hetu

  1. cause, reason, condition SN.i.134; AN.iii.440 sq.; Dhs.595, Dhs.1053; Vism.450 Tikp.11, Kp.233, Kp.239. In the older use paccaya and hetu are almost identical as synonyms, e.g. n’atthi hetu n’atthi paccayo DN.i.53; aṭṭha hetū aṭṭha paccayā DN.iii.284 sq.; cp. SN.iii.69 sq.; DN.ii.107; MN.i.407; AN.i.55 sq., AN.i.66, AN.i.200; AN.iv.151 sq.; but later they were differentiated (see Mrs. Rh. D., Tikp introd. p. xi. sq.). The diff. between the two is explained e.g. at Ne.78 sq.; Dhs-a.303
    ■ There are a number of other terms, with which hetu is often combined, apparently without distinction in meaning, e.g. hetu paccaya kāraṇa Cnd.617 (s. v. sankhā); mūla h. nidāna sambhava pabhava samuṭṭhāna āhāra ārammaṇa paccaya samudaya frequent in the Niddesa (see Cnd.p.231, s. v. mūla). In the Abhidhamma we find hetu as “moral condition referring to the 6 mūlas or bases of good & bad kamma viz.; lobha, dosa, moha and their opposites: Dhs.1053 sq. Kv.532 sq
    Four kinds of hetu are distinguished at Dhs-a.303 = Vb-a.402, viz. hetu˚, paccaya˚, uttama˚ sādhāraṇa˚. Another 4 at Tikp.27, viz. kusala˚ akusala˚, vipāka˚, kiriya˚, and 9 at Tikp.252, viz kusala˚, akusala˚, avyākata˚, in 3 × 3 constellations (cp Dhs-a.303)
    ■ On term in detail see Cpd. 279 sq.; Dhs translation §§ 1053, 1075
    ■ abl. hetuso from or by way of (its) cause SN.v.304; AN.iii.417
    ■ acc. hetu (-˚) (elliptically as adv.) on account of, for the sake of (with gen.) e.g. dāsa-kammakara-porisassa hetu MN.ii.187; kissa hetu why? AN.iii.303; AN.iv.393; Snp.1131; Pv.ii.8#1 (= kiṃ nimittaṃ Pv-a.106); pubbe kata˚; by reason (or in consequence) of what was formerly done AN.i.173 sq.; dhana˚ for the sake of gain Snp.122.
  2. suitability for the attainment of Arahantship, one of the 8 conditions precedent to becoming a Buddha Bv.ii.59 = Ja.i.14, Ja.i.44.
  3. logic Mil.3.
  • -paccaya the moral causal relation, the first of the 24 Paccayas in the Paṭṭhāna Tikp.1 sq., Kp.23 sq., Kp.60 sq., Kp.287 , Kp.320; Duka-pa.8, Kp.41 sq.; Vism.532; Vb-a.174.
  • -pabhava arising from a cause, conditioned Vin.i.40; Dhp-a.i.92
  • -vāda the theory of cause, as adj. “proclaimer of a cause,” name of a sect MN.i.409; opp. ahetu-vāda “denier of a cause” (see [a sect](/define/a sect)) MN.i.408; ahetu-vādin id. Ja.v.228 Ja.v.241 (= Jtm.149).

Vedic hetu, fr. hi to impel