The Five Object-Specific Mental Factors of the Five Consciousnesses

Question: The first five consciousnesses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body) possess only the function of direct perception (pratyakṣa) and lack inferential cognition (anumāna). Therefore, they should not have the five specific mental factors (caitasika). The manifestation and operation of the first five consciousnesses are primarily driven by the mental faculty (manas), right?

Answer: The first five consciousnesses possess the mental factor of concentration (samādhi). If the five consciousnesses lacked concentration, the eye consciousness would fixate on multiple objects, the ear consciousness on multiple objects, the nose consciousness on multiple objects, the tongue consciousness on multiple objects, and the body consciousness on multiple objects. Consequently, the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) would inevitably also fixate on multiple objects. Wouldn't the mind then be thrown into great chaos? If the five consciousnesses lacked concentration, the mental consciousness could not be concentrated either; the mental consciousness would necessarily follow the five consciousnesses, cognizing objects everywhere, thus easily becoming entangled like tangled hemp.

We observe that the five consciousnesses can each remain concentrated on one or two objects without scattering, cognizing subtle distinctions. This demonstrates that the five consciousnesses can possess concentration and be associated with it. If the six consciousnesses lack concentration, it indicates that the mental faculty is unstable. This is because the fixation of the five and six consciousnesses on objects is the result of the mental faculty primarily directing the process of grasping (prāpti). If the mental faculty does not wish to perceive an object, the six consciousnesses cannot perceive it. Therefore, if the mental faculty lacks concentration and is not associated with it, one would forever be unable to attain meditative absorption (dhyāna) through practice; the four dhyānas and eight samādhis could not be cultivated. Sentient beings would only be able to exist in the human realm of the desire realm (kāma-dhātu), and there would be no beings existing in the heavens.

The five consciousnesses possess the discerning wisdom (prajñā); they can generate discrimination and confirmation regarding the five sense objects (rūpa, śabda, gandha, rasa, sparśa), enabling clear cognition and discrimination of them. Therefore, the five consciousnesses possess the mental factor of wisdom (prajñā). When the wisdom of the five consciousnesses is strong, it is also elicited by their mental factor of concentration; the principle that wisdom arises from concentration applies here. Similarly, the wisdom of the mental faculty is largely elicited by concentration, especially the wisdom attained after eliminating afflictions (kleśa) and transforming consciousness into wisdom (jñāna), which is even more so elicited by the mental faculty's mental factor of concentration. Since the five consciousnesses can confirm what the five sense objects actually are, this indicates they possess the mental factor of decisive understanding (adhimokṣa), enabling clear comprehension and decisive understanding of the characteristics of the objects of the five senses.

The characteristic of the five consciousnesses to move towards or avoid the objects of the five senses indicates they possess the mental factor of desire (chanda). For example, the eye consciousness actively moves towards soft colors upon encountering them, while naturally avoiding strong, glaring sunlight; this is the desire factor of the eye consciousness. The ear consciousness strenuously avoids harsh sounds, while yearning for soft, light music. The nose consciousness has an aversion to pungent odors and moves towards pleasant fragrances, giving rise to attachment. The tongue consciousness actively seeks out delicious flavors and moves towards them, while strenuously avoiding irritating tastes. The body consciousness moves towards light and pleasant touches, giving rise to attachment, while urgently avoiding harsh, painful, or adverse contact. The above demonstrates that the five consciousnesses possess a subtle mental factor of desire, much weaker and less apparent than that of the mental consciousness, making it difficult to observe.

The five consciousnesses also possess a certain degree of recollection (smṛti) towards previously experienced objects. Because of this recollective nature, they can have the mental factor of desire and can give rise to attachment, not wishing to leave the object, clinging to it without letting go.

The five consciousnesses fully possess the five specific mental factors, albeit subtly. They are generally manifested as the five specific mental factors associated with the mental consciousness that accompanies the five sense consciousnesses (the five sense-door consciousnesses). However, upon careful analysis, they can still be discerned. Overall, the manifestation and operation of the five consciousnesses are still controlled and determined by the mental faculty. Consequently, the desire factor of the five consciousnesses appears even more subtle and indistinct, obscured within the manipulation by the mental faculty, making it very difficult to detect.