If I were to compare the twelve causes (luck)...

I read your question.
The Chinese zodiac sign observes the process by which suffering occurs. For example, on the contrary, it makes it difficult to see the essence, so I will explain it while looking backwards.

What should we do to stop dying of old age?
That's right, you should stop being born.
What should I do to stop being born?
OK, we should just stop existing.
What can we do to stop existing?
OK, you should stop obsessing.
... and if you analyze it like this, you will eventually arrive at ignorance, that is, if you lose your instincts for survival, all suffering will perish.
If you keep up, if you get rid of ignorance, the rest of your life and death will go away due to domino defeating dominoes.

The Chinese zodiac fortune is traditionally regarded as Shakyamuni's first enlightenment in Southern Buddhism, but since more primitive fortunes are described in the corresponding section of Pali 5, I think it was probably subdivided and systematized for later generations.
Also, since it is said that this is a form of meditation and observation, it is unavoidable that it cannot be grasped in words. Shakyamuni said, “Come and see.” That's why I said that.
Moreover, opinions are divided on the details, and the story of reincarnation is involved, and it is insanely troublesome, so even if we are stuck here, we won't move forward at all. For now, wouldn't it be nice to have something like that?

For example, let's say you feel that being alive is hard.
I can't rest my mind no matter what I do. painful.
How can I escape?

People in the olden days believed in reincarnation.
So even if you die with this painful feeling, you won't be able to stop the flow to the next reincarnation. Maybe it will create an extra bad flow.
Death won't solve it. I thought so.

Is there no way to stop this trend somehow?
No, what is this “flow” anyway?
Let's analyze this trend as to why “I am there” and “I am suffering” in the first place. It became.
That's why
“I suffer because I am alive.”
Analyzing the phenomenon “I am alive” in a causal relationship is the twelve causes and effects.

Originally, Buddhism preaches “all laws and nothing,” so “the feeling that 'I am here' is clearly an illusion.” The illusion that “I am here” is called “ignorance,” and since there is that illusion, I saw that it is creating a flow that follows that illusion.
If that's the case, the story is that if you attain enlightenment and break this trend, you can escape suffering, called nirvana silence.
Specifically, it is explained that by erasing “love” (thirst, affliction in the world) in the twelve lucky signs, the back and forth flow is interrupted in a domino style.

Incidentally, the flow of “love → take” is actually the same as “ignorance.” Different words are used depending on the point of view and explanation, but there are cases where these two are regarded as the same effect and called worry rotation.
This means that the feeling that “I am there” itself has the characteristic of “not being able to stop wanting something” (is that true). This becomes the energy that creates the flow of reincarnation.
Similarly, “action → consciousness” corresponds to “having → life,” and is a stage of “strengthening the ego.” The “I” itself is a “concept” with substance rather than a “feeling.”
The final “life, old age and death” shows the world itself made up of various concepts, starting with “me.” It's the same as “understanding →... → receiving.” This also creates further “ignorance.”

This is my poor understanding, so there may be mistakes. In fact, even if you just listen to the explanation, I think it's difficult to put it into practice, so I'd like you to at least grasp the image alone.

　I saw your question. It's within my comprehension, but I'd like to be able to explain it in as easy to understand as possible.
Now, as you mentioned in your question, Buddhism has had the idea of the twelve lucky signs since ancient times. The twelve lucky signs refer to the causal relationship that brings about life in reincarnation. We are all thought to be born and die repeatedly. The reason we repeat that reincarnation is expressed by this zodiac sign.
Once again, let's check those twelve elements along with modern language.

1. Ignorance (fundamental ignorance)
2. Conduct (Act)
3. Consciousness (consciousness)
4. Name color (name and form)
5. 6 points (6 perceptual abilities)
6. Touch (Contact)
7. Reception (sense)
8. Love (desire)
9. Obsession
10. Yes (survival)
11. Birth (birth)
12. Old age death (old age and death)

These are the twelve elements that bring about reincarnation.
There are various interpretations of these twelve lucky signs, but here I would like to explain them from 1 to 10 according to Dragon Tree, a great Indian monk.

First, people with “fundamental ignorance” perform various “acts” due to their ignorance, and the power (habit) of that action remains above “consciousness,” and consciousness carrying that habit brings about life in the next world. The power of action is stored on consciousness until the next effect is exerted. Then, when “consciousness” enters the womb, “names and forms,” which are material and mental entities that make up the body, are formed. Then, when “name and form” is formed, “sensory ability” occurs, and “contact ability” occurs depending on it ” occurs. For example, when the eye sees an object, contact occurs, and “desire” arises from “contact.” Desire arises because we want to obtain sensation. Furthermore, when we have “desire,” we are “obsessed” with it. For example, a desire to obtain pleasure occurs, and an obsession with which we want to obtain it at any cost is born. And the power of action stored in the past obsession is nourished by “desire” and “obsession.” It is “survival” as the cause one step before birth, and it is born into the outside world, grows old, and heads towards death. And while on the way to death, they are driven by fundamental ignorance to act, and they build up the power to act on top of their consciousness. Therefore, even after death, that consciousness brings about the next life and goes through reincarnation.
In Buddhism, we aim to be freed from this reincarnation by judging ignorance at the root of reincarnation.

I think I have something called myself. Therefore, I have the wrong way of thinking that I am myself and that others are others (ignorance).

Therefore, the habits of the body, words, and mind become self-centered (actions).

If you look at it, it's just like you heard it; if it hurts, you can stay where it hurts (consciousness, fame, six places, touch, acceptance),

From there, it takes a step forward in the brain and awakens a heart that wants more and wants more. Or maybe it's the other way around and I don't want to look at it anymore (love).

If you go one step further, this time it's a good thing, and it awakens a sense of evaluation and sifting through things like namagusa. It can also extend to acts such as punching, lying, and having an affair (take).

If you do that for a long time, it becomes more and more of a habit. For example, at first they were just hitting the shadows with a bit of ingenuity, but gradually they became people who spoke ill of themselves as if they were breathing out, and furthermore, they became people who spit when they heard beautiful lines (Yes).

Then everything happened, and no matter what I did, it started to feel like that. I'm always complaining no matter what I do. No matter what you look at, you become someone who holds it at an angle and tries to take it bad or bad. Or if you're in a household or group that hates boys, it becomes more and more contagious (raw).

It's painful to accumulate acts that nobody benefits in this way (death from old age).

If you look at it this way, I think you'll think this is what we always answer. If you are asked, “If I were to give an example that is easy to understand even today, what kind of examples can you think of?”, it is best to read hasunoha normally.

However, there are a number of theories in Buddhist schools and academic theories about the relationship and time axis of each item. They weren't unified in the first place, were they? So it's different from the 12 luckiness I know! You're not going to hit it, are you?

Michi-sama

This is Kawaguchi Hidetoshi. This is my humble answer to the question.

Recently, I was able to read the Japanese trial translation of the “Holy Inari Sutra,” which is the source sutras relating to the “Twelve Lucky Signs,” and I was able to learn even more in detail. It may not be easy to understand, but the background and principles of the explanation are also explained, so I hope you can use it as a complement to your understanding.

“Holy Inari Sutra”
http://media.dalailama.com/Japanese/texts/Sutra-on-Dependent-Origination_JPN.pdf

Kawaguchi Hidetoshi Gassho