Selected Lectures on the Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra
Explanation of the Fifth Volume of the Cheng Weishi Lun (Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi-śāstra) Concerning the Mental Factors of the Manas
Original text: 未转依位。与前所说心所相应。已转依位。唯二十一心所俱起。谓遍行别境各五。善十一。如第八识已转依位。唯舍受俱。任运转故。恒于所缘平等转故。
末那心所何性所摄。有覆无记所摄非余。此意相应四烦恼等。是染法故。障碍圣道。隐蔽自心。说名有覆。非善不善。故名无记。如上二界诸烦恼等。定力摄藏。是无记摄。此俱染法。所依细故。任运转故。亦无记摄。若已转依。唯是善性。
Explanation: "Before the transformation of the basis" refers to bodhisattvas prior to the bhūmis and ordinary beings; their manas has eighteen mental factors, which are defiled. "After the transformation of the basis" refers to bodhisattvas from the first bhūmi onward; the manas has twenty-one mental factors: the five universal factors, the five particular factors, and the eleven wholesome factors. The mental activities of the manas have already become conjoined with wholesome mental factors. There are no longer the four afflictions of the view of self, self-love, self-conceit, and self-delusion.
Before the transformation of the basis, the manas is of indeterminate (avyākṛta) nature; after the transformation of the basis, the manas is of wholesome nature. Because from the first bhūmi onward, the manas has already transformed into the wisdom of equality (samatā-jñāna), no longer the original defiled consciousness nature, the defiled nature of the manas's mental factors is transformed, changing from a self-nature to a selfless nature. And with this selfless nature, its wisdom becomes broad, and the mental factors include the five particular mental factors: aspiration (chanda), determination (adhimokṣa), mindfulness (smṛti), meditative concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā). This wisdom mental factor differs from that of bodhisattvas prior to the bhūmis and ordinary beings—its wisdom is vast and expansive, and what it can cognize is broad. Having the five particular mental factors, the manas's capabilities are greatly increased.
Therefore, bodhisattvas on the bhūmis must teach the Dharma according to their own contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), observing the mental factors of their own manas; bodhisattvas prior to the bhūmis and ordinary beings find it hard to understand, because their mental activities differ.
It is just like devas describing the states of mind according to their own minds—we humans find it hard to understand, because our mental activities differ. It is like humans speaking, which animals do not understand, because their mental activities differ. Each has its own inner world, and it is not easy to cross beyond those boundaries. Therefore, the Buddha-dharma can only be entered through faith and known through faith—faith is the mother of merits, the source of the Path. Without the requisite conditions, one cannot have faith, and then nothing can be done by others. Cultivation proceeds step by step: ordinary beings first eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), and then see the mind and perceive the nature.
The mind consciousness at the stage of ordinary beings has fifty-one mental factors, with the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion all complete. At the stage of an anāgāmin, the mental factors of the mind consciousness are reduced, and the afflictive mental factors have been eliminated. After entering the bhūmis, at the stage of the transformation of the basis, the afflictive mental factors of the mind consciousness become even fewer, gradually transforming until they are entirely wholesome in nature. At the stage of buddhahood, the mind consciousness will have only twenty-one mental factors: the five universal factors, the five particular factors, and the eleven wholesome factors.
Therefore, cultivation is precisely the gradual transformation of the mental activities of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses; the mental activities and natures of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses are not fixed and unchanging. So when speaking of the mind, one must clarify whether one is speaking of the mental activities of ordinary beings, of the worthy ones (śreṇi), of the noble ones (ārya), or of the Buddha's mental activities. If one does not clarify this, ordinary beings or those whose contemplative practice has not reached that level will say: "That's not right—my mind is not like that, and the sūtras do not say so either." Because each mind differs from every other, everyone speaks according to their own mental factors and mental activities, and will not speak beyond their own mental activities.
Original text of the Fourth Volume of the Cheng Weishi Lun: （意根）未转依位。恒审思量所执我相。已转依位。亦审思量无我相故。
Explanation: Bodhisattvas prior to the bhūmis and ordinary beings belong to the stage before the transformation of the basis; their manas grasps at self and deliberates (manasikāra) upon the self. At the stage after the transformation of the basis, it begins to deliberate upon selflessness; it will deliberate upon the selfless nature of all dharmas, and the wisdom of the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas becomes ever deeper and sharper. Therefore, there are great differences among sentient beings.
