The Difference and Connection between the Mental Factor of Perception (saṃjñā) and the Mental Factor of Mindfulness (smṛti)

The five universal mental factors (sarvatraga-caitta): manaskāra (attention), sparśa (contact), vedanā (feeling), saṃjñā (perception), and cetanā (volition). The five particular mental factors (viniyata-caitta): chanda (desire), adhimokṣa (determination), smṛti (mindfulness), samādhi (meditative concentration), and prajñā (wisdom). The perception mental factor belongs to the five universal mental factors, operating at all times and in all places; whenever a conscious mind appears, the perception mental factor is operating, because the main function of consciousness is to recognize and discern the dharmas it contacts—perception means discerning and knowing, taking a mark upon the mind. Only after a mark has been taken upon the mind can there be decision-making; and only after a dharma has been decided upon can the five particular mental factors operate.

In the operation of the five particular mental factors, first there arises desire, interest, longing, and seeking toward the dharma that has been decided upon. After a certain degree of determination (adhimokṣa) regarding the dharma has been established, one will then be mindful of the dharma, and the mindfulness mental factor appears. Without the prior discernment and knowledge of the dharma, there can be no subsequent determination regarding it; if one cannot attain determination regarding the dharma, one will not be mindful of it. If one does not understand the dharma and does not long for it, how could it be kept in mind and held in mindfulness? The fact that it can be kept in mind shows that the dharma has already been understood and is felt to be important, something one needs. This means that it is because of the perception mental factor that the mindfulness mental factor exists—hence the term "xiangnian" (thinking-of, composed of perception and mindfulness): first perception, then mindfulness.

This mindfulness mental factor corresponds to the mindfulness factor among the seven factors of enlightenment. For example, in cultivating and studying the Four Noble Truths, only by fully understanding the Four Noble Truths, knowing their importance for the cycle of birth and death, and having attained a considerable degree of determination regarding them, can the mindfulness factor of enlightenment arise—the mind constantly and continuously engaged in contemplating the Four Noble Truths and comparing them against the daily activities of the five aggregates. If one has not yet sufficiently discerned and understood the principle of the Four Noble Truths, it is impossible to be mindful of the dharma of the Four Noble Truths.

From this it can be seen that the operation of the five universal mental factors has no preconditions—they can follow the conscious mind in operation at all times and places—whereas the appearance of the five particular mental factors necessarily requires preconditions; they cannot appear at all times and places, but only occasionally when the conditions are complete. The mental factors of desire, determination, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom each require different conditions, and the five mental factors are respectively the conditions for the appearance of the subsequent mental factors—the preceding mental factors determine whether the subsequent mental factors will appear. Therefore, the wisdom mental factor is not something everyone has, nor can it appear with respect to all dharmas; the same is true of the concentration mental factor, and likewise the mindfulness mental factor; the determination mental factor and the desire mental factor are both like this as well.