Two factors distinguish dependent origination, the Buddhist doctrine of causation, from contemporary Indian philosophies. First, it confines itself to the world of actual experience and makes no attempt to deal with universal absolutes, which are beyond the realm of human cognizance and influence. Second, while teaching that given the requisite conditions each cause produces its inevitable effect, it rejects both the idea that human fate is fortuitous and the idea that it is completely governed by any single, fixed cause.
Basic Buddhist Concepts