The Five Object-Specific Mental Factors of the Seventh Consciousness

The five particular mental factors (pañca-viśeṣa-citta-caitta) of the seventh consciousness (manas) include five mental factors: desire (chanda), determination (adhimokṣa), mindfulness (smṛti), meditative concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā). Because of ignorance, among these five mental factors, the samādhi, wisdom, and determination of the seventh consciousness cannot be manifest and operating at all times and in all places, but can only manifest and operate on certain occasions. Because of ignorance, the seventh consciousness sometimes lacks meditative concentration; because of ignorance, the seventh consciousness sometimes lacks wisdom; because of ignorance, the seventh consciousness sometimes cannot determine the meaning of the Dharma with determination. If ignorance is extinguished and no longer obscures the seventh consciousness, the seventh consciousness will be able to abide in meditative concentration at all times and in all places—such is the case with bodhisattvas of the eighth bhūmi and above and all Buddhas; it will have wisdom at all times and in all places—such as all Buddhas; and it will be able to determine the meaning of the Dharma with determination at all times and in all places—such as all Buddhas.

As for the true suchness of the fundamental Buddha of all Buddhas, the undefiled consciousness (amala-vijñāna), it abides in meditative concentration at all times and in all places, possesses great wisdom at all times and in all places, and can determine all dharmas with determination, without any ignorance. The eighth consciousness of sentient beings is also like this, but the content of its samādhi, wisdom, and determination differs from that of the seventh consciousness. The seventh consciousness has samādhi, wisdom, and determination with respect to the Four Noble Truths, whereas what the eighth consciousness determines is not worldly dharmas; its samādhi is not worldly samādhi, and its wisdom is even less worldly wisdom.