A kamma that was formerly committed conditions the arising of the rebirth-consciousness, the first citta of this life, which immediately succeeds the dying-consciousnsess of the previous life. After the rebirth- consciousness has fallen away, the same kamma is the condition for the arising of the next vipaakacittas, which perform the function of the life- continuum (bhavanga) . The bhavanga-citta maintains the continuation in the life of someone as a particular person. It performs the function throughout life, in between the processes of cittas, until the dying-consciousness arises and one passes away from life in this plane of existence.