The Paṭṭhāna (Pali: paṭṭhāna, Sanskrit: prasthāna, Jñāna-prasthāna, Mahā-Pakaraṇa, Paṭṭhāna-Pakaraṇa, "Book of Causal Relationships"; Vietnamese: Bộ Vị Trí, Bộ Phát Thú)[1] is a Buddhist scripture.
It provides a detailed examination of causal conditioning, (the Buddhist belief that causality — not a Creator deity — is the basis of existence), analyzing the 24 types of conditional relations (paccaya) in relation to the classifications in the matika of the Dhammasangani.
[2] This book emphasizes the point that — apart from nirvana, which is absolute — all other phenomena are relative (dependently arisen) in one way or another.
[3] In Burmese Buddhism, the scripture is ritually recited by monks and laypeople for protection, and Burmese Buddhists believe the Paṭṭhāna can guard against threats and dangers, please helpful gods, and ward off evil spirits.
[3] According to the Paṭṭhāna dhamma, all corporeal and mental phenomena are dependent upon some combination of 24 possible conditions.