Intentions, plans or underlying tendencies become the basis for the continuance of consciousness from one life to the next.

"Whatever one intends, plans, and has an underlying tendency (attachment, clinging, grasping, holding onto) towards, bhikkhus, this becomes a basis for the continuance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is established and comes to growth, there arises the future renewal of being. With the future renewal of being as condition, future birth, aging, and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering.

If one does not intend, does not plan, but still has an underlying tendency towards, bhikkhus, this becomes a basis for the continuance of consciousness. When there is a basis, there is a support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is established and comes to growth, there arises the future renewal of being. With the future renewal of being as condition, future birth, aging, and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair come to be. Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering.

However, bhikkhus, when one neither intends, nor plans, nor has an underlying tendency towards, there is no basis for the continuance of consciousness. With no basis, there is no support for the establishing of consciousness. When consciousness is not established and does not come to growth, there is no future renewal of being. With no future renewal of being, there is no future birth, aging, and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair. Thus, the cessation of this entire mass of suffering occurs."

As long as an underlying tendency (attachment, clinging, grasping, holding onto) is present at the time of break up of the body and mind (during death), it becomes the basis for the continuance of consciousness. In this way, there arises the future renewal of being.

Related Teachings:

Rare That One Obtains the Human State (DhP 182, SN 55.48) - The Buddha is sharing in these teachings on the rarity of being born as a human being, on the rarity of being born at a time when a Buddha has arisen, and on the rarity of being born when one has gained access to the Dhamma.

Consciousness stands dependent on the other four aggregates (SN 22.53) - Consciousness stands dependent on the other four aggregates, and this attachment is what fuels the cycle of rebirth.

Knowledge of Aging and Death | 44 bases for knowledge (SN 12.33) - The 44 bases of knowledge for each link of dependent origination that can be directly realized as well as understood through inference.