Nidāna (निदान) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means "cause, motivation or occasion" depending on the context.[1] The word is derived from the Sanskrit prefix ni- (नि; "down", "into") plus the root dā (दा; "to bind"), forming the verb nidā (निदा; "to bind on, fasten").[2][3] This in turn yields the noun nidāna (निदान; lit. "a band, rope or halter").[3] It appears in the Rigveda, such as hymn 10.114.2,[4] and other Hindu scriptures, wherein it means "primary or first cause, linked cause"; in other contexts such as Rigveda 6.32.6, nidāna refers to the literal meaning of a rope or band that links, binds or fastens one thing to another, such as a horse to a cart.[3] The word has been borrowed into modern languages such as Hindi and Marathi[5] to mean "diagnosis" or "primary cause" among others.[6]
Buddhism
Nidāna is the term used to describe the standard introduction of a Buddhist sutra, where the formula "Thus have I heard" (attributed to Ānanda) is followed by a description of the location and occasion on which the Buddha gave a particular teaching.[7]
The other primary use of nidāna in the Buddhist tradition is in the context of the Twelve Nidānas, also called the "Twelve Links of Dependent Origination".[8][9] These links present the mechanistic basis of repeated birth, saṃsāra, and resultant duḥkha (suffering, pain, unsatisfactoriness) starting from avidyā (ignorance, misconceptions).[8]
Hinduism
The term nidāna appears in numerous ancient and medieval Hindu texts wherein it means "first cause, primary cause, original or essential cause".[3] This includes the Upanishads that include theosophical speculations,[3] as well as medical texts such as Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita, where a large sub-book is titled Nidāna Sthāna (निदानस्थान; "Pathology"),[10] as well as in chapters of the Puranas, wherein these discuss cause of disease or various natural phenomena.[3]