Mental Factors of the Mental Faculty (Part 1)

In the process of discerning all phenomena and cultivating the Buddha Dharma, the mental factor of attention arises within the seven consciousnesses. Among these, the attention of the mental faculty (manas) is primary, as it triggers the attention of the six consciousnesses. The attention of the mental faculty has prerequisite conditions and specific causes and conditions; depending on the varying causes and conditions, its attention also differs. Towards that which is interesting, it attends with attachment; towards that which is uninteresting or disliked, it attends by immediately withdrawing; towards that which is deemed unimportant, it attends but does not engage further after the initial attention.

"Desire" (chanda) refers to wish, volition, aspiration, or seeking. For example, aspiring to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss: if it is merely the consciousness (mano-vijñāna) that aspires, while the mental faculty does not aspire, it is ineffective—one cannot reach the Pure Land. Only when there is the aspiration and desire of the mental faculty can one be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The aspiration of the mental faculty is called profound faith and earnest vow.

If the mental faculty has no thoughts or aspirations whatsoever, no undertaking can be accomplished. If the mental faculty no longer seeks the dharmas of the Triple Realm (triloka), upon death it enters the state of Nirvāṇa without residue (nirupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa). This is the case with Arhats: when the mental faculty seeks no worldly dharmas whatsoever, it severs all desire and craving for all worldly dharmas. Only when the mental faculty desires to realize the fruits (of enlightenment) and aspires to realize the mind and see the true nature (of reality), can it choose to diligently cultivate the Buddha Dharma and fulfill the Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment (bodhipakṣikā dharmaḥ). If the mental faculty lacks this thought and seeking, such a person fundamentally cannot apply effort diligently; the thoughts of the consciousness do not play a decisive role—they are only useful after permeating the mental faculty.

If the mental faculty does not wish to learn the Buddha Dharma, the consciousness cannot contemplate the Dharma; instead, it will contemplate worldly dharmas and engage in worldly affairs. "Wishing" means seeking, which is desire. If the mental faculty lacks desire, it makes no choice, cannot incline towards anything, and will not take action; consequently, the corresponding dharmas will not arise. When the consciousness thinks about cultivating or striving diligently, if this thought does not permeate the mental faculty, it remains merely a thought—genuine diligence is impossible, and there can be no actual action. Actual action is determined and initiated by the mental faculty.