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As for the other links of Dependent Origination, apart from sankhara, these are quite straightforward.

The first link is not understanding the Four Noble Truths and not understanding the Three Universal Characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self. Due to this ignorance, naturally, there will be ignorance at sense contact and the resultant craving, attachment, becoming, birth and suffering in relation to the experience of impermanence.

Contrary to some explanations of Dependent Origination, it must be emphasised the Buddha used the term ignorance at contact (avijjāsamphassajena) explicitly (e.g., SN 22.81) and implicitly (e.g.,MN 38) on many occasions. In other words, ignorance is not arising in another time or place, such as in a previous lifetime, separate from or unrelated to sense contact.

As for sankhara, I take these to be the breathing in and breathing out, applied and sustained thought (vitakka and vicara) and perception and feeling, as defined in MN 44.

As for nama-rupa, I take this to be ‘mind-body’ or ‘mentality-materiality’ rather than ‘name-form’ (subject-object) because SN 12.2 defines nama-rupa as various mental constituents, the physical body and the four great elements that form the physical body. If 'rupa' or ‘form’ was the object of sense consciousness, then it would arise after the sense bases rather than prior to them.

In summary, Dependent Origination manifests in the following manner. Where there is ignorance, the hindrances will continue to manifest and condition (paccaya) or “infect” the sankhara, consciousness, mind-body and the sense organs, which results in ignorant and coloured sense contact.

Please note, I use “paccaya” as a verb rather than as a noun. Ignorance conditions the sankhara; sankhara [conditioned by ignorance] conditions consciousness; consciousness [conditioned by ignorance] conditions the mind-body; the mind-body [conditioned by ignorance] conditions the sense bases; the sense bases [conditioned by ignorance] condition ignorant contact, etc.

Regarding sankhara, the kaya, vaci and citta sankhara, as defined in SN 12.2 and MN 44 are also mentioned in the Anapanasati Sutta. Through practising meditation, we can realise the nature and role of the sankhara in Dependent Origination through experience their calming and/or cessation. For example, when the kaya sankhara (breathing in and out) is tranquilised (step 4 of Anapanasati), consciousness becomes clear and the mind-body and sense organs become calm. In short, the sankhara, consciousness, mind-body and the sense bases experience some degree of nirodha from ignorance & defilement. The same clarity and calm occurs when the other (mental) sankhara are calmed. The same nirodha (quenching) is experienced.

The breathing in and out is the ‘body conditioner’ or ‘body fabricator’ because it conditions the state of the physical body. Where the kaya sankhara is tranquil, the physical body will be at ease. Where the kaya sankhara is agitated, the physical body will be stressed. Similarly, perception and feeling are the citta (mental) "conditioner" for they condition the various kinds of craving, namely, greed, hatred, delusion and the like.

It follows this “clarifying” and “liberating” (nirodha) of the sankhara, consciousness, mind-body and sense bases from ignorance, hindrance and defilement, is well described in the suttas as follows:

If a monk abandons passion for the property of consciousness, then owing to the abandonment of passion, the support is cut off and there is no landing of consciousness. Consciousness, thus not having landed, not increasing, not concocted, is released. Owing to its release, it is steady. Owing to its steadiness, it is contented. Owing to its contentment, it is not agitated. Not agitated, he (the monk) is totally liberated right within. He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'" (SN 22.53)

"For him — uninfatuated, unattached, unconfused, remaining focused on their drawbacks — the five aggregates subject to clinging head toward future diminution. The craving that makes for new becoming — accompanied by passion & delight, relishing now this & now that — is abandoned by him. His bodily disturbances & mental disturbances are abandoned. His bodily torments & mental torments are abandoned. His bodily distresses & mental distresses are abandoned. He is sensitive both to ease of body & ease of mind. (MN 149)

So if a monk should wish: 'May neither my body be fatigued nor my eyes, and may my mind, through lack of clinging/sustenance, be released from fermentations,' then he should attend carefully to this same concentration through mindfulness with in-&-out breathing. (SN 54.8 )

There are these six calmings. When one has attained the first jhana, speech has been calmed. When one has attained the second jhana, directed thought & evaluation [vaci sankhara] have been calmed. When one has attained the third jhana, rapture [citta sankhara] has been calmed. When one has attained the fourth jhana, in-and-out breathing [kaya sankhara] has been calmed. When one has attained the cessation of perception & feeling, perception & feeling [citta sankhara] have been calmed. When a monk's effluents have ended, passion has been calmed, aversion has been calmed, delusion [ignorance] has been calmed. (SN 36.11) Calming the sankhara of Dependent Origination at the 2nd link is the role of samatha. Ending the ignorance of Dependent Origination at the 1st link is role of vipassana.

A simple, although graphic, illustration of the arising of Dependent Origination is a man who sees a beautiful woman. Due to ignorance, he does not understand impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and not-self and the ramifications of craving and attachment. Due to ignorance, feeling, craving and attachment (fixation, obsession), his mind proliferates thoughts (becoming) of marrying the woman. When the woman accepts his proposal, the man is born (jati) as a ‘husband’. When they have a child, the man takes birth (jati) as a ‘father’. When they acquire a home, the man takes birth (jati) as a ‘householder’. Due to his education (becoming), the man takes birth (jati) as a ‘lawyer’.

One day, the man is fired from his job for malpractice and stripped of his license to practise law. As such, his self-identification (jati) as a lawyer experiences aging and death, despair and the whole mass of suffering. In short his heart sinks into despair and the feeling of death.

The man returns home to find a policeman waiting, who tells him his wife and children have been murdered by a thief in their home. This aging and death of his wife and child simultaneously gives rise to aging and death in the man’s heart. The man no longer knows who or what he is. His self-identity has died. The poor man is completely lost. Here, dependent on birth, has arisen the last link of Dependent Origination in its fullness, namely, aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress & despair and the whole mass of suffering.

To conclude, dependent origination simply describes the arising or origination of suffering in the human mind. Suffering is a psychological phenomenon. Suffering is not an existential phenomenon.

The root cause of suffering is ignorance of impermanence. The final result of this ignorance of impermanence is suffering due to experiencing impermanence in an ignorant way.

May all beings be liberated from all suffering through right understanding.