How can consciousness arise without the fuel?

Question

Namo Buddhaya.

Craving is said to be the root of the fuel. Without fuel consciousness can not arise. However in the dependent origination craving manifests very late in the sequence of dependent originations. Consciousness arises at the 3rd step immediately after ignorance and volitional formations. But the fuel or craving arises after consciousness and feelings have arisen. Ideally first the craving should have arisen and then the consciousness should arise. This sutta explains how craving is the fuel for consciousness. As the sutta is very long I will quote some parts of it for better understanding.

Consciousness is described as "like a fire".

It’s like fire, which is reckoned according to the specific conditions dependent upon which it burns.

What is the fuel ?

In my opinion it is logically implied here that consciousness is fuelled by craving: because fire can not exist without fuel. And what is the fuel ? Craving. Simple.

“Mendicants, there are these four fuels. They maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those that are about to be born. What four? Solid food, whether coarse or fine; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth.

What is the source, origin, birthplace, and root of these four fuels? Craving.

When does Craving occur?

ignorance is a condition for choices. Choices are a condition for consciousness. Consciousness is a condition for name and form. Name and form is a condition for the six sense fields. The six sense fields are conditions for contact. Contact is a condition for feeling. Feeling is a condition for craving.

My question is : How can consciousness arise without the arousal of craving in the first place in the dependent origination ?

Answer 1

This question that I had asked is relevant to this question.

According to MN9:

From the origination of fermentation comes the origination of ignorance. From the cessation of fermentation comes the cessation of ignorance. .....

From the origination of ignorance comes the origination of fermentation. From the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of fermentation.

To answer your question, ignorance is the cause. But to break the cycle, craving must be uprooted through the Noble Eightfold Path.

Also see Andrei's answer on the vicious cycle.

Answer 2

The sutta describes several things and uses more than one simile. The sentences you quote come from different parts of the sutta, and aren't directly related.

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The first quote i.e.

It’s like fire, which is reckoned according to the specific conditions dependent upon which it burns. A fire that burns dependent on logs is reckoned as a log fire.

... is describing what consciousness is.

I think this simile is saying that ...

"A fire that burns dependent on logs is reckoned as a log fire"

... similarly consciousness depends on the six senses (e.g. "eyes", "touch", etc.) and so is called "Eye consciousness" and "touch consciousness" etc.).

The bits of Pali which say that, for example ...

Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati viññāṇaṃ, cakkhuviññāṇantveva saṅkhyaṃ gacchati

... is immediately after the bit you quoted, and isn't translated.

See also Ayatana on Wikipedia, and/or another translation of MN 38 like this one:

Just as fire is classified simply by whatever requisite condition in dependence on which it burns — a fire that burns in dependence on wood is classified simply as a wood-fire, a fire that burns in dependence on wood-chips is classified simply as a wood-chip-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on grass is classified simply as a grass-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on cow-dung is classified simply as a cow-dung-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on chaff is classified simply as a chaff-fire; a fire that burns in dependence on rubbish is classified simply as a rubbish-fire — in the same way, consciousness is classified simply by the requisite condition in dependence on which it arises. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the eye & forms is classified simply as eye-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the ear & sounds is classified simply as ear-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the nose & aromas is classified simply as nose-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the tongue & flavors is classified simply as tongue-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the body & tactile sensations is classified simply as body-consciousness. Consciousness that arises in dependence on the intellect & ideas is classified simply as intellect-consciousness.

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The Dharmafarer site has more-detailed translations of many suttas -- which include an introduction and footnotes.

The URLs are a bit fragile but currently MN 38 is here.

The author has also tried to format his translations for easier reading -- for example using section titles for different parts of the suttas.