The Buddha distinguishes between “dependently originated phenomena”—the twelve factors—and “dependent origination”—the principle of conditionality.

When, bhikkhus, a noble disciple has clearly seen with correct wisdom as it really is this dependent origination and these dependently arisen phenomena, it is impossible that he will run back into the past, thinking: ‘Did I exist in the past? Did I not exist in the past? What was I …’