Verified
Grammatical Analysis
Āsevanapaccaya: [m.] Repetition condition; Habitual recurrence condition. Formed by āsevana (practice, repetition, cultivation) + paccaya (condition).
Orthodox Definition
Āsevana-paccaya is the twelfth of the 24 Conditions. It explains the psychological mechanics of habit, skill, and karmic momentum.
In a standard cognitive process (citta-vīthi), the active, karmically potent phase is called javana (running). There are usually seven javana mind-moments in rapid succession. Āsevana-paccaya dictates that the first javana moment conditions the second, making it stronger; the second conditions the third, making it even stronger, and so on. The preceding moment infuses its exact ethical quality (wholesome or unwholesome) into the succeeding moment through sheer repetition.
The sub-commentaries clarify that this specific condition serves exclusively to increase functional proficiency and karmic power, which distinguishes it from passive resultant or purely functional indeterminate states.
Quote
12. āsevanapaccayaniddesavaṇṇanā
- Explanation of the Repetition Condition
12. paguṇatarabalavatarabhāvavisiṭṭhanti etena vipākābyākatato viseseti.
“More practiced and more powerful” distinguishes it from results of kamma (vipāka) and indeterminate states (abyākata).āsevanapaccayaniddesavaṇṇanā niṭṭhitā.
The explanation of the repetition condition is concluded.— Pañcapakaraṇa-mūlaṭīkā (Paṭṭhānānuloma-mūlaṭīkā)
Textual References
- Abhidhamma: Paṭṭhāna – “Preceding wholesome states are related to succeeding wholesome states by repetition condition.”
- Sub-commentary: Paṭṭhāna-mūlaṭīkā – Defining the definitive functional parameters of the repetition condition as generating an increasingly proficient and potent force (paguṇatarabalavatarabhāva).