Mental Factors of the Mind base\: A Practical Compass (Second Edition) (with over 30,000 additional words, reorganized)

Chapter Five: The Relationship Between Mental Factors and Seeds

I. Mental Factors Are the Manifestations of the Mind's Operation

Mental factors are the manifestations of the mind's operation, encompassing mental states, thoughts, mental activities, wholesome minds, unwholesome minds, neutral minds, concentrated minds, scattered minds, wise minds, afflicted minds, ignorant minds, and so forth, with a scope that is profoundly vast. When these manifestations of the several consciousnesses operate, the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) records and stores them at all times and in all places, transforming them into seeds. Here, "seeds" refer to karmic seeds, not the seven fundamental seeds.

When bodily, verbal, and mental activities operate, the mental activities formed by the mental factors of the seven consciousnesses are all recorded in the eighth consciousness, becoming karmic seeds. When the seventh consciousness (manas) operates separately from the six consciousnesses, can the mental factors of manas still become karmic seeds? Can the solitary curses or solemn vows made by manas, which truly harm others, become karmic seeds? Can manas entering the dreams of relatives to seek help, or entering the dreams of enemies to threaten, or the manas of a dying person coming to see oneself, etc., become karmic seeds? In the states of non-perception (nirodha-samapatti) and cessation (nirodha-samapatti), can the mental activities of manas become karmic seeds? Can the meditative state of devas in the non-perception realm become karmic seeds? During unconsciousness when the six consciousnesses are absent, can this situation become karmic seeds? Does it constitute retribution? Sleeping for over ten hours a day, during which time the six consciousnesses are absent, can this become karmic seeds? Does it constitute karmic fruition? Devas are not born through the womb; humans must enter the womb. Does entering the womb constitute karmic fruition? Can it become karmic seeds? Does the length of time dwelling in the womb constitute karmic fruition? Can it become karmic seeds?

All the various situations and mental activities mentioned above constitute karma, will all become karmic seeds, and all have karmic retribution. The first link of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination: ignorance conditions volitional formations. Although the initial ignorance of manas is not a karmic seed, because of this ignorance, manas gives rise to a mind that externally grasps, desiring to understand certain dharmas. Then, the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) accords and together they create the universe and the vessel world. Afterwards, each individual's Tathagatagarbha creates the five-aggregate body. Thus, karmic actions arise, and subsequently, karmic seeds are stored within the Tathagatagarbha. Therefore, whenever manas stirs, mental karma arises, and karmic seeds are formed.

II. The Solitary Mental Activities of Manas Constitute Karmic Actions and Also Store Seeds

Practitioners of the Pure Land tradition who cultivate diligently in the Saha world, causing manas and the Tathagatagarbha to manifest a lotus platform in the Pure Land, this is a karmic seed. When the karmic seed matures, after death, they are reborn within a lotus in the Pure Land through transformation birth; this is the karmic fruition of their practice. During cultivation, karmic seeds are stored; when the seeds mature, they receive the wholesome retribution in the Pure Land. Manas, separated from consciousness, prompting the appearance of a lotus platform in the Pure Land, should also belong to karmic action and constitute the fruition of practice. However, whether this fruition is ultimately obtained depends on conditions, on whether the seeds can mature. If cultivation regresses, the immature seeds wither, the lotus platform in the Pure Land disappears, and one cannot be reborn there at the time of death.

After sleeping through the night, upon waking in the morning, consciousness comprehends a matter or understands a principle. Throughout the night, consciousness did not arise; it was entirely the solitary mental activity of manas itself. As a result, a matter was understood, and when consciousness arose, this matter became clear. This also constitutes karmic action, also stores seeds, and also has karmic retribution. If manas recites the Buddha's name or mantras throughout the night, or engages in Chan contemplation all night, even without the appearance of consciousness, it is still cultivation, and moreover, it is the best cultivation, the most successful cultivation. It constitutes karmic action, also stores seeds, and also has karmic retribution. However, the solitary mental activities and investigative activities performed by manas alone are all results of previous cultivation done together with consciousness, influenced by the perfuming of consciousness. Therefore, the solitary karmic actions of manas also constitute fruition.

If manas discusses the Dharma with others in the middle of the night, it can also increase wisdom. If manas seeks teachings from Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva in the middle of the night, and Avalokiteshvara patiently answers, then upon waking, consciousness understands and receives the nectar of the Dharma. If one falls seriously ill, and manas goes to seek medicine from an immortal or a Bodhisattva in the middle of the night, and after taking it, one wakes up the next day cured, this constitutes karmic action, stores seeds, and also has karmic retribution.

III. The Relationship Between Karmic Seeds and Mental Factors

The Tathagatagarbha perceives the mental activities of sentient beings, referring specifically to the mental activities of manas. Only when the mental activities of manas manifest can the Tathagatagarbha perceive them and generate the seeds for the arising of the first six consciousnesses, and so forth. All dharmas are brought about through the initiative and prompting of manas. If manas does not choose or act, the six consciousnesses do not arise. Therefore, the Tathagatagarbha necessarily cooperates with manas; it necessarily perceives the mental activities of manas, and only afterwards can it give rise to the six consciousnesses to complete the mental activities of manas. In the operation of all dharmas, the Tathagatagarbha primarily interacts with manas, while also according with karmic seeds. When karmic seeds mature, regardless of whether manas needs, likes, or dislikes it, the Tathagatagarbha will manifest the karmic conditions into actuality.

Karmic seeds are the record of the operation of mental factors. Bodily, verbal, and mental actions are mental factors; all actions are mental factors. If mental factors are pure, actions are pure, and karmic seeds are pure. If mental factors change, karmic seeds change. Body and mind correspond; for example, when the mental factor of anger arises, the body undergoes changes; when the mental factors of lightness, ease, and meditative concentration arise, the body undergoes changes. Who changes the mental factors? Mental factors change themselves; they change themselves. It is not the Buddha who changes them, nor is it the Tathagatagarbha that changes them. Therefore, cultivation is invariably done by oneself; do not expect anyone else to substitute. Thinking that receiving blessings will instantly elevate one to heaven is not the case.

IV. Can Manas Cause the Tathagatagarbha to Store Dharmas in Important or Unimportant Locations?

Question: Some say: After personally experiencing and desiring to grasp a certain dharma, if consciousness does not have an extremely strong intention to remember it, manas, following the judgment of consciousness, will not cause the Tathagatagarbha to store it in a very important location, and thus it is forgotten after a long time. Can manas cause the Tathagatagarbha to store dharmas in important or unimportant locations?

Answer: The Tathagatagarbha is formless and markless; within it, there are no locations, nor does it have inside or outside. The karmic seeds formed by the actions of the six consciousnesses are formless, markless information; they likewise cannot have form or location. Since there are no locations within the Tathagatagarbha, there is certainly no concept of locations being important or unimportant. The Tathagatagarbha also cannot discern the importance or unimportance of karmic seeds and karmic actions; it lacks this discriminatory ability and cannot distinguish which dharmas are important or unimportant. Therefore, the storage of karmic seeds cannot possibly be based on the importance of the dharmas. To take a step back, even if there were important and unimportant locations within the Tathagatagarbha, it would not be manas causing the Tathagatagarbha to store seeds according to the importance of the dharmas. This contradicts the Dharma principle and contradicts the principle of the Tathagatagarbha's natural, spontaneous, and effortless storage of seeds.

In fact, all dharmas created by the actions of the five aggregates and the mind are stored by the Tathagatagarbha into the mind-body at all times without discrimination. Different karma results in different seeds; different mental activities result in different seeds; the kalpas (aeons) for seed maturation also differ. What is meant by different mental activities? It refers to the manifestation of manas and consciousness in the operation of dharmas: whether there are mental factors of greed, hatred, and delusion; whether there is intention or lack of intention; whether it is deliberate or unintentional; what the thoughts and views are; whether there is attachment or aversion; whether there is wisdom or lack of wisdom; whether the mind is concentrated or scattered, and so on—in short, the mental factors of the several consciousnesses. The mental activities of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses differ; their focus on dharmas differs; their application of mind differs; thus, the karmic seeds formed differ. Put simply, karmic seeds are records of the mind's actions; different mental actions naturally result in different records.

On the other hand, regarding the dharmas experienced, sometimes consciousness intends to remember them, but the key is whether manas intends to remember them. If manas does not want to remember, no matter how much consciousness wants to remember, it is useless; ultimately, it will not be remembered. Both remembering and not remembering store seeds, but the seeds stored are completely different. Being able to distinguish the master-servant relationship between manas and consciousness prevents overestimating the role of consciousness.

V. Manas' Discernment of Karmic Seeds

When the Tathagatagarbha encounters mature karmic seeds, it actualizes them, causing the karmic retribution to manifest. Can the Tathagatagarbha encounter immature karmic seeds? Of course it can; it can discern them. The supernatural powers of an Arhat with dual liberation (liberation of mind and liberation through wisdom) can know events concerning sentient beings spanning eighty thousand great kalpas into the past and future. Why can an Arhat know events that will only occur so far in the future? Because the Arhat's manas, following its own Tathagatagarbha, discerns karmic seeds that will mature in future lifetimes; consciousness, following manas, can then discern the manifestation of karmic seeds in future lifetimes. Bodhisattvas on the bhūmis (stages) with supernatural powers can know far more than Arhats, exceeding the scope of eighty thousand kalpas. The Buddha's supernatural powers are incomparably superior to those of Bodhisattvas; He can know events occurring after one asaṃkhyeya kalpa or two asaṃkhyeya kalpas. For example, the Buddha predicts the future Buddhahood of an Eighth Bhūmi Bodhisattva after one asaṃkhyeya kalpa, and occasionally predicts the Buddhahood of a First Bhūmi Bodhisattva.

How do Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats discern events so far in the past or future? This is the result of the combination of meditative concentration (dhyāna) and wisdom (prajñā). Which consciousness of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats knows events countless kalpas in the past and future? It is consciousness that knows. Consciousness knows it from manas; manas knows it from the Tathagatagarbha; the Tathagatagarbha knows it by discerning karmic seeds. However, what the Tathagatagarbha knows differs in content from what the sixth and seventh consciousnesses know.

If the Buddha observes sentient beings, He can observe their experiences from three asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, or even countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago. How is this? Events that occurred countless kalpas ago are "as if before one's eyes," like observing events happening right now; this is directly perceived through direct perception (pratyakṣa), it is a directly perceived realm. This includes events that will occur countless kalpas in the future, also "as if before one's eyes." Events that occurred countless kalpas ago—that karma may have long since vanished and perished. Events that will occur countless kalpas in the future—the karmic seeds are far from mature. How does the Buddha know them? Which consciousness knows them? Some karmic seeds have not yet formed; karmic actions have not yet been performed. How does the Buddha know them? How do Bodhisattvas know them? How do Arhats know them?

A non-Buddhist with supernatural powers can also know events that will happen one or two years, or several years, in the future. The karmic seeds are similarly immature. Which consciousness does he use to know future events? Fortune tellers can also know events that will happen just before death. People without supernatural powers—their Tathagatagarbha can also encounter immature karmic seeds; manas, relying on the Tathagatagarbha, can know events that will occur in future lifetimes, but consciousness cannot know them from manas.

Only Eighth Bhūmi Bodhisattvas can achieve the interpenetration of the six sense faculties (ṣaḍ-indriya-saṃpatti). Arhats with dual liberation can achieve the interpenetration of the six sense faculties. Ordinary supernatural powers are extremely far from the interpenetration of the six sense faculties, yet they can also know events of future lifetimes. This knowing is done by consciousness. So, can consciousness know immature karmic seeds of future lifetimes? Consciousness clearly cannot know karmic seeds, whether present, past, or future. However, manas, relying on the Tathagatagarbha's function of seeing (the "seeing" element among the great elements), may know them; consciousness, relying on manas, can then know events of future lifetimes. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Buddha says that manas silently contains (容, róng) all dharmas. "Contains" means to accommodate and receive. "All dharmas" refers to all dharmas perceived by the Tathagatagarbha, which manas, following it, can all perceive.

How does manas perceive? This perception is the functional activity of manas' five universal mental factors (pañca-sarvatraga). The Tathagatagarbha's perception of karmic seeds is also the functional activity of its five universal mental factors. After the Tathagatagarbha contacts karmic seeds, it discerns the karmic actions and karmic results corresponding to those seeds, then presents these dharmas. Manas, relying on the Tathagatagarbha, contacts and directs attention (manaskāra) to these dharmas, then accepts and receives them (vedanā), subsequently grasps them (saṃjñā), and finally gives rise to the mental factor of volition (cetanā), making choices regarding these dharmas, generating a series of reactions. Initially, wholesome/unwholesome mental factors, the five universal mental factors, and the five object-determining mental factors (pañca-viṣayāḥ) are used to create karmic actions, depositing seeds. Finally, the five universal mental factors are used to discern karmic seeds and karmic results, and again the five universal mental factors are used to undergo karmic retribution. The relationship between mental factors and seeds is precisely this relationship of discerner and discerned.

VI. The Propelling Function of Manas' Mental Factor of Desire (Chanda)

Karmic seeds are formed after manas desires to act and the Tathagatagarbha cooperates by giving rise to the six consciousnesses to perform the actions. However, the appearance of many dharmas is not propelled by consciousness at all; they are entirely propelled solely by manas. For example, before the five aggregates (skandhas) arise, there is no consciousness. It is manas that prompts the Tathagatagarbha to give rise to the universe and the vessel world as the living environment, then to give rise to the five-aggregate body. Only afterwards does consciousness arise, followed by the actions of the five-aggregate body, and then the appearance of karmic seeds. Before waking up from sleep, there is no consciousness; it is manas wanting to wake up, after which one wakes up. During unconsciousness, there is no consciousness; it is manas, based on the body's condition, wanting to wake up, after which the six consciousnesses arise and one regains consciousness.

Initially in the mother's womb, there is no consciousness; it is manas wanting to take rebirth that causes rebirth, wanting to dwell in the womb that causes dwelling, wanting to be born that causes birth. In the states of non-perception and cessation, there is no consciousness; it is manas abiding in that state, and only upon exiting the state does consciousness arise. In all these situations lacking consciousness, manas has desires, and with this desire, it propels the appearance of all dharmas. All events experienced by manas are recorded and stored as seeds by the Tathagatagarbha, all have influence on future lifetimes, and can be known by those with supernatural powers.

VII. Cultivation is the Cultivation of Mental Factors

Body and mind mutually influence each other, are mutually connected, have a close relationship, and even moment by moment constrain each other. The three transforming consciousnesses (the three vijñānas capable of transformation: ālaya, manas, and manovijñāna) moment by moment alter the physical body (rūpa-kāya), and the physical body also moment by moment influences the feelings and thoughts of the conscious mind.

The Buddha said that within the Tathagatagarbha, the seven fundamental seeds are eternally pure, neither wholesome nor unwholesome. Regardless of what wholesome or unwholesome karma these seeds help sentient beings create, upon returning to the Tathagatagarbha, they remain absolutely pure. Sentient beings are constituted by pure fundamental seeds; it is merely that the mental factors of the conscious minds are impure. The wholesome and unwholesome manifestations of body and mind are all caused and created by mental factors. Cultivation is essentially the cultivation of mental factors to transform the seven consciousnesses; it is not the cultivation of the seven fundamental seeds, nor the cultivation of consciousness seeds. Mental factors include both wisdom (明, vidyā) and ignorance (無明, avidyā), both wholesome and unwholesome. Initially, they are all ignorance; ultimately, they are all wisdom. The intermediate process is the path of cultivation, the process of cultivating the mind. From mental factors, one can understand the mental activities of sentient beings; from the changes in mental factors, one can understand the degree of a sentient being's cultivation and the degree of transformation in their mental activities. After consciousness changes, it causes manas to also change, and body and mind immediately change. The transformation of body and mind is primarily the result of the transformation of manas. When meditative concentration (dhyāna) arises during cultivation, the body immediately changes. Therefore, meditative concentration necessarily means manas has concentration; the mental activities of manas have transformed; it no longer severely controls the physical body or grasps at objects; when meditative concentration arises, the physical body changes.

VIII. Habitual Tendencies Have Seeds

When a certain thing is done frequently and becomes habitual, in the future, upon encountering similar matters, one will unconsciously do it, feeling compelled to do it; this is called a habitual tendency (vāsanā). Habitual tendencies reside in manas. When manas habitually does something, habitual tendencies manifest. Consciousness is often unaware of the habitual tendencies of manas. Habitual tendencies are divided into wholesome and unwholesome. Unwholesome habitual tendencies belong to afflictions (kleśa) of ignorance. Manas has possessed the afflictions of ignorance since beginningless time; this is called beginningless ignorance (anādi-avidyā), which has no seeds. However, manas did not have afflictive habitual tendencies in beginningless time, because without the actions of the five-aggregate body, habitual tendencies could not be formed. Later, after the five-aggregate body arose, manas, utilizing the five-aggregate body, continuously manifested the afflictions of ignorance, thus forming habitual tendencies. The unwholesome afflictions created formed seeds. Therefore, habitual tendencies have seeds, but beginningless ignorance has no seeds.

Through the operation of the five-aggregate body life after life in the secular world, ignorance is continuously increased and decreased, causing the habitual tendencies of ignorance to constantly strengthen and weaken. Therefore, in the study and practice of the Buddha Dharma, the severance of all afflictions of ignorance primarily targets the afflictions of manas. Once afflictions are severed, the afflictive habitual tendencies of manas and the branch-like afflictions of the six consciousnesses will gradually disappear entirely. However, this is a process. In actual practice, consciousness first subdues and severs afflictions because consciousness comprehends principles quickly. Understanding the correct principles enables the cultivation and realization of one's own mind. Manas, with its deep-seated afflictive habitual tendencies, comprehends principles slowly, making self-correction very difficult. Therefore, if the afflictions of manas are not subdued and severed, the afflictions of consciousness, once severed, will regenerate based on manas. Cultivation aims to sever all ignorance of manas and increase the wisdom (明, vidyā) of manas. When ignorance is completely severed and wisdom reaches its limit, Buddhahood is attained.

IX. Secrets in the Cooperation Between Manas and Consciousness

There are many secrets to uncover in the cooperation between manas and consciousness; it is not as simple as commonly believed in the world. In the process of the operation of dharmas, in the cooperative process between consciousness and manas, the mental factors of manas regarding dharmas, regarding the mental activities and discernment of consciousness, whether there is conviction (adhimokṣa) or lack of conviction, the seeds stored differ. Whether manas is intentional or unintentional, the seeds stored differ. Whether consciousness or manas dominates, the seeds stored differ. Seeds formed when consciousness knows something but manas has not verified its existence differ from seeds formed when manas and consciousness together verify its existence. The Buddha Dharma is extremely subtle; it is not as commonly portrayed in the world. Only those with profound and detailed wisdom can unravel its threads; those lacking sufficient wisdom should not casually draw conclusions.