Kiriya cittas are ahetuka - without roots, but not without any cause(s).
Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines
‘Kiriya Citta: functional consciousness’ or ‘karmically inoperative consciousness’, is a name for such states of consciousness as are neither karmically wholesome (kusala), nor unwholesome (akusala), nor karma-results (vipāka); that is, they function independently of karma.
Thus are also called all those worldly mental states in the Arahat which are accompanied by 2 or 3 noble roots (greedlessness, hatelessness, undeludedness), being in the Arahat karmically neutral and corresponding to the karmically wholesome states of a non-Arahat (s. Tab. 1-8 and 73-89), as well as the rootless mirth-producing (hasituppāda) mind-consciousness-element of the Arahat (Tab. 72); further, that mind-element (mano-dhātu) which performs the function of advertence (āvajjana) to the sense object (Tab. 70), and that mind-consciousness-element (manoviññāna-dhātu) which performs the functions of deciding (votthapana) and advertence to the mental object (Tab. 71).
So all kiriya cittas are conditioned. Remember there are many different conditions explained in the Patthana (hetu paccaya is only one). Here is just one case( p. 164)
> CONDITIONAL RELATIONS
(PATTHANA) VOL. I
U NARADA
** S A Y A D A W**
Natural strong-dependence: The Arahat, by the strong-dependence of bodily happiness, generates the functional attainment which has not et arisen, (He) enters the (functional) attainm ent which has arisen, (He) practises insight into the impermanency, suffering and im personality of the formations. . . . bodily pain . . . temperature. . . food . . . by the strong-dependence of lodging-place, generates the functional attainm ent which has not y e t arisen, enters the (functional) attainm ent which has arisen, practises insight into the impermanency, suffering and im personality of the formations.
In the end all (wrong)views are tethered around an idea of self. And that is what the development of satipatthana-vipassana gradually eradicates.
When pariyatti is sufficient and correct then sacca ñåna, the first round of understanding, becomes strong and this leads into the kicca ñana and kata nana. But we really need to get this first round developed well.
Dispeller of Delusion p.106
“And while, about the world, the world’s arising, the world’s cessation, and the means thereto,
A man’s confused, so long is he unable to recognise [and understand] the Truths”.