A Profound Teaching on Life, Ethics, and Conception
On July 7th, 2025, Dr. Rajesh Savera led a powerful and thought-provoking live session on a lesser-known yet deeply significant discourse from the Ekottara Āgama 21.3. This ancient Buddhist text explores the three conditions necessary for conception, offering insights that remain remarkably relevant in today’s world.
In an era where discussions around conception, birth, and bodily autonomy are often framed strictly through biological or technological lenses, this discourse adds ethical, emotional, and karmic depth to our understanding.
The Three Conditions for Conception
According to the Buddha’s teaching, for a new life to arise, three conditions must come together:
- The union of the parents – a basic biological prerequisite.
- The readiness and consent of the mother – emphasizing not just physical receptivity but emotional and mental willingness.
- The presence of a being seeking rebirth – a consciousness drawn by karmic conditions, ready to enter the new life.
If any one of these elements is absent, conception cannot occur.
Beyond Biology: A Holistic View of Life
Dr. Savera highlighted how this ancient perspective reveals a holistic understanding of conception — not as a purely physical event, but as one rooted in intention, karma, and ethical clarity. The inclusion of the mother’s readiness and consent is particularly striking. It reflects early teachings on bodily autonomy, emotional alignment, and the importance of mutual readiness in intimate relationships.
Dhamma and Dependent Origination
This discourse also reflects the broader Buddhist principle of dependent origination: nothing arises independently. Just as life depends on a web of physical and karmic conditions, so too does every experience in the Dhamma.
Through the lens of this ancient teaching, we are reminded that life is not just matter—it is consciousness, cause, and connection.
Conclusion
The discourse from Ekottara Āgama 21.3 offers timeless wisdom that transcends biological explanations of conception, weaving together ethics, intention, and karmic conditions. By recognizing the union of parents, the mother’s readiness and consent, and the presence of a being seeking rebirth, this teaching provides a holistic view of life’s beginnings. In doing so, it not only deepens our understanding of conception but also reminds us of the interconnectedness that underlies all existence.
