All Seven Consciousnesses Possess the Mental Factor of Determination (Adhimokṣa)

Determination (adhimokṣa) means that the conscious mind, with respect to the dharmas it encounters, can understand and comprehend them as they truly are — the most reasonable understanding, the most accurate understanding, without misinterpretation or false interpretation (mithyā-dṛṣṭi), and without misunderstanding. If there is misinterpretation and determination cannot be achieved, then one cannot make correct and error-free choices, and one's actions and conduct will surely be wrong, with serious consequences. If, when I teach the Dharma, you are never able to attain determination, then my teaching is in vain and your learning is in vain, with no result — and perhaps misunderstandings may even arise. If someone talks with you and you cannot attain determination, you will distort the other person's meaning, be unable to make a reasonable and normal response, and the two of you cannot communicate normally — and such communication is useless. In this way, people cannot communicate and interact with one another, and cannot live in the same space.

Among the seven consciousnesses, whichever consciousness lacks determination cannot correctly interpret the corresponding dharma, and cannot make correct and appropriate choices; the result is like a blind person who cannot walk, and the conscious mind cannot function normally. The five sense consciousnesses also have determination — can the five sense consciousnesses understand the Buddha's teachings? The conscious minds of animals all have determination — do animals all study Buddhism? If the power of determination of animals were entirely lower than that of humans, how could they hunt their prey accurately and in a timely manner? How could they survive? In fact, if you give your family's pet dog a glance or an expression, the dog can instantly understand it and carry out the command without a word — and humans are even more so. The bodily, verbal, and mental actions of all sentient beings are decided by the manas. Since it can make correct choices and enable the five-aggregate body to function normally, the manas must certainly possess the mental factor of determination. Not only do the six consciousnesses have determination, but the manas has even greater power of determination than the five sense consciousnesses, and is far more nimble than they are.