Thank you for this. This was helpful to my meditation. It helps me to not force myself to focus on a meditation object. I feel like studying Abhidhamma will also help me meditate better.
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(Opinion)
It’s even more important in paññā Bhavana. Its hard for us to imagine the mind of a yogi but for example they can discern the arising of cakkhuviññāṇa and investigate the causes.
From the commentary to the Patthana
arūpino hi khandhā cakkhādīnaṃ vatthūnaṃ abbhantarato nikkhamantā viya uppajjanti. tattha āsaṅkā hoti – "kiṃ nu kho ete etehi sampayuttā, udāhu vippayuttā"ti.
In short for some yogis, it can appear convincingly like cakkhāyatana is a citta sampayutta dhamma. Having just heard a sutta phrase like ‘cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṃ’ he might not investigate further. But a yogi learned in the Abhidhamma would have heard that cakkhāyatana conditions cakkhuviññāṇa as a vippayutta condition, this would prompt him to investigate more sharply.
And so indeed Pariyatti is a upanissaya( very strong condition) for not just patipatti but for pativedha as well.
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What an excellent post. 
It is the nature of the mind to do this- to contemplate what we have heard.
Sometimes it stops at mere remembering but it may go futher to condition investigation of the present moment in relation to what has been remembered ( as you said).
It is all so natural- ordinary even. Simple in a way - but because it pertains to the understanding of reality, to namas and rupas, it is so deep.
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