Japanese meaning of 因縁生起
Reading:
いんねんしょうき (innen shouki)
English Translation:
Nothing happens by accident / Everything happens for a reason
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
The idea that everything happens as a result of specific causes and conditions, and nothing exists or occurs purely by chance or coincidence.
世の中のあらゆる出来事や存在には、必ず原因や縁があるという考え方。偶然のように見えることにも背景や理由があるとする仏教的思想です。
Cultural Context:
From Buddhist philosophy explaining the interdependent origination of all phenomena. Used in religious, philosophical, and literary contexts.
仏教の縁起思想に由来し、あらゆる現象が相互依存的に生じることを説く。宗教、哲学、文学で用いられる。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• Noun phrase used in Buddhist context, often followed by “の法.”
Trap for English Speakers
May be misunderstood without knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, reducing it to “random cause.”
Example
Basic Example
この出会いも因縁生起だと思う。
I think this meeting is also due to a chain of causes and conditions.
Applied Example
その出会いは偶然ではない、まさに因縁生起だった。
That meeting was no coincidence — it was truly a fated connection.