psychological 'birth' & 'aging-&-death').
It is also based on the premise than 'sankhara' refers to 'volitional formations' (rather than the kaya, vaci & citta sankhara as described in MN 44).
It also appears to infer the 3rd to 7th links are not 'activated' or 'disturbed' by ignorance.