What Are the Internal and External Factors of Enlightenment?

The first of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment is mindfulness. Internal mindfulness pertains to the mindfulness of the manas (the mental faculty), while external mindfulness pertains to the mindfulness of the manovijñāna (the consciousness faculty). When the manas lacks the factor of mindfulness, the factor of mindfulness cannot be perfected, and the factor of discrimination of dharmas cannot become manifest. Therefore, the manas must possess the mental factor of mindfulness. The Hīnayāna scriptures implicitly refer to the mental factor of mindfulness within the manas, how much more so do the Mahāyāna scriptures. It is only because sentient beings are heavily obscured by ignorance that they cannot understand the Buddhist scriptures and are unable to discern this.

Judging from the World-Honored One's description of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, the manas possesses the factor of discrimination of dharmas, the factor of vigor (genuine effort), the factor of joy (the manas is not limited to the feeling of equanimity), the factor of tranquility, the factor of concentration (associated with samādhi), and the factor of equanimity. Only after mental activities accord with the Noble Eightfold Path can the conditions for realizing the Hīnayāna fruits of attainment be fully met, enabling the severing of the view of self and the realization of the first fruition (srotāpanna). Otherwise, they are all false fruits, counterfeit fruits. If the conditions are incomplete, if the causes and conditions are insufficient, and forceful guidance is applied, only a false attainment can be obtained.

Among the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, there is the factor of discrimination of dharmas. When one cultivates to this stage, one gains discernment. However, when encountering matters far beyond one's current level, one again lacks the power of discrimination; then one must continue cultivating further. The factor of discrimination of dharmas must be continuously enhanced until it is perfected and complete, enabling one to instantly and correctly discern all dharmas without any doubt.