The Five Object-Specific Mental Factors of the Five Sense Consciousnesses

Question: The first five consciousnesses only have the function of discernment through direct perception (pratyakṣa), not inference (anumāna). Therefore they should not possess the five specific mental factors. The arising and operation of the first five consciousnesses is mainly driven by the manas, right?

Answer: The first five consciousnesses have the mental factor of meditative concentration (samādhi). If the five consciousnesses had no concentration, the eye consciousness would grasp at many kinds of objects, the ear consciousness would grasp at many kinds of objects, the nose consciousness would grasp at many kinds of objects, the tongue consciousness would grasp at many kinds of objects, and the body consciousness would grasp at many kinds of objects; the mind consciousness would certainly follow along and grasp at many kinds of objects as well—would not the mind then be in great confusion? If the five consciousnesses had no concentration, the mind consciousness could not be concentrated either; the mind consciousness would inevitably discern everywhere along with the five consciousnesses, and in this way the mind would easily become tangled in confusion.

It is plainly evident that the five consciousnesses can each become concentrated on one or two objects without scattering or distraction, discerning in a subtle manner. This shows that the five consciousnesses can have concentration and can be in accord with concentration. If the six consciousnesses had no concentration, this would show that the manas is without concentration, because the grasping at objects by the five and six consciousnesses is the result of being led by the manas' clinging; if the manas does not wish to perceive objects, the six consciousnesses cannot perceive objects. Therefore, if the manas had no concentration and were not in accord with concentration, then cultivation could never attain meditative concentration (dhyāna), and the four dhyānas and eight samādhis could not be cultivated either. Worldly people could only live in the human world of the desire realm, and there would be no sentient beings existing in the heavens.

The five consciousnesses have the wisdom of discernment; they can generate discrimination and confirmation regarding the five sense objects, and can clearly discern and discriminate the five sense objects. Therefore the five consciousnesses have the mental factor of wisdom (prajñā). When the wisdom of the five consciousnesses is strong, it is also brought forth by the concentration mental factor of the five consciousnesses—concentration giving rise to wisdom is precisely this principle. By the same token, the wisdom of the manas is mostly also brought forth by concentration, and especially the wisdom after afflictions have been eliminated and the consciousnesses have been transformed into wisdom is even more brought forth by the concentration mental factor of the manas. Since the five consciousnesses can confirm what the five sense objects actually are, this shows that the five consciousnesses have the mental factor of determination (adhimokṣa), being able to clearly understand and firmly determine the characteristics of the dharmas of the five sense objects.

The five consciousnesses' nature of approaching or avoiding the objects of the five sense objects shows that the five consciousnesses have the mental factor of desire (chanda). For example, when the eye consciousness encounters soft, gentle colors, it actively approaches them; when it encounters intensely glaring sunlight, it naturally avoids it—this is the desire mental factor of the eye consciousness. The ear consciousness vigorously avoids harsh, grating sounds, while toward soft, gentle music the mind yearns for it. The nose consciousness has a mind to avoid pungent, acrid odors, while toward warm, fragrant scents it approaches the object and gives rise to craving and attachment. The tongue consciousness actively seeks out and approaches delicious flavors, and vigorously avoids irritating tastes. The body consciousness approaches gentle and exquisite tactile sensations and gives rise to craving and attachment, while toward intensely painful, adverse contacts it urgently avoids them. The above shows that the five consciousnesses have a faint desire mental factor, far fainter than the desire mental factor of the mind consciousness, not manifestly evident, and not easy to observe.

The five consciousnesses, toward objects previously experienced, also have a certain quality of mindfulness (smṛti). Because of this quality of mindfulness, they can have the desire mental factor, and can give rise to craving and attachment, not wishing to leave the object, clinging to the object and not letting go.

The five consciousnesses possess the complete set of the five specific mental factors, only they are faint; generally what manifests are the five specific mental factors of the mental consciousness accompanying the five sense consciousnesses (pañcavijñāna-sahagata-manovijñāna). But upon subtle analysis, they can still be distinguished. Speaking in general terms, the arising and operation of the five consciousnesses is still controlled and determined by the manas, and thus the desire mental factor of the five consciousnesses appears all the more faint and indistinct, obscured by the manipulation of the manas, and very difficult to discover.