Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

"Whenever such phenomena as consciousness and mental concomitants are arising by giving preponderanceto one of these 4 things, then this phenomenon is for the other phenomena a condition by way ofpredominance" (Patth.). Cf. iddhi-páda.(4-5) Proximity and contiguity (or immediacy)-condition (anantara and samanantara-paccaya) - both beingidentical - refer to any state of consciousness and mental phenomena associated with them, which are theconditions for the immediately following stage in the process of consciousness. For example, in the visualprocess, eye-consciousness is for the immediately following mindelement - performing the function ofreceiving the visible object - a condition by way of contiguity; and so is this mind-element for the nextfollowing mind-consciousness element, performing the function of investigating the object, etc. Cf.viññána-kicca.(6) Co-nascence condjtion (sahajáta-paccaya), i.e. condition by way of simultaneous arising, is aphenomenon that for another one forms, a condition in such a way that, simultaneously with its arising, alsothe other thing must arise. Thus, for instance, in one and the same moment each of the 4 mental groups(feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness) is for the 3 other groups a condition by way ofco-nascence or co-arising; or again each of the 4 physical elements (solid, liquid, heat, motion) is such acondition for the other 3 elements. Only at the moment of conception in the mother's womb does corporeality(physical base of mind) serve for the 4 mental groups as a condition by way of conascence.(7) Condition by way of mutuality (aññámañña-paccaya). All the just mentioned associated and co-nascentmental phenomena, as well as the 4 physical elements, are, of course, at the same time also conditioned byway of mutuality, "just like three sticks propped up one by another." The 4 mental groups are one for anothera condition by way of mutuality. So also are the 4 elements, and also mentality and corporeality at themoment of conception.(8) Support-condition (nissaya-paccaya). This condition refers either to a pre-nascent (s. 10) or co-nascent (s.6) phenomenon which is aiding other phenomena in the manner of a foundation or base, just as the trees havethe earth as their foundation, or as the oil-painting rests on the canvas. In this way, the 5 sense-organs and thephysical base of the mind are for the corresponding 6 kinds of consciousness a prenascent, i.e. previouslyarisen, condition by way of support. Further all co-nascent (s. 6) phenomena are mutually (s. 7) conditionedby each other by way of support.(9) Decisive-support (or inducement) condition (upanissaya-paccaya) is threefold, namely (a) by way ofobject (árammanúpanissaya-paccaya), (b) by way of proximity (anantarúpanissaya), (c) natural decisivesupport (pakatupanissaya). These conditions act as strong inducement or cogent reason.(a) Anything past, present or future, corporeal or mental, real or imaginary, may, as object of ourthinking, become a decisive support, or strong inducement, to moral, immoral or karmicallyneutral states of mind. Evil things, by wrong thinking about them, become an inducement toimmoral life; by right thinking, an inducement to moral life. But good things may be aninducement not only to similarly good things, but also to bad things, such as self-conceit, vanity,envy, etc.(b;) is identical with proximity condition (No. 4).(c) Faith, virtue, etc., produced in one's own mind, or the influence of climate, food, etc., onone's body and mind, may act as natural and decisive support-conditions. Faith may be a directand natural inducement to charity, virtue to mental training, etc.; greed to theft, hate to murder;unsuitable food and climate to ill-health; friends to spiritual progress or deterioration.(10) Pre-nascence-condition (purejáta-paccaya) refers to something previously arisen, which forms a basefor something arising later on. For example, the 5 physical sense-organs and the physical base of mind,having already arisen at the time of birth, form the condition for the consciousness arising later, and for themental phenomena associated therewith.