also: いんえん
I feel some kind of fate in meeting him.
この土地には深い因縁がある。
I have a deep karmic connection with this land.
A more general sense of a link or relationship, sometimes with a nuance of historical or causal origin. Can be used for both positive and negative ties.
この事件の因縁を調べる必要がある。
We need to investigate the origins of this incident.
両家の因縁は何世代も続いている。
The ties between the two families have lasted for generations.
pretext; justification; excuse
Often used in negative contexts where someone uses a past connection or grudge as a pretext for conflict. Common in 因縁をつける (to pick a fight on a pretext).
彼は因縁をつけて喧嘩を売ってきた。
He picked a fight with me on some pretext.
そんな因縁で人を責めるのはおかしい。
It's wrong to blame someone on such a flimsy excuse.
hetu and prataya; direct and indirect causes
Buddhist technical term for the direct and indirect causes underlying all phenomena. Rare outside specialized contexts.
仏教では、因縁によってすべての現象が生じると説く。
Buddhism teaches that all phenomena arise through direct and indirect causes.
It seems there's a karmic connection between him and me going back to a past life.
He's my fated rival of ten years.
There's a deep connection between this land and my family line.
Even though we'd just met, I somehow felt a fated connection.
dependent arising; conditioned genesis
origin and history; background story