Phenomena  can  condition  other  phenomena  by  way  of  conascence  (sahajāta-paccaya),  by way of prenascence (purejāta-paccaya) or by way of postnascence (pacchajata-paccaya).  In the case of conascence-condition, a conditioning phenomenon (paccaya dhamma) arises together with the phenomenon it conditions (paccayupanna dhamma). In the case of prenascence-condition, a phenomenon has arisen prior to the phenomenon it conditions. In the case of postnascence-condition, a phenomenon conditions another phenomenon which has arisen prior to itself and has not fallen away yet.

As to prenascence-condition, this is twofold: base-prenascence-condition and objectprenascence-condition.

The  rūpas  which  are  bases  (vatthus)  condition  the  cittas  which  are  dependent  on  them by way of prenascence, purejāta-paccaya.  As we have seen (in Ch 6), the rūpas which are the sense-bases condition the cittas which are dependent on those bases by way of dependencecondition, nissāya-paccaya.  These realities, the rūpas which are bases and the cittas which are dependent on them, are the same as in the case of prenascence-dependence-conditioṇHowever, they are treated separately under prenascence-condition with the purpose of showing that the conditioning realities have arisen prior to the conditioned realities.

Seeing arises at the eye-base (cakkhu-vatthu).  This rūpa which is the eye-sense (cakkhu pasada-rūpa)  and  which  has  the  capacity  to  receive  visible  object,  is  produced  by  kamma. rūpa  cannot  function  as  base  at  its  arising  moment,  since  it  is  then  too  weak.  It  can  only function as base after its arising moment, thus at the time when it is present. It cannot be  base  either  at  its  dissolution  moment.  rūpa lasts  longer  than  citta.  When  we  compare its  duration  with  the  duration  of  citta,  rūpa  lasts  as  long  as  seventeen  moments  of  citta1. Thus, the rūpa which can function as eye-base has to arise before seeing-consciousness, and when  seeing-consciousness  arises  it  is  still  present.   Kamma  keeps  on  producing  this  rūpa throughout  our  life,  also  when  seeing  does  not  arise.   It  produces  all  the  rūpas  which  can function as base throughout life, there never is any lack of them.

The eye-base (cakkhu-vatthu) is base only for seeing-consciousness, it is not base for the other cittas arising in the eye-door process; these have the heart-base (hadaya-vatthu) as their base. The previously arisen ear-base conditions hearing-consciousness, thus, it conditions it by way of prenascence-conditioṇThe other sense-bases also condition the cittas which are dependent on them after having previously arisen, thus by way of prenascenceconditioṇWe read in the “Paṭṭhāna” (II, Analytical Exposition of the Conditions, 10, Prenascence-Condition):

“Eye-base is related to eye-consciousness element and its associated states2 by prenascence-condition.

⦁   See  Appendix  1  where  it  is  explained  that  a  sense  object  which  is  rūpa  and  which  is  experienced  by several cittas arising in a sense-door process lasts as long as seventeen moments of citta. When we are more precise, we can divide one moment of citta into three extremely short periods: its arising moment (uppāda khaṇa), the moment of its presence (tiṭṭhi khaṇa) and its dissolution moment (bhaṇga khaṇa). When  we  take  these  three  periods  of  citta  into  consideration,  the  duration  of  rūpa  is,  compared  to  the duration  of  citta,  three  times  seventeen,  thus,  fiftyone  moments.  rūpa  has  after  its  arising  moment fortynine moments of presence and then there is its dissolution moment.

⦁   The associated dhammas are the accompanying cetasikas.

Ear-base is related to ear-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Nose-base is related to nose-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Tongue-base is related to tongue-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Body-base is related to body-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.”

It seems that seeing, hearing or thinking occur all at the same time, but they arise at different moments, they are dependent on different bases and they experience different objects. When we study the manifold conditions for the realities which arise it will be clearer that there is no self who coordinates all the different experiences. The above quoted text reminds us that seeing, hearing and the other sense-cognitions are only elements, not self. In being mindful of one reality at a time, visible object, sound and the other sense objects can be clearly distinguished from each other. It will be more clearly understood that eye-sense is different from ear-sense and the other senses. As right understanding develops we shall be less inclined to confuse the different realities and to take them for a “whole”, for a person.

The heart-base is the base for all the cittas other than the five pairs of sense-cognitions (seeing,  hearing,  etc.,  which  are  either  kusala  vipaka  or  akusala  vipaka),  and  it  conditions them by way of prenascence-conditioṇOnly at the moment of rebirth the heart-base conditions  the  paṭisandhi-citta  by  way  of  conascence-condition,  sahajāta  paccaya.  At  that moment kamma produces the paṭisandhi-citta and the heart-base simultaneously (see Ch 5).    We  read  in  the  “Paṭṭhāna  (same  section  as  the  above  quoted  text,  XII)  where  the heart-base is referred to as “this matter” :

“Depending on this matter, mind-element and mind-consciousnesselement arise; that matter is related to mind-element and its associated states by prenascence-condition; is sometimes related to mind-consciousness-element and its associated states by prenascence-condition, and is sometimes not related by prenascence-condition.”

Mind-element,    mano-dhātu,    includes   the   pañca-dvarāvajjana-citta,    five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, and the two types of sampat.icchana-citta, receiving-consciousness, which  are  kusala  vipaka  and  akusala  vipaka.   Mind-consciousness-element,  mano-vinñ~aṇadhātu, includes the cittas other than the dvi-pañca-vinñ~aṇas (two pairs of sense-cognitions) and the cittas classified as mind-element. Thus, the mind-consciousness element which is not conditioned by heart-base by way of prenascence, as referred to in the text, is the paṭisandhi-citta. This citta is conditioned by heart-base by way of conascence.

It is of no use to speculate where the heart-base is, but we should know that cittas do not arise outside the body. In the planes of existence where there are five khandhas, that is  to  say,  nama  and  rūpa,  each  citta  needs  a  physical  base  or  place  of  origin,  and  these  are the  five  sense-bases  and  the  heart-base.   This  reminds  us  of  the  interdependence  of  nama and rūpa from  birth to death.

As   regards   object-prenascence-condition,   arammaṇa-purejāta-paccaya,   this   refers   to rūpa  which  can  be  object  of  citta.   Since  rūpa  is  weak  at  its  arising  moment,  it  can  only be  experienced  by  citta  during  the  moments  of  its  presence.   Thus,  rūpa  which  is  object

of citta has arisen previously to that citta; it conditions that citta by way of prenascence. Visible object which impinges on the eyesense is not experienced immediately; there are first bhavanga-cittas3, and then the eye-door adverting-consciousness arises which is the first citta of the eye-door process which experiences visible object. This citta arises at the heart-base which has previously arisen and which conditions the citta by way of base-prenascence-conditioṇIt is succeeded by seeing-consciousness which arises at the eye-base and then by other cittas of the eye-door process which arise at the heart-base. Both base and sense object condition the cittas by way of prenascence. It is the same for the cittas which experience sense-objects through the other sense-doors4. We read in   the   “Paṭṭhāna”   (Analytical   Exposition,   same   section   as   quoted   above)   about   the object-prenascence-conditioṇVisible object is here referred to as “visible object-base”, and the same for the other sense objects. The text states:

“Visible object-base is related to eye-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Sound-base is related to ear-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Odour-base is related to nose-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Taste-base is related to tongue-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Tangible object-base is related to body-consciousness element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.

Visible object-base, sound-base, odour-base, taste-base, tangible object-base is related to mind-element and its associated states by prenascence-condition.”

By the development of satipaṭṭhāna we can prove that our life consists of nama and rūpa arising because of conditions.  Nama experiences an object and rūpa does not know anything. When seeing appears there can be awareness of its characteristic so that it can be understood as a reality, an element which experiences visible object through the eye-door. When awareness arises of the reality which appears through the eyedoor, it can be understood as an element which does not know anything, which does not see, feel or remember. Realities appear through the six doors time and again and when right understanding develops, nama can be known as nama and rūpa as rūpa, and in this way their different characteristics will be distinguished. When we are eating there is flavour and tasting, when we touch something there is tangible object and body-consciousness. When these realities appear and awareness arises there is no need to think of sense-bases, sense objects or any other terms we have learnt from the texts. In being mindful of the characteristics of realities as they appear one at a time, we shall be able to verify the truth that all phenomena which appear are dhammas devoid of self.

⦁       Life-continuum. The bhavanga-cittas experience the same object as the paṭisandhi-citta. They do not experience the objects which impinge time and again on the six doors.

⦁  rūpa  does  not  condition  nama  by  way  of  prenascence-condition  in  the  four  arūpa-brahma  planes  since there  is  no  rūpa  in  those  planes.  Birth  in  the  arūpa-brahma  planes  is  the  result  of  arūpa-jhāna.  Those who  see  the  disadvantage  of  rūpa  cultivate  arūpa-jhāna.   Neither  does  prenascence-condition  occur  in the asaññā-satta plane, the plane of non-percipient beings, where there is  no nama.  Birth in  that plane is  the  result  of  rūpa-jhāna.

1): We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (IV, Saḷāyatana-vagga, Part I, First Fifty, paragraph

“Thus have I heard:  The Exalted One was once staying near Savatthı, at Jeta Grove,  in  Anāthapiṇḍika’s  Park.  Then  the  Exalted  One  addressed  the  monks, saying: ‘Monks.’

‘Lord,’ responded those monks to the Exalted One.

The Exalted One spoke thus: ‘The eye, monks, is impermanent. What is impermanent, that is dukkha. What is dukkha, that is void of the self. What is void of the self, that is not mine; I am not it; it is not my self. That is how it is to be regarded with perfect insight of what it really is.

The ear. . . the nose. . . the tongue. . . the body. . . the mind is impermanent. What is impermanent, that is dukkha. What is dukkha, that is void of the self. What is void of the self,  that is not mine;  I am not it;  it is not my self.  That is how it is to be regarded with perfect insight of what it really is. So seeing, monks, the well-taught ariyan disciple is repelled by eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Being repelled by them, he lusts not for them. Not lusting, he is set free. In this freedom comes insight of being free. Thus he realizes: Rebirth is destroyed, lived is the righteous life, done is the task, for life in these conditions there is no hereafter.’ ”

We read in the same section (paragraph 4):

“Visible objects, sounds, scents, savours, things tangible. . . mind-states (dhammas) are impermanent. . . what is impermanent, that is dukkha. What is dukkha, that is void of the self.  What is void of the self, that is not mine; I am not it; it is not my self. That is how it is to be regarded with perfect insight of what it really is.

So seeing, monks, the well-taught ariyan disciple is repelled by visible objects, by sounds, scents, savours, things tangible. He is repelled by mind-states. Being repelled by them, he lusts not for them. Not lusting, he is set free. In this freedom comes insight of being free. Thus he realizes: ‘Rebirth is destroyed. Lived is the righteous life, done is the task, for life in these conditions there is no hereafter.’ ”

Clinging to the belief that persons and things exist and that we can own them causes a great deal of suffering. The “worldly conditions” of gain and loss, honour and dishonour, praise and blame, wellbeing and misery change all the time. Loss, sickness and death can occur quite suddenly; they are beyond control, but we tend to forget the truth. We cannot expect  immediately  to  have  less  clinging  to  people  and  things.   Even  the  sotapaññā,  the person who has attained the first stage of enlightenment and who has no more wrong view of self, still has attachment and sadness. Only the arahat has eradicated all kinds of clinging. However, when we read the Tipit.aka we can appreciate the numerous reminders of the truth that there is no person, only different elements which are devoid of self. These texts remind us of the truth and they can give us confidence to begin to develop the Path in order to see the realities of our life as elements which arise because of their appropriate conditions and are beyond controḷ

As to postnascence-condition, pacchajata-paccaya, citta and its accompanying cetasikas support  the  rūpas  of  the  body  which  have  arisen  previously  and  have  not  fallen  away  yet.

Thus, in this way citta conditions these rūpas by way of postnascence-conditioṇ Citta does not  cause  the  arising  of  the  rūpas  it  conditions  by  way  of  postnascence,  these  rūpas  have arisen  already  prior  to  the  citta;  it  supports  and  consolidates  these  rūpas  which  are  still present,  since  rūpa lasts  as long as  seventeen moments of citta.

Citta  is  postnascence-condition  for  the  previously  arisen  rūpas  of  the  body  which  have been produced by the four factors of kamma, citta, temperature and nutrition and which have  not  fallen  away  yet.   Citta  supports  and  consolidates  these  rūpas.   The  paṭisandhicitta cannot be postnascence-condition, since there is no previously arisen rūpa at the first moment of life.  At the first moment of life kamma produces rūpas simultaneously with the paṭisandhi-citta, but after that, throughout our life, citta is postnascence-condition for the previously arisen rūpas of the body.  The five pairs of sense-cognitions do not produce rūpa, but  they  condition  the  previously  arisen  rūpas  of  the  body  by  way  of  postnascence,  they consolidate  these5.   The  arūpavara  vipākacittas6   which  arise  in  the  arūpa-brahma  planes cannot  be  postnascence-condition,  since  there is  no rūpa in those  planes.

In  the  case  of  base  and  object  which  are  prenascence-condition,  rūpa  conditions  nama, whereas  in  the  case  of  postnascence-condition  nama  conditions  rūpa.    The  teaching  of prenascence-condition,    purejāta-paccaya,    conascence-condition,    sahajāta-paccaya,    and postnascence-condition, pacchajata-paccaya, reminds us of the intricacy of the relationship between different phenomena. Seeing, for example, is the result of kamma and it is dependent on the previously arisen eye-base which is also produced by kamma. Seeing experiences visible object which has previously arisen but which does not last longer than seventeen moments of citta. There is no self who could arrange for seeing to find its proper base; the eye-base has previously arisen and is already there when seeing arises. There is no self who could fetch visible object at the right moment so that seeing can see it and the other cittas of the eye-door process can also experience it,  before it falls  away.    Visible  object  arises  together  in  a  group  of  rūpas  including  the  four  Great Elements and these condition it by way of dependence-condition, nissāya-paccaya, and by conascence-condition,  sahajāta-paccaya,  but  seeing  does  not  experience  the  other  rūpas which arise together with visible object; it only sees visible object, that is, what appears through eyesense. Several conditions coincide and this makes it possible for seeing to arise at the eye-base and to see visible object. We take the experiences which occur time and again in our daily life for granted, but they all are dependent on several conditions, they  are  interrelated  in  different  ways.   Cittas  and  the  rūpas  of  the  body  are  interrelated, they  need  one  another.   Seeing  and  all  other  cittas  support  and  consolidate  the  rūpas  of the body which have already arisen, they condition them by way of post-nascence. The different conditions for the phenomena of our life are operating right at this moment.

Shortly before death kamma does not produce the heart-base anymore. The cittas arising shortly before death are depending on one last heart-base and this ceases with the ceasing of the dying-consciousness. At the simultaneous arising of the heart-base and citta, birth occurs and at the simultaneous ceasing of the heart-base and citta, death occurs. The  dying-consciousness  produces  rūpa  (except  in  the  case  of  the  arahat)  and  these  rūpas last  only  seventeen  moments  of  citta.  At  death,  also  nutrition  ceases  to  produce  rūpa  and

⦁   The  cittas  which  produce  rūpa  condition  their  arising  by  way  of  conascence-condition  and  dependencecondition, see Ch 5 and 6. As explained, the five sense-cognitions of seeing, hearing, etc., do not produce rūpas,  but  they  consolidate  the  rūpas  which  have  been  produced  before  by  one  of  the  four  factors.

⦁   These  cittas  are  the  results  of  arūpa-jhāna  and  they  perform  the  function  of  rebirth  and  of  bhavanga.

only  temperature,  which  produces  rūpas  both  in  the  body  and  in  dead  matter,  keeps  on producing  rūpas  of  the  corpse  that  is  left.   All  this  reminds  us  of  the  frailty  of  life  which consists  of  only nama and  rūpa  depending  on conditions.