The Relationship Between the Cetasikas of Consciousness and the Cetasikas of the Mind Base

Question: "After the seeds of consciousness give birth to the seven consciousnesses, mental factors accompany their operation, and only then do the consciousnesses possess the three natures: wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral." These mental factors belong to the mental factors of the manas (ego-consciousness), right? Because the manas contains innate and differentiated habits, and the first six consciousnesses, when born from the seeds of consciousness, should all be pure. They acquire the three natures only after being influenced by the mental factors of the manas. Is this understanding correct?

Answer: Whichever consciousness operates, its corresponding mental factors accompany it. Because the mental consciousness (the sixth consciousness) is regulated and directed by the manas, once the mental consciousness operates, the arising of its own mental factors is inevitably influenced and regulated by the mental factors of the manas. When the manas intends to perform a wholesome act, the wholesome mental factors arise and inevitably cause the wholesome mental factors of the mental consciousness to arise, in order to carry out the manas's instruction. The arising of unwholesome mental factors and neutral mental factors follows the same pattern.

If the manas intends to give alms (dāna), it must direct the six consciousnesses to perform the specific actions. Thus, the birth of the six consciousnesses is to cooperate with the manas, aiming to execute the wholesome act of giving alms. Therefore, the mental factors of the mental consciousness, upon birth, are necessarily wholesome, consistent with the mental factors of the manas. If the manas intends to give alms, it must direct the six consciousnesses to perform the specific actions. Thus, the birth of the six consciousnesses is to cooperate with the manas, aiming to execute the wholesome act of giving alms. Therefore, the mental factors of the mental consciousness, upon birth, are necessarily wholesome, consistent with the mental factors of the manas. If the manas does not wish to give alms, then regarding the wholesome act of giving alms, neither the mental consciousness nor its mental factors will arise or operate. This means that whenever the mental factors of the consciousness operate, the three natures manifest. Therefore, to purify the consciousness, one only needs to purify the mental factors of the root manas; the other consciousnesses will then follow and become purified.

If the manas intends to kill or commit arson, it will cause the six consciousnesses to be born to accomplish this unwholesome act. Because the specific actions of killing and arson require the six consciousnesses to be carried out—the manas cannot perform them itself—the mental factors of the six consciousnesses, upon birth, are necessarily unwholesome, consistent with the mental factors of the manas. Therefore, the manas must possess all wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral mental factors to enable the six consciousnesses to possess all mental factors necessary to operate bodily, verbal, and mental actions. This is unlike what some claim, that the manas possesses only a portion of the mental factors. If the mental factors of the manas were incomplete, it would be unable to take charge of and create many actions. If the manas does not take charge of an action, how could the six consciousnesses operate?

The mental factors of the mental consciousness initially align with those of the manas. However, if, after contemplation, it deems the action wrong, it can change its mental factors and subsequently persuade and permeate the manas. There are times when the mental consciousness contradicts the manas. For instance, the manas may wish to do something bad, but the mental consciousness hesitates and does not act. After changing its mind, it can also change the manas's intention. This is the permeating function of the mental consciousness. Changing the manas always occurs through the permeation of the mental consciousness. When experiencing an event, the mental consciousness contemplates its advantages and disadvantages. Thus, the manas comes to know the pros and cons, enabling it to make choices in future actions. However, the permeation by the mental consciousness can be fast or slow, depending on the wisdom and skillfulness of the mental consciousness.