--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, "James Whelan" <james.whelan5@...> wrote:

> To say that an effect 'possesses' its cause is (to me at least)
> something of a novel idea.

One of related texts, the Upanisaa Sutta (SN 12.23), describes the upanisaa sequence in this kind of syntax:
Vimuttimpaaha.m, bhikkhave, saupanisa.m vadaami, no anupanisa.m. Kaa ca, bhikkhave, vimuttiyaa upanisaa? ‘Viraago’tissa vacaniiya.m.

"I say that liberation has a precondition, and is not without a precondition. And what, monks, is the precondition of liberation? I would say it is dispassion."

So AN 8.81 says that vimutti is upanisasampanna 'endowed with a precondition'. I.e. a precondition for the arising of liberation has been identified.

I'm very doubtful about using 'cause' rather than 'condition' in this context. Upanisaa, like its synonym nidaana, suggests 'resting on'. As does the etymology of pa.ticca 'grounded on, going back to'.

If you do know of a text which clearly says that "x causes y" with an active verb, I would be very interested to read it.

Best Wishes
Jayarava