[544] A wholesome phenomenon (dhamma) is a condition for a wholesome phenomenon by decisive-support condition (upanissaya-paccaya): object decisive-support (ārammaṇūpanissaya), proximity decisive-support (anantarūpanissaya), natural decisive-support (pakatūpanissaya).
Object decisive-support: Having given a gift (dāna), having undertaken virtue (sīla), having performed the uposatha observance, one esteems that and reviews it. One esteems and reviews what was formerly well practiced. Having emerged from jhāna, one esteems and reviews the jhāna. Trainees (sekkha) esteem and review change-of-lineage (gotrabhū); they esteem and review cleansing (vodāna). Trainees, having emerged from the path (magga), esteem and review the path.
Proximity decisive-support: The preceding wholesome aggregates (khandha) are, in each case, a condition for the subsequent wholesome aggregates by decisive-support condition. Conformity (anuloma) is a condition for change-of-lineage, conformity for cleansing, change-of-lineage for the path, cleansing for the path, by decisive-support condition.
Natural decisive-support: Depending on faith (saddhā), one gives a gift, undertakes virtue, performs the uposatha observance, produces jhāna, produces insight (vipassanā), produces the path, produces superknowledge (abhiññā), produces attainment (samāpatti). Depending on virtue … learning (suta) … generosity (cāga) … wisdom (paññā), one gives a gift, undertakes virtue, performs the uposatha observance, produces jhāna, produces insight, produces the path, produces superknowledge, produces attainment. Faith … virtue, learning, generosity … wisdom is a condition for faith, for virtue, for learning, for generosity, for wisdom by decisive-support condition.
The preliminary work (parikamma) for the first jhāna is a condition for the first jhāna by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the second jhāna is a condition for the second jhāna by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the third jhāna is a condition for the third jhāna by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the fourth jhāna is a condition for the fourth jhāna by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the sphere of the infinity of space (ākāsānañcāyatana) is a condition for the sphere of the infinity of space by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the sphere of the infinity of consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana) is a condition for the sphere of the infinity of consciousness by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) is a condition for the sphere of nothingness by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) is a condition for the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception by decisive-support condition.
The first jhāna is a condition for the second jhāna by decisive-support condition. … The fourth jhāna is a condition for the sphere of the infinity of space, the sphere of the infinity of space for the sphere of the infinity of consciousness, the sphere of the infinity of consciousness for the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of nothingness for the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, by decisive-support condition.
The preliminary work for the divine eye (dibbacakkhu) is a condition for the divine eye by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the divine ear element (dibbasotadhātu) is a condition for the divine ear element by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the knowledge of supernormal powers (iddhividha-ñāṇa) is a condition for the knowledge of supernormal powers by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the knowledge penetrating the minds of others (cetopariya-ñāṇa) is a condition for the knowledge penetrating the minds of others by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the knowledge of the reminiscence of past lives (pubbenivāsānussati-ñāṇa) is a condition for the knowledge of the reminiscence of past lives by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the knowledge of how beings fare according to their kamma (yathākammūpaga-ñāṇa) is a condition for the knowledge of how beings fare according to their kamma by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the knowledge of the future (anāgataṃsa-ñāṇa) is a condition for the knowledge of the future by decisive-support condition.
The divine eye is a condition for the divine ear element by decisive-support condition. The divine ear element is a condition for the knowledge of supernormal powers by decisive-support condition. The knowledge of supernormal powers is a condition for the knowledge penetrating the minds of others by decisive-support condition. The knowledge penetrating the minds of others is a condition for the knowledge of the reminiscence of past lives by decisive-support condition. The knowledge of the reminiscence of past lives is a condition for the knowledge of how beings fare according to their kamma by decisive-support condition. The knowledge of how beings fare according to their kamma is a condition for the knowledge of the future by decisive-support condition.
The preliminary work for the first path is a condition for the first path by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the second path is a condition for the second path by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the third path is a condition for the third path by decisive-support condition. The preliminary work for the fourth path is a condition for the fourth path by decisive-support condition. The first path is a condition for the second path by decisive-support condition. The second path is a condition for the third path by decisive-support condition. The third path is a condition for the fourth path by decisive-support condition.
Trainees, depending on the path, produce the attainment that has not yet arisen, enter upon the attainment that has arisen, and see formations (saṅkhāra) with insight as impermanent, as suffering (dukkha), as non-self. The path is a condition for the trainees' discrimination of meanings (attha-paṭisambhidā), discrimination of ideas (dhamma-paṭisambhidā), discrimination of language (nirutti-paṭisambhidā), discrimination of sagacity (paṭibhāna-paṭisambhidā), and skill in what is possible and what is impossible (ṭhānāṭhāna-kosalla), by decisive-support condition.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.