First of all, this topic is better suited for the Abhidhamma section. But it is too late now to move it there.
Regarding Question #1 and #2 of TripleGemStudent:
It seems that this section of Paticcasamuppadavibhanga MAY HAVE some mistakes.
– However, without spending a lot of time I cannot say for sure.
– As I mentioned in the earlier comment, within each Paticca Samuppada cycle, there are 4 sub-cycles. This is why the Buddha told Ven. Ananda that Paticca Samuppada can get to very deep levels. See, “Mahānidāna Sutta DN 15)” English translation there: “The Great Discourse on Causation”
– The way it is written, it is very difficult to sort out the sequences involved in the 4 sub-cycles as I explained to Seng Kiat last year in an email exchange. Hopefully, that will make it clear somewhat. Obviously, this complex process cannot be described in a post or even a couple of posts. But you can get a rough idea of the complexity involved.
Seng Kiat:
In the Kusala-Mūla Paṭicca Samuppāda topic under #3, the “ viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpa, nāmarūpa paccayā saḷāyatana, saḷāyatana paccayā phasso” should be replaced with “ viññāṇapaccayā nāmaṃ, nāmapaccayā chaṭṭhāyatanaṃ, chaṭṭhāyatanapaccayā phasso”.
The nāma and chaṭṭāyatana are mentioned only in the Vibhaṅga of Tipiṭaka Abhidhamma section 6 Paṭiccasamuppādavibhaṅga under “2.2 Kusalaniddesa 2.10.1. 2.10.1 Kāmāvacarakusalacitta 2.10.1.1. Mahākusalacitta”.
The chaṭṭāyatana is the sixth āyatana which is the mind (mano).
#6 nāma only without the rūpa.
#7 (nāma only) and #8 saḷāyatana also to be replaced with chaṭṭhāyatana.
My Reply:
This is a bit complex process that you mentioned. There are three more steps to it, to complete. You may be able to see that if you read further there.
The process that I describe in the post is the NET RESULT.
It is section 2. 2 Abhidhammabhājanīya close to the beginning of the webpage:
https://suttacentral.net/vb6/pli/ms
The KUSALA-MULA process that you refer to comes much later.
The Vibhanga (for some reason) explains ONLY the AKUSALA-MULA PS process in detail (over many pages until the KUSALA-MULA section that you refer to.
I would not have been able to figure that out if I did not have access to the discourses of Waharaka Thero. He explained that in detail.
As I said previously, “It is not easy to follow those 16 cycles. There are 4 cycles each for 2.1. Paccayacatukka, 2.2. Hetucatukka, 2.3. Sampayuttacatukka, 2.4. Aññamaññacatukka.
That means for four types of paccaya: paccaya, hetu, sampayutta, Aññamañña.
– As you can see there are four cycles (catukka) within each.”
Such a DETAILED analysis is NOT given for the KUSALA-MULA process.
– It just stops after the first step in a 16-step process.
– But if you go through the AKUSALA-MULA steps you may be able to see what I am trying to say.
– It seems that part of the Vibhanga did not get transmitted!
– It is too bad that Waharaka Thero is not there to ask.