Dependent origination

A law applicable to all worldly phenomena that the Buddha recognized in his enlightenment.  All worldly phenomena arise in dependence upon other phenomena.  It is thus described by the Buddha in the four verses repeated throughout the suttas:

“This is, because that is
This is not, because that is not
This arises, because that arises
This ceases, because that ceases”

P: paṭiccasamuppāda, S: pratīyasamutpāda, V: duyên khởi