The Operational Functions of Wisdom Mental Factors

The discriminative faculty (prajñā) is present in all eight consciousnesses. Discriminative faculty is clarity, while its absence is ignorance (avidyā). This mental factor manifests the consciousness-mind's clarity regarding the apprehended appearances (nimitta). Naturally, this clarity varies in degree. Only the eighth consciousness possesses complete and thorough clarity regarding the apprehended appearances, without any ignorance. The other seven consciousnesses exhibit varying degrees of clarity regarding the apprehended appearances; it is not complete clarity, and ignorance is present, with ignorance outweighing clarity. The degree of clarity is reflected in the different levels of lucidity towards various apprehended appearances and varies under different causal conditions.

The discriminative faculty operates concurrently and mixed with other mental factors, inseparable from them. If, during the operation of the consciousness-mind, the discriminative faculty does not function, then the operation of the consciousness-mind becomes disordered, the discernment of the corresponding appearances becomes unclear, and it becomes impossible to make correct, true, and proper choices, nor can choices be made swiftly. The result can be imagined. The discriminative faculty functions at every stage of the operation of the five universal mental factors (sarvatraga-caitta), and it must also function during the operation of the other particular mental factors (viniyata-caitta); otherwise, the consciousness-mind becomes disordered and cannot make choices that accord with reality and principle.

For example, in the operation of the eye-consciousness, the initial attention (manasikāra) and contact (sparśa) of the eye-consciousness itself might occur without the participation of the discriminative faculty. However, as the operation proceeds further, the discriminative faculty becomes involved. When the eye-consciousness receives the form objects (rūpa), the discriminative faculty functions, enabling the knowledge of what the form is. Subsequently, when grasping (upādāna) the form objects, the discriminative faculty functions, and when making choices regarding the form objects, the discriminative faculty functions even more. The stronger the discriminative faculty, the wiser the choices, and the more wholesome the results. The same applies to the other consciousnesses, especially the operation of the sixth consciousness and the seventh consciousness, where the force of the discriminative faculty is greater, and the discrimination is stronger. However, this discriminative faculty is also divided into worldly discriminative faculty and Buddhist discriminative faculty. Worldly discriminative faculty is actually ignorance, not true clarity; it cannot lead to liberation and the attainment of Buddhahood, and may even have the opposite effect, causing one to sink deeply into worldly rebirth without being aware of it.

During the operation of the particular mental factors, the discriminative faculty also operates simultaneously with them. The discriminative faculty combines and operates together with the desire mental factor (chanda), combines and operates together with the conviction mental factor (adhimokṣa), combines and operates together with the mindfulness mental factor (smṛti), and combines and operates together with the concentration mental factor (samādhi). However, the strength of the discriminative faculty varies; its power is sometimes strong and sometimes weak, leading to vastly different results.