What Is Perception?

In the five universal mental factors of the eight consciousnesses, there is ideation (saṃjñā). This "ideation" refers to the discerning function, thinking function, and grasping function of the conscious mind. It also represents desire and aspiration, representing hope, occupying nearly half of sentient beings' mental activities. It serves as the basis and driving force for the conscious mind's choices and decisions.

Among these, the ideation of the five sense consciousnesses (vijñāna) is relatively simple and direct. It functions to discern and differentiate the five sense objects (rūpa, śabda, gandha, rasa, sparśa). Its grasping nature is not strong nor obvious, operating under the impetus and regulation of the manas (the seventh consciousness). Without the impetus of the manas, there would be no ideation in the five sense consciousnesses. The ideation of the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna, the sixth consciousness) is rich in content and relatively obvious, involving more complex thinking. It possesses a degree of autonomy but also a large degree of passivity. Its autonomous part cannot significantly contradict the thoughts, will, or views of the manas; otherwise, the manas will stop it, preventing it from continuing, and this can easily cause the manas to become emotionally unstable, leading to psychological issues. The ideation of the sixth consciousness is classified within the aggregate of ideation (saṃjñā-skandha) among the five aggregates (skandhas). It has the function of accumulating the seeds (bīja) of all dharmas, undergoing birth, cessation, and change, lacking autonomy.

The ideation of the manas not only has discerning and differentiating functions, but primarily has the function of grasping (upādāna). Because the manas grasps onto all dharmas, there is the continuous arising and ceasing of all dharmas, with unceasing birth, cessation, and change. The grasping nature of the manas is classified as the "grasping" (upādāna) within the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (dvādaśāṅga-pratītyasamutpāda). Due to the grasping of the manas, there is subsequent "becoming" (bhava) and the cycle of birth and death (saṃsāra). Therefore, the ideation of the manas plays a crucial role in both the arising and the cessation of all dharmas. Broadly speaking, the manas also has the function of accumulating all dharmas, and it plays a primary role, so it should also be classified within the aggregate of ideation among the five aggregates.

The ideation of the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) is relatively simple, functioning only to discern and differentiate. It is extremely rapid, never involving deep pondering. It knows whatever dharmas it encounters without the need for thinking, deliberation, pondering, reasoning, or other mental activities, being distinctly different from the other seven consciousnesses. This is because the eighth consciousness is free from ignorance (avidyā); its wisdom (prajñā) is exceptionally strong, functioning almost like an automated program of discernment without any pause or hesitation, and it does not take any dharmas to heart. Due to the ideation of the eighth consciousness, there is the eighth consciousness's choice regarding dharmas and seeds. Consequently, all dharmas continue to operate uninterruptedly—this arises, that ceases; that arises, this ceases—operating in an orderly manner without the slightest confusion. Sentient beings often perceive the world as chaotic; that is determined by karma to be necessarily so. No matter how chaotic the world of the seven consciousnesses and the five aggregates may seem, the operation of the eighth consciousness remains undisturbed. Therefore, the ideation of the eighth consciousness has a decisive accumulative function for the world of the five aggregates. Broadly speaking, it also belongs to the category of the aggregate of ideation.