exist, albeit  in a conventional  sense.  Thus  man's
　　   conglomerate  existence  cannot  be  reduced  to  its
　　   parts:  he  is  a  unique   complex   entity  in  the
　　   becomingness of nature.
　　　　 In another suutra, the analysis of the five skandhas
　　   goes a step further  to condemn  them as a burden  of
　　   existence.(30) Each one of the skandhas is said to be
　　   corruptible   and  also   the  source   of  suffering
　　   (du.hkha).  The reason for this is that the so-called
　　   self or ego is constantly grasping or clinging to the
　　   elements derivable in each of the skandhas. Looked at
　　   from  another  angle, the  assertion  of  a  personal
　　   identity  or  a self  is the  fact  of  the  skandhas
　　   burdening  or  asserting  themselves.  The  burdening
　　   process   takes   the　　 form  of  a  phenomenon   of
　　   permanently  settling down or a restraining bond with
　　   respect to the elements  of the function  despite the
　　   overbearing　　 transient   nature   of   things.　　 A
　　   contradiction   then  arises   in  which   there   is
　　   permanence  on the one hand  and impermanence  on the
　　   other.   Such  a  situation   becomes   a  cause  for
　　   uneasiness or delusion, which is a form of suffering.
　　　　 It can now be seen that a self or aatman  would  be
　　   difficult  to justify  in the light of transiency  or
　　   impermanence.   The  other  alternative,  nonself  or
　　   anaatman, fares  much better, for it does not have to
　　   adhere strictly  to a structural  analysis.  It is in
　　   constant harmony or rhythm with passage. But now, the
　　   question  arises, how  does  the Buddha  explain  the
　　   continuity  of human experience? At this juncture, he
　　   introduces the concept of dependent or relational
　　   _________________________________

　　   29.  Ibid., II.  157.  The Dialogues  of the  Buddha
　　　　   (London: Luzac  &  Co., 1959), pt.  II, p.  175.
　　   30.  Samyutta   Nikaaya   III.  25.  On  the  Burden.
　　　　   Translation from The Book of Kindred Sayings, pt.
　　　　   III, pp. 24-31.

　　　　　　　　　　　　  p.313

　　   origination  (pratiityasamutpaada), which is commonly
　　   called  the Wheel of Life or Becoming.  No experience
　　   or  event,  according  to  this  concept, happens  in
　　   isolation.   Each  arises   from  and  is  within   a
　　   multidimensional  background.  Thus the Wheel  begins