What is "nidana"

Nidana is a Sanskrit word that means "cause, motivation or occasion" depending on the context. The word is derived from ni (down, into) and da (to bind, dana). It appears in the Rigveda, such as hymn 10.114.2, and other Hindu scriptures, wherein it means "primary or first cause, linked cause"; in other contexts such as Rigveda 6.32.6, nidana refers to a rope or band that links, binds or fastens one thing to another, such as a horse to a cart.