Grammatical Analysis
Purejātapaccaya: [m.] Pre-nascence condition; Condition of arising beforehand. Formed by pure (before, previously) + jāta (born, arisen) + paccaya (condition).
Orthodox Definition
Purejāta-paccaya is the tenth of the 24 Conditions. It describes a situation where a material phenomenon arises before a mental phenomenon, and by persisting in existence, conditions that subsequent mental phenomenon.
In Abhidhamma physics, physical matter (rūpa) lasts 17 times longer than a single mind-moment (citta). Therefore, the physical eye-base and the physical visible object must arise before the eye-consciousness can strike them. Because the eye and the object are already born and waiting, they serve as the Purejāta-paccaya for the seeing consciousness that arises slightly later.
The commentaries use the simile of the sun and the moon. The sun and moon arise in the world long before human beings are born, yet their pre-existing light provides the condition for humans to see and live.
Textual References
- Abhidhamma: Paṭṭhāna – “The eye base is related to eye-consciousness element… by pre-nascence condition.”
- Commentary: Paṭṭhāna-aṭṭhakathā – Providing the cosmic simile of the pre-existing sun and moon, and the musical simile of a lute (the strings must exist before the sound can be made).