Grammatical Analysis
Aññamaññapaccaya: [m.] Mutuality condition; Reciprocity condition. Formed by aññamañña (one another, mutual, reciprocal) + paccaya (condition).
Orthodox Definition
Aññamañña-paccaya is the seventh of the 24 Conditions. It is a highly specific sub-category of the Co-nascence condition (Sahajāta-paccaya).
While co-nascent phenomena arise together, they do not always mutually support each other equally. Aññamañña-paccaya occurs only when two or more phenomena arise together and act as an equal, reciprocal support for one another.
For example, the four mental aggregates (feeling, perception, formations, consciousness) cannot exist without each other; they are mutually conditioning. The classic simile is a tripod made of three sticks. The three sticks stand up only because they lean against one another. If you remove any single stick, the entire tripod collapses. They are bound by mutuality.
Textual References
- Abhidhamma: Paṭṭhāna – Explicitly stating that the four immaterial aggregates are related to one another by mutuality condition.
- Commentary: Paṭṭhāna-aṭṭhakathā – The tripod simile (ti-daṇḍa) brilliantly illustrating perfect reciprocal dependence.