Vipassana Two Roots of action               3. Two Roots of action (Figure 1-4. 1-5)             To understand paticcasamuppada, it is important to know that there are two roots for action, avijjha (ignorance) and tanha (craving). Avijjha is the root cause for tanha, is and tanha is the root cause for avijjha. Avijjha is other-and the circle can go either way.             The first root (link) leads to vedana, the seventh link. Then it leads to tanha (eighth link-root), then to (9) upadana to (10) bhava, to (11) jati and then (12) decay and death. One who has ditthi-carita (with wrong view), thinks there is no cause and result, there is no punna (merit), no papa (evil) and no rebirth. That is why the Lord Buddha showed avijjha as the root cause, to show there is cause (avijjha) and result. The result in the present is (3) patisandhi-vinnana leading to (4) nama and rupa (5) Six Sense Bases (6) contact (7) feeling. These links (3-7) in the present are caused by avijjha (root) in the past and sankhara (1&2). As long as one has avijjha there will be a result.               Tanha (8) caused by its paccaya, vedana (7) leads to upadana (9) and bhava (10). These then circle back to avijjha (1) and sankhara (2). These five (8, 9, 10, 1, 2) are present causes and are the result of (1) avijjha. The result of avijjha (1) and sankhara (2) is to repeat 3-7 (Present Existence) again.             When (8) tanha is reached 8, 9, 10, 1, 2 become the cause again in the present. And so the wheel goes round. Every time one is reborn (11) 3-7 begin and this leads to (12) Decay and Death.             Seeing the result of tanha, one who has the wrong view that everything is permanent, no decay of changes, or one with strong raga-carita (one with lust for life), can see that nama-rupa leads to decay and death. In the circle of birth and death we are continually reborn in the three lokas (kama-loka, rupa-loka and arupa-loka - of thirty-one bhumi). To escape from this, we must practice Satipatthana, according to the principles laid down in the Maha-satipatthana Discourse, which is the first element of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma - and leads to realization of the Four Noble Truths.