Dependent origination is the most original and radical of the Buddha's teachings. It describes the process that perpetuates the suffering and pervasive dissatisfaction of dukkha. Noah Levine provides an example of the process of dependent origination in his book Against the Stream. The twelve steps include: (1) ignorance that leads to (2) mental formations (that is, thoughts, emotions, images) that lead to (3) consciousness that requires (4) material form (that is, something to be conscious of) that has (5) six senses (the basic five plus another sense of mind) that create stimuli that generate (6) contact that gives rise to sense impressions that generate (7) feelings (that are either pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral) that generate (8) craving (that seeks to either keep or push away the feeling) that leads to (9) grasping (or pushing away) that produces (10) becoming (which means to identify with the experience; to take it personally) that leads to (11) birth (taking form around the grasping) that leads to (12) suffering or pervasive dissatisfaction.

Consider an example. You are walking down the street on automatic pilot lost in some story about the future or the past (ignorance). You see a bar and think to yourself, “I'd really enjoy a beer” (mental formation). You make a decision to go into the bar and plan to order a beer (consciousness). You walk into the bar (material form). Inside the bar your senses make contact with the visual array of bottles at the bar, the smells, and sounds, and imagine which of the many beers you will order (six senses). The beers look good and you also notice the whiskey selection (contact). This contact gives rise to a pleasant feeling of expectation (feelings). You decide to order a boot-size beer with a whiskey chaser (craving). You drink that one and then another despite knowing that you've probably had enough (grasping). You regret having drunk so much and wish you hadn't gone into the bar at all (becoming). You castigate yourself for your weakness; you call yourself a “loser” (birth). You feel sick to your stomach (suffering).

Levine sums it up: “dependent origination is the downstream current of life. Without intentional mind training (that is, meditation) we just float along, addicted to our habitual reaction.” It's the process of karma in action. One mind moment leads to the next. Behavior, thoughts, and feelings all affect each other in a ceaseless process. And if you are not mindful, the process will lead to suffering. Being mindful gives you the opportunity to break the cycle of becoming, break out of samsara, and avoid suffering.