The Mental Factors of the Seventh Consciousness Transform with Cultivation

The mental factors are the mental activities of the consciousnesses. Through continuous cultivation and constant subduing of the mind, the mental activities of the seven consciousnesses will gradually transform, from heavy afflictions to lighter ones, and then the lighter ones will also disappear. The wholesome mental factors will increase and become stronger, the mental activities will become purer, meditative concentration will become more stable and enhanced, and wisdom will become deeper and more penetrating. Therefore, through continuous practice, the mental factors will constantly undergo transformation. If, after a period of cultivation, the mental factors have not changed at all, afflictions have not become lighter, meditative concentration has not arisen, and wisdom has not progressed, then the practice is ineffective.

The criterion for whether a Buddhist practitioner has achieved success in cultivation lies in the mental factors. When true accomplishment is attained, the afflicted mental factors of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses will diminish and be eradicated, the wholesome mental factors will increase and become complete, and the functions of the five specific mental factors will also increase and become fully developed. When one reaches the stage of Buddhahood, the eight consciousnesses are fully endowed with the twenty-one mental factors, and their functions are brought to the ultimate. A true Buddhist practitioner should observe his own mental factors at each stage, that is, reflect on his own mind. If he finds that his mind has not changed at all, it indicates that his practice is still ineffective, and perhaps he has not yet embarked on the right path. The level and progress of each person's cultivation differ, and thus their mental factors differ, which shows that people's minds are not the same. If someone claims that the mental factors of their consciousness mind number as many as fifty-one, while the afflicted mental factors of the mind (manas) remain as numerous and heavy as before, then that person is still a beginner in Buddhism, with extremely heavy afflictions and very poor character.

Generally, the mental factors discussed in Bodhisattva treatises refer to the eight consciousnesses and their mental factors of ordinary beings and Bodhisattvas who have not yet attained the stage of reliance (āśraya-parāvṛtti), not those of Bodhisattvas who have already attained the stage of reliance after the grounds (bhūmi). These mental factors must undergo transformation through continuous practice to represent achievement in cultivation, to transform consciousness into wisdom, and to gradually perfect the path to Buddhahood. The transformation of mental factors is the hallmark of accomplishment in cultivation.

In fact, before attaining the stage of reliance and entering the grounds, after some progress in Buddhist practice, the mental factors of several consciousnesses are already subtly transforming. It is just that the accumulated quantity is insufficient to bring about a qualitative leap. The mental factors are a sign of whether a person has engaged in cultivation. Even if non-Buddhists achieve meditative concentration, the mental factors of their seven consciousnesses will also undergo some transformation. Mental factors are neither immutable nor the same for everyone. Even among sentient beings who have not yet begun cultivation, the mental factors of their consciousnesses are not entirely the same, each having its own emphasis. Therefore, one person's direct observation of his own mental factors is like this, while another's is like that; they are not necessarily identical. This illustrates that human nature differs, and people's minds are not entirely alike.

If someone directly observes that the mental factors of their sixth consciousness include the six root afflictions of greed, anger, ignorance, pride, doubt, and wrong views; the eight major subsidiary afflictions, two intermediate subsidiary afflictions, and ten minor subsidiary afflictions, then that person has not engaged in cultivation at all. They lack meditative concentration and have poor moral character. Ordinary people cannot directly observe the mental factors of their seventh consciousness. If one could directly observe that the mental factors of their seventh consciousness include strong greed, anger, and ignorance, as well as laziness, distraction, lack of faith, forgetfulness, restlessness, incorrect knowledge, heedlessness, drowsiness, strong self-grasping, deep pride, deep attachment, strong view of self, and a tendency to cling, and that these are stubborn and difficult to change, then that person has not engaged in cultivation at all, and meditative concentration is also difficult to develop.

If the mental factors of a person's seventh consciousness do not correspond at all to the eleven wholesome mental factors, then that person's practice has not even begun; their afflictions are heavy, and they may even be an evil person. Even ordinary people who have not studied Buddhism have a wholesome aspect to the mental factors of their mind (manas). If the wholesome outweighs the unwholesome, that person can ascend to heaven and enjoy blessings after death. The cycle of rebirth in the six realms is determined by the wholesome and unwholesome mental factors of the mind (manas). If the mind (manas) is wholesome and performs wholesome deeds, one will ascend to heaven in the next life; if the mind (manas) is unwholesome and commits evil deeds, one will fall into hell in the next life. From this, it can be known that Bodhisattvas who, after the first ground, are in the state of reliance, having eradicated afflictions and attained a mind that is undefiled, must necessarily undergo a transformation in the mental factors of their sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The afflicted mental factors are eradicated, the wholesome mental factors increase, and the mental factors of concentration and wisdom are strengthened. This is absolutely inevitable; otherwise, they would be no different from ordinary beings.

When practice becomes effective, the major subsidiary afflictions are first alleviated, and some are eradicated. For example, the mental factor of lack of faith is alleviated and eradicated, gradually turning from disbelief to faith, and then to complete faith; the mental factor of laziness is alleviated and eradicated, gradually becoming diligent; the mental factor of heedlessness is alleviated and eradicated; previously, one often indulged the body and mind in pleasure and leisure, but now one is no longer interested in those things; the mental factor of drowsiness rarely appears; previously, one felt drowsy as soon as they began to practice, but now one is full of energy and highly focused; the mental factor of restlessness also diminishes and disappears; previously, when studying Buddhism, one's thoughts were scattered and chaotic, but now, experiences pass without leaving a trace, and one does not dwell on future fantasies; previously, the mind was always very distracted, but now, when contemplating the Dharma, one can concentrate for a period of time; previously, one had incorrect knowledge of the Four Noble Truths, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, and other aspects of the Dharma, but now one's views are very correct; previously, one would remember the Dharma in mind but forget it after a short while, but now one can maintain mindfulness without losing it.

As practice deepens, the intermediate subsidiary afflictions also become lighter and are even eradicated. For example, previously, when one did something wrong, one felt no shame or remorse, but now the sense of shame gradually increases. If one commits a major wrong, one feels extremely ashamed. From this, it can be seen that only when the afflicted mental factors decrease and lighten do the wholesome mental factors correspondingly increase and strengthen; when the afflicted mental factors are eradicated, the wholesome mental factors appear.