Mental Factors of the Mind base\: A Practical Compass (Second Edition) (with over 30,000 additional words, reorganized)
Section 2: The Mental Factor of Greed-Affliction of the Manas
1. Manifestations of Greed for Money
Since beginningless kalpas, the manas has always carried a greedy and defiled nature. For example, take the habit of coveting money: in the past, when cash was commonly used, a person with heavy greed would, upon walking onto the street, unconsciously search for whether any money had been dropped on the street. Occasionally, in a corner where no one was paying attention, they would very quickly spot money that others had dropped, and then immediately the mind consciousness would be able to judge the value of the money, after which they would decide to pick it up and put it into their pocket. In this process, the manas attends and directs its attention (manaskāra) to every location, and the mind consciousness searches at every location, being very sensitive and attentive to money and objects. However, the manas does not know specifically what the mental sense-objects (dharma-viṣaya) it contacts are; it does not recognize money and objects, and needs to rely on the discrimination of the six consciousnesses to know. The six consciousnesses transmit what they have discriminated to Him, and only then can the manas know how much money it is, and then decide whether to pick it up.
Because the manas is interested in money and attends to money, the eye consciousness and mind consciousness can arise; only afterward can the mind consciousness and eye consciousness discover the money. But it is first the manas that attends and directs its attention; He relies on the mind consciousness to be attentive to matters such as money. The manas pays attention to and is mindful of very many things, and knows a great deal, but He can only know the general situation, not the details and specific contents. Judging money and objects is the business of the mind consciousness; the manas usually cannot make such discriminations and judgments. The manas's wisdom of discrimination regarding the specific characteristics of the six sense-objects is somewhat inferior; He cannot analyze and judge, and cannot know the specific six sense-objects; He must rely on the analysis and discrimination of the mind consciousness to know. But there are also special cases: if the manas is extremely familiar with and especially attached to something, its intuition is very strong; even with senile dementia, when the mind consciousness can no longer discriminate normally, the manas can still habitually attend and cling.
If one has cultivation and self-cultivation, the manas will not covet others' money, will not covet wealth unrighteously gained; then on the street or in deserted places, even if one happens to discover money dropped by others, one will not pick it up. Such a person is one who, over a long period of time, does not covet things that are not one's own. The mind consciousness also has greed; the greed of the mind consciousness may be formed after birth through environmental conditioning, or may be influenced by the conditioning of the manas. When the mind consciousness is conditioned by the environment, it will in turn condition the manas, and after the manas is conditioned, it will become even greedier. If the manas is not greedy and is not conditioned by the mind consciousness, He will obstruct the mind consciousness and not allow the greedy conduct of the mind consciousness to arise; if the mind consciousness is not greedy, it can also influence the manas, making the manas no longer greedy.
Therefore, the postnatal environment is also very important; it can influence and condition the mind consciousness, and after the mind consciousness is conditioned, it will go on to condition the manas. If it is wholesome conditioning, of course that is good; if it is unwholesome conditioning, then the defilement of the manas will become more and more serious. A person with good roots and merit and with cultivation will not be subjected to the unwholesome conditioning of the postnatal environment, and only accepts wholesome conditioning. If the mind consciousness could not condition the manas at all, then learning Buddhism and cultivating would be useless. Cultivation is precisely to let the mind consciousness be conditioned by wholesome dharmas, and then to condition the manas and transform the manas; only then can the ultimate goal and result of cultivation be achieved. The Buddhas, in any adverse postnatal environment, are never subject to defiled conditioning, because the Buddha's mind is already ultimately pure and is no longer subject to any conditioning.
2. Two Levels of Greed: Shallow and Deep
Many people think this way: money is something one brings nothing at birth and takes nothing at death; giving it away or losing it doesn't matter, having it or not doesn't matter. But when one day one truly loses a large sum of money, the mind is truly restless and distressed, suffering immensely. The one who feels it doesn't matter is the mind consciousness; in fact, no matter how the mind consciousness feels, it is of little use. Such catchphrases, at critical moments, appear pale and powerless. Many people thus deceive themselves and others; when it comes to the real test, the heart is so reluctant and stingy.
Because at critical moments, the deep-level psychological issues of the manas are involved—all actions are decided by the manas, and this is no longer as simple as the mind consciousness's catchphrases. Speaking is whatever the mind consciousness casually says, but doing is definitely decided by the manas. If the manas has greed and defilement, has greed and stinginess, then speech and action cannot be consistent, and may even be inverted. For some people's deep-level psychological problems, ordinary persuasion and admonition no longer work; one must go deep into the innermost heart, dig out the root of the inner illness, and then prescribe the right medicine, effectively guiding the manas to subdue the affliction of greed and stinginess, in order to change the psychological habit of greed and stinginess.
3. Only When the Manas Has a Self Is There Greed
When the manas takes the five-aggregate body as self, it will protect the physical body at all times and in all matters. Regarding food and drink, it regulates and controls the mind consciousness and eye consciousness to be picky about the color and nutrition of food, drives the tongue consciousness and mind consciousness to crave fragrance, taste, and nutrition, takes the taste sense-object as real, takes the sense of taste as truly existent, and takes the body as real and true, and thus continuously craves food and drink.
In fact, delicious flavors arise and cease, change and transform moment by moment, and do not last long; the sense of taste likewise arises and ceases, changes and transforms moment by moment, and does not last long. After the sense of taste disappears, there is nothing gained; while the sense of taste exists, there is nothing gained. After the delicious food enters the esophagus, there is nothing gained; while the delicious food exists, there is likewise nothing gained. After digestion, there is nothing gained from the nutrition; while the nutrition exists, there is likewise nothing gained. After the physical body perishes, there is nothing gained; while the physical body exists, there is likewise nothing gained.
Yet because the seven consciousnesses crave food and drink, they are trapped in the six paths of saṃsāra in the desire realm, suffering continuous suffering. Coveting a momentary fleeting feeling, they sink for tens of millions of years in the ocean of saṃsāra and karma—how do the suffering and pleasure compare? It is the same when the eye sees forms, the ear hears sounds, the nose smells scents, the body feels touch, and the mind thinks of dharmas: a brief, impermanent, illusory pleasant feeling is exchanged for endless suffering—why bother?
Constantly contemplate the self within one's own mind; observe whether, in the various activities of the five-aggregate body, everything revolves around that so-called self—taking one's own awareness and feeling capacity as the real, true self, taking the various activities of the physical body as the real, true self—and then craving and clinging to these so-called selves without realizing it, so that the suffering of birth and death is unceasing and the cycle of saṃsāra never stops. Frequently keep the mind in meditative concentration (samādhi), observe and introspect on one's own words and deeds, find that beloved self in the mind, and through contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), deliberation, subduing, and dissolving it, finally let go of it and eradicate it; then one will not be bound by it, and can attain liberation and freedom.
4. The Difference Between the Two Mental Factors of Greed and Non-Greed
Question: When looking at a blank sheet of paper on a table versus looking at jewels on a table, what is the difference between the manas's greedy nature and its equanimous nature? What is the difference in the operation of the eight consciousnesses?
Answer: In both cases, the operating procedure of the eight consciousnesses is the same. What differs is that when the six consciousnesses, or rather the seven consciousnesses, are currently active, there are some differences in the mental factors, and the duration of each consciousness's discrimination differs. In the two situations, the seven consciousnesses differ in mental factors: whether the greed mental factor arises in the sixth and seventh consciousnesses and the eye consciousness, whether the feelings involved are defiled, and whether more desires arise. In the operation of the five universal mental factors, for something of interest, the contact certainly lasts longer, the attention (manaskāra) also lasts longer, the feelings are different, the intensity of grasping within the perception mental factor is different, and the content of the volition mental factor's decision is also different.
Regarding the five particular mental factors: in the first case, there is no desire—knowing it is a blank sheet of paper, one does not want to look further; in the second case, the desire is very strong, wanting to look more at the gems. The mindfulness mental factor is different: in the first case, the mind no longer dwells on it; in the second case, every thought is of the gems. When looking at gems, the greed mental factor of the eye consciousness and mind consciousness will manifest, and the grasping nature of the manas and of the eye consciousness and mind consciousness is also relatively strong, so the manas will decide to look a while longer. When looking at a blank sheet of paper, it is not like this: after receiving it and knowing it is a blank sheet of paper, the manas's volition mental factor decides not to look anymore, and no greedy clinging mind arises.
The operation of the seven consciousnesses proceeds roughly as follows: the manas spontaneously wants to look at the table, so the body faculty and eye faculty cooperate—actually it is the body consciousness, eye consciousness, and mind consciousness obeying the manas's command, cooperating with the manas to look at the table, turning the head toward the table; here there is the cooperative activity of the body consciousness and mind consciousness. Then the inner eye faculty contacts the inner object-aspect (nimitta) of the table, the manas contacts the mental sense-object on the table, and the eighth consciousness produces the eye consciousness and mind consciousness, and the table is seen.
At the same time, the blank paper is also contacted. The eye consciousness and mind consciousness discover the blank paper on the table; the discriminated contents of the two consciousnesses must be transmitted to the manas moment by moment. The manas, knowing it, feels that a blank sheet of paper is nothing remarkable, decides not to look anymore, and moves the eye faculty away; the two consciousnesses then shift away from the blank paper—actually they cease on the blank paper, following the manas as it turns to other places, and the body faculty also moves away accordingly.
In this process, the ear consciousness hears the surrounding sounds, the nose consciousness smells the surrounding scents, the tongue consciousness tastes the flavors in the mouth, and the body consciousness feels the touch sense-objects of the body. Except for the ear consciousness, the discriminations of the other consciousnesses are slight, and the mind consciousness may not necessarily be able to perceive them. From beginning to end, the eighth consciousness is cooperating; the specific cooperative relationships will not be discussed. Among the mental factors, the activities of the manas and mind consciousness are the most numerous and most evident. For things the manas does not care about, the six consciousnesses discriminate less; even if they discriminate, they may not know clearly, because the consciousnesses may be weak and feeble. The less the manas cares, the faster and slighter the six consciousnesses' discrimination, almost the same as not discriminating at all. So if one is not attentive, many things are as if never encountered; a cursory glance is similar to this principle. If something is of great interest, one will not merely glance at it, but will look very slowly and carefully. So slowness is focus, is meditative concentration (samādhi); one can discriminate clearly, the content known is more, deeper, and finer, and wisdom can arise.
When looking at gems, the mental factors of the manas and mind consciousness manifested are far more complex than when looking at a blank sheet of paper. Each consciousness must manifest the five universal mental factors, and the desire mental factor also arises, and the greed mental factor also arises; then the eighth consciousness must be wearied into turning along with them back and forth—although all dharmas are within His mind-substance, He never moves, and never feels busy or tired.
5. Why Is the Power of Doubtful Thought So Great?
Doubtful thoughts can be deep or shallow. If the doubting thought is very deep and its power relatively great, it is hard to extricate oneself from it—this certainly means the manas deep within has already given rise to doubt, so both body and mind are unsettled. If only the mind consciousness doubts while the manas does not doubt, this doubt is relatively shallow, and body and mind remain as usual, with no change. If the manas gives rise to doubt and does not believe, the tathāgatagarbha, discriminating the manas's volition mental factor, will cancel out all previous mental activities, including the wholesome dharmas and merit that were created; therefore heavy doubt is not necessarily a good thing.
Doubt is an affliction that we need to resolve and overcome. Doubt and disbelief belong to afflictions and fetters, a kind of obstruction that needs to be gradually removed in cultivation. With doubt unresolved, birth and death cannot be ended, so we must find ways to resolve the doubt in our minds. If one has already created merit and then doubts oneself, the quantity and degree of the merit will be reduced. If we have truly created wholesome karma, we should not doubt our own merit; just acknowledge it as wholesome karma—it certainly is wholesome karma, with wholesome retribution. Because behind the manas there is the tathāgatagarbha cooperating, the tathāgatagarbha knows all the manas's mental activities. If the manas doubts and does not believe in that merit, the tathāgatagarbha will cancel out some of the record of that merit, and the meritorious nature is reduced.
Just like when we are at the time of death: if every thought is of the unwholesome karma created in this life, the tathāgatagarbha will cooperate and manifest that unwholesome karma, and we will undergo retribution according to that unwholesome karma. But we can control this thought. For the unwholesome karma created over a lifetime, before death we should try our best to repent of it; if it truly cannot be repented, then before death, in the mind, do not form a strong thought of it—let it fade and be forgotten; at the time of death it is best not to recall it, and then the tathāgatagarbha may not let that karma manifest, because the conditions for the karma's manifestation are not mature.
The thought at the time of death determines our destination in the next life. Whatever the manas is mindful of, the tathāgatagarbha will try its best to accord with—what one thinks of is almost what one gets. Thinking of the land of bliss (sukhāvatī), one goes to the land of bliss; being mindful of the Sāha world, one remains in the Sāha world—all dharmas are produced by mind and thought. Whatever thought the manas has at death, whatever power of vow, the tathāgatagarbha tries its best to cooperate and strive to realize that power of thought and vow. Therefore, at death, as long as we have a wholesome vow, a vow aspiring to the land of bliss, the tathāgatagarbha will certainly cooperate with us to be reborn in the land of bliss; if our thought at death is not good and corresponds to the unwholesome karma of this life, then the retribution of unwholesome karma will manifest, and we may go to the three evil paths. So the thought at death is most important. Having done wholesome karma, do not doubt your own wholesome karma; being mindful of and thinking about the wholesome karma, there is a great likelihood of following that wholesome karma to receive a wholesome retribution.
6. When the Manas Has Doubt, Thoughts Are Unceasing
The mind consciousness can think about rather abstract dharmas, but the manas does not easily correspond to abstract thinking; He must personally experience it, and only what He sees with His own eyes does He consider real and can accept. Therefore, if the manas has doubts about something, it will keep dwelling on it, with every thought on that matter—whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, eating or sleeping, whether in a crowd or alone—the mind holds that matter, pondering it, until the matter is clarified; only then is there no more doubt, and the doubt in the mind can be relinquished.
7. The Price of Conceit of Self
Learning Buddhism and cultivating is precisely to make the manas confirm that all dharmas are not self. Once everything is fully confirmed, one has arrived home and need not cultivate anymore. If He confirms a part, one gains that part of liberation; if He confirms everything, one attains ultimate and complete liberation. Having a self is karmic obstruction, is ignorance; because of self, various obstructions arise; without self, there is no obscuration. Therefore, we should not always put the self on display, letting everyone see how great that self of yours is, how clever, how wise—"I surpass all of you, I..." If it is like this, the conceit of self is very serious and can completely obstruct one's progress on the Path, making one's practice no longer advance, and may even cause regression. I have met quite a few people who regressed on the Path because of conceit of self and lost the benefit of wholesome dharmas—this is truly an unwise course of action.
