Friends:

What is the Starting Point of Advantageous States?

Venerable Bahiya once approached the Blessed Buddha and asked:
Sir, Please teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that I can withdraw into
retreat and dwell secluded, keen, alert and resolute
Well then, Bahiya, purify the very starting point of advantageous states.
And what is the starting point of advantageous states?

Morality that is well purified and a view that is made straight #...
Then, Bahiya, when your Morality is well purified and your view is straight,
based upon Morality, established upon Morality, you should develop these
Four Foundations of Awareness. What four? Here, Bahiya, live reflecting on:

1: The Body merely as a transient & compounded Form..
2: Feelings just as vanishing Reactions to sense-contact..
3: Mind only as a group of habitual & temporary Moods..
4: Phenomena simply as discrete momentary Mental States..

Thereby removing desire jealousy, envy & discontent rooted in this world..
When, Bahiya, based upon Morality, established upon Morality, you develop
these Four Foundations of Awareness in such a way, then both night & day,
you will grow in all advantageous states, and not decline into degradation!
Then the Venerable Bahiya, delighted, enjoying and rejoicing in what the
Blessed Buddha had explained, rose from his seat, and, after kneeling for
the Blessed One, keeping him on his right, he left. Then dwelling all alone,
withdrawn, diligent, ardent, and resolute, the Venerable Bahiya, realizing
it by direct experience, in this very life entered that incomparable goal of
the Noble life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from this
household life into homelessness. He directly knew: Destroyed is rebirth,
the Noble life is completed, done is what had to be done, there is no more
coming into any state of being. And the Venerable Bahiya became another
one of the perfected and awakened Arahats.

Comment #: Efficacy of Kamma!
The Straight View is understanding that everyone is responsible for
their own actions & that all beings experience the delayed resulting
effects - good as bad - not only in this life, but in many future lives!

Details On Foundations of Awareness (Sati):
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Awareness.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Awareness_Sati.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Causes_of_sati.htm

Source of reference (edited extract):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya.
Book [V: 165-6] 47 The Foundations of Awareness: 47 Bahiya..