noun
General term for a direct cause or contributing factor. Often used in formal, academic, or analytical contexts.
事故の因を調査する。
Investigate the cause of the accident.
成功の因は努力にある。
The factor behind success is effort.
noun
hetu (direct cause in Buddhism)
Buddhist technical term for the direct, primary cause, as distinguished from indirect conditions (縁). Used in doctrinal discussions.
See also: 縁 (えん)
仏教では、因と縁が揃って結果が生じると説く。
Buddhism teaches that results arise when direct causes (因) and indirect conditions (縁) come together.
noun
basis of an argument (in hetuvidya)
Specialized term in Buddhist logic (因明) referring to the reason or ground of an argument. Rare outside academic study of hetuvidya.
See also: 因明
因明では、主張を支える因が正しいかどうかを厳密に検討する。
In hetuvidya, one rigorously examines whether the basis (因) supporting a proposition is correct.