You did exactly that, at the very least, for the benefit of me. Much thanks.
I, too, have been turning over this question recently, particularly in relation to comments made in the first of Ven. Brahmali’s talks on DO linked to in this thread.
@ roughly 01:13:00 Ven. Brahmali explains:
people argue about whether dependent origination includes things like rebirth. Is it about rebirth? Is it about one life? Is it about what happens in one moment? People have all these different theories about dependent origination. … I, personally, don’t have any doubt that it refers to rebirth.
Coming at it with my simpleton ways, I can’t help but be a bit confused over what the issue is. I fully accept the compelling, sutta-based argument that the DO teaching explains rebirth. However, as a model, it’s really rather neat and seems to have practical application in explaining the processes underpinning rebirth, one life, multiple lives, one moment, one afternoon and basically, all of experience.
From a pragmatic point of view, I’d be drawn to applying the DO model wherever there is a ‘DO shaped hole’. However, in light of the discussion in this thread, and in light of Ven. Brahmali’s point quoted above, I do wonder if I’m really missing something if I’m not inclined to view the DO teaching strictly as an explanation of rebirth.