Chapter One: The Transformation of Mental Factors is the Mark of Genuine Practice

Section One: Mental Factors Change with Practice

I. The Mental Factors of Manas are the Goal and the Operating System of Genuine Practice

"Goal" refers to the fact that mental factors can point towards one's practice objectives, dispel ignorance, subdue and eradicate afflictions, transform mental conduct, and alter karmic seeds. "System" means that practice follows mental factors, continuously correcting and transforming them. Genuine practice is the process of operating mental factors and the process of mental factors operating; it is the process of the mind changing itself.

The reason mental factors can change is the successful influence of consciousness on manas, causing manas to turn from evil towards good and transform its own mental conduct. The fundamental cause of this transformation is the Tathāgatagarbha. It is the Tathāgatagarbha that transforms the mental factors of manas, but the Tathāgatagarbha is not the master consciousness; it does not govern, lacks subjective initiative, and passively changes seeds according to the mental conduct of manas. When the seeds change, the fruit changes accordingly. Although all phenomena arise from the Tathāgatagarbha, the driving force behind them is the mental factors of manas. If manas does not desire to act, the Tathāgatagarbha remains inactive, and no dharmas arise.

Manas possesses subjective initiative. A change in mental attitude will prompt a change in karmic seeds. The transformation of mental factors is the cause; the change in karmic seeds is the effect. Manas understanding and realizing the truth is the cause; the transformation of mental factors is the effect. Manas diligently practicing the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment is the cause; realization is the effect. Consciousness influencing and guiding according to principle is the cause; manas being influenced is the effect. Of course, every step of genuine practice causes the mental factors of manas to change. The change in mental factors is the effect, and the cause is still the mental factors of manas prompting their own change, with the prerequisite that the mental factors of consciousness push the mental factors of manas.

II. The Mental Factors of the Seven Consciousnesses Change with Practice

Mental factors are the mental conduct (cittasaṃskāra) of the consciousnesses. Through continuous study and continuous subduing of one's own mind, the mental conduct of the seven consciousnesses will continuously transform. Deep afflictions transform into subtle afflictions, subtle afflictions gradually disappear, wholesome mental factors increase and strengthen, mental conduct becomes increasingly pure, concentration becomes increasingly stable and strong, and wisdom becomes increasingly profound. Therefore, through continuous practice, mental factors continuously undergo transformation. If, after practicing for a period, the mental factors have not changed at all, afflictions have not lessened, meditative power has not arisen, and wisdom has not increased, then the practice is ineffective.

The mark of whether a Buddhist practitioner achieves accomplishment lies in the mental factors. When genuine accomplishment is attained, the afflictive mental factors of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses will decrease and be eliminated, wholesome mental factors will increase and become complete, the functions of the five object-specific mental factors will increase and become complete, and at the Buddha stage, all eight consciousnesses fully possess the twenty-one mental factors, with functions reaching their limit. Genuine Buddhist practitioners should observe their own mental factors, that is, their mental conduct, at regular intervals. If they find no transformation in their mind-ground, it indicates their practice is still ineffective and perhaps not yet on the right track. The level and progress of each person's practice differ, hence their mental factors differ. This shows that people's minds are not alike. If someone claims their conscious mind has as many as fifty-one mental factors while the afflictive mental factors of their manas remain as numerous and heavy as before, then this person is a beginner in Buddhism, with extremely heavy afflictions and extremely poor conduct.

Generally, the mental factors discussed in Bodhisattva treatises refer to the mental factors of the eight consciousnesses of ordinary beings and Bodhisattvas who have not attained the stage of transformation (aśraya-parāvṛtti), not those of Bodhisattvas beyond the first ground who are in the transformed stage. These mental factors must undergo transformation through continuous practice to represent accomplishment in practice, enabling the transformation of consciousness into wisdom (jñāna), and the path to Buddhahood gradually approaches completion. The transformation of mental factors is the mark of accomplishment in practice.

In fact, even before attaining the transformed stage, after making some progress upon entering the Buddhist path, the mental factors of several consciousnesses begin to subtly transform, only the accumulation is insufficient for a qualitative leap. Because mental factors are an indicator of whether one is practicing or not, even if non-Buddhists attain meditative absorption (dhyāna), the mental factors of their seven consciousnesses will also undergo some change. Mental factors are not immutable nor identical for everyone. Sentient beings who have not yet begun to practice also have differing mental factors of their consciousnesses, each with different emphases. Therefore, when one person observes their own mental factors as such, and another observes theirs as such, they are not necessarily identical. This illustrates the differences in human nature and the dissimilarity of minds.

If someone directly observes that their sixth consciousness possesses the six root afflictions (mūlakleśa): greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, doubt, and wrong views; the eight major derivative afflictions (mahānuśaya); the two medium derivative afflictions (madhyānuśaya); and the ten minor derivative afflictions (upakleśa), then this person has no practice whatsoever—neither meditative concentration nor good moral conduct. Ordinary people cannot directly observe their seventh consciousness mental factors. If someone could directly observe that their seventh consciousness mental factors include intense greed, hatred, and delusion, as well as laziness, distraction, lack of faith, forgetfulness, excitement, incorrect perception, heedlessness, torpor, strong self-grasping, deep conceit, deep attachment, strong self-view, clinging tendencies, and stubborn resistance to change, then this person has no practice at all, and meditative concentration is very difficult to develop.

If this person's seventh consciousness mental factors do not correspond at all to the eleven wholesome mental factors, then their practice is completely off track, their afflictions are very heavy, and they might even be an evil person. Even ordinary people who haven't studied Buddhism have a wholesome aspect to their manas mental factors. If the wholesome outweighs the unwholesome, this person can be reborn in heaven to enjoy blessings upon death. Rebirth in the six realms is determined by the wholesome and unwholesome mental factors of manas. Wholesome manas leads to wholesome karma and rebirth in heaven; unwholesome manas leads to unwholesome karma and rebirth in hell. From this, it is understood that Bodhisattvas beyond the first ground, being in the transformed stage, having eradicated afflictions and attained a stainless mind-ground, must undergo transformation in the mental factors of their sixth and seventh consciousnesses. Afflictive mental factors are eliminated, wholesome mental factors increase, concentration and wisdom mental factors strengthen. This is absolutely inevitable; otherwise, they would be no different from ordinary beings.

When practice becomes effective, the major derivative afflictions lessen first, some are eliminated. For example, the mental factor of lack of faith lessens and is eliminated, gradually moving from disbelief to belief, then to complete faith. The mental factor of laziness lessens and is eliminated, gradually becoming diligence. The mental factor of heedlessness lessens and is eliminated; previously, one often indulged the body and mind in idle pleasures, now one has no interest in those. The mental factor of torpor rarely appears; previously, one felt drowsy upon practicing, now energy is abundant and attention is concentrated. The mental factor of excitement also decreases and disappears; previously, when studying Buddhism, distracting thoughts flew wildly, now past events pass without lingering, and there is no deluded thought about the future. Previously, the mind was always scattered; now, when contemplating the Dharma, concentration can be maintained for a period. Previously, one had incorrect understanding of the Four Noble Truths, Four Foundations of Mindfulness, etc.; now, understanding is correct. Previously, thoughts of the Dharma would be forgotten quickly; now, one can maintain mindfulness without losing it.

As practice deepens, the medium derivative afflictions also become subtle or even eliminated. For example, previously, one felt no shame or remorse when doing wrong; now, shame and remorse gradually increase. If a major wrong is done, one feels deep remorse. From this, it can be seen that only when afflictive mental factors decrease and lessen do wholesome mental factors correspondingly increase and strengthen; when afflictive mental factors are eliminated, wholesome mental factors appear.

III. The Mental Factors of Different Sentient Beings Differ

Among mental factors, apart from the five universal mental factors (sarvatraga), other mental factors do not arise frequently; they only manifest occasionally or sporadically. The five object-specific mental factors (viniyata) arise occasionally; the more wisdom one has, the more frequently they manifest. Wholesome, unwholesome, and neutral mental factors also arise occasionally; they are not manifesting constantly. The more virtuous a person, the more frequently wholesome mental factors manifest; the more evil, the more frequently unwholesome mental factors manifest. At the Buddha stage, mental factors may manifest constantly. For example, the mental factor of concentration (samādhi): the Buddha's mind is constantly in concentration, never leaving it. The mental factor of wisdom (prajñā): the Buddha's mind constantly possesses great wisdom, never lacking it. The mental factor of conviction (adhimokṣa): the Buddha's mind constantly has firm conviction regarding all dharmas. Wholesome mental factors like non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion: the Buddha's mind is constantly and forever free from greed, hatred, and delusion. Mental factors like non-heedlessness, lightness/pliancy (praśrabdhi), equanimity (upekṣā), non-harming (ahiṃsā): the Buddha's mind is constantly like this.

Each person has one personality, temperament, and disposition; everyone's mental factors are different. As complex as sentient beings' minds are, so is the world. Therefore, it is said the world is manifested by the minds of sentient beings. If the minds of sentient beings were all like the Buddha's mind, the world would be much simpler and more sublime, serene and peaceful, or even beyond serene and peaceful—quiet, still, indescribably beautiful.

Ultimately, the world will be like that. Sentient beings, upon ultimate cultivation, will all be wise and simple, not complex at all. Personality and individuality will vanish; temperament and disposition will be eliminated. Mental factors will all be wholesome, without unwholesome ones—exactly twenty-one, no more, no less. However, dissolving the mind to this degree requires three immeasurable eons (asaṃkhyeya kalpas). It shows how difficult it is to cultivate the mind, how hard it is to change the mind. If the mind does not change, one suffers torment—tormenting oneself and others, mutual torment, unaware that sentient beings share the same root, only able to torment each other, then endure alone.

The process of practice is the process of reversing and changing mental factors, ultimately enabling all eight consciousnesses to perfectly possess the twenty-one mental factors, becoming an arhat (śrāvaka) or pratyekabuddha in the Hinayana, or a Buddha in the Mahayana. Bodhisattvas of the first ground and above, having eradicated the root afflictions, major and medium derivative afflictions, transformed the sixth and seventh consciousnesses into wisdom, attained the wisdom of the patience with the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattikadharmakṣānti), have mental factors corresponding to the twenty-one mental factors. However, the five object-specific mental factors are not yet ultimate or perfect and need further strengthening; the eleven wholesome mental factors also need strengthening and enhancement; the minor derivative afflictions need further elimination. Bodhisattvas on the grounds (bhūmi) still have not completely eradicated the delusion (moha) specific to the Mahayana path; the wholesome mental factor of non-delusion is not yet complete. Some Bodhisattvas still have conceit (māna) in their manas not fully eliminated. The twenty-one mental factors still need continuous perfection and strengthening. Only the eight consciousnesses and twenty-one mental factors at the Buddha stage are complete and ultimate, requiring no further advancement.

Because Bodhisattvas from the first to the eighth ground still have obscurations from habitual tendencies (vāsanā), their mental factors are not yet pure, not purely wholesome. Upon reaching the eighth ground, the minor derivative afflictions are completely eliminated, the habitual tendencies of afflictions are eradicated, another portion of defiled seeds is eliminated, and the twenty-one mental factors become more perfect and powerful. Therefore, practice is greatly related to the eradication of afflictions and habitual tendencies. The purpose of practice is to eradicate afflictions, habitual tendencies of afflictions, and all ignorance (avidyā), thereby attaining liberation. When ignorance is completely exhausted, Buddhahood is attained, ultimate liberation.

The functions of the five object-specific mental factors will become increasingly powerful as habitual tendencies are continuously eliminated. All spiritual powers and abilities are related to the five object-specific mental factors and rely on them for accomplishment, certainly not without the assistance of the five universal mental factors. With the continuous advancement of practice, the consciousness-mind must inevitably change. The change of the consciousness-mind is the transformation of mental factors; the change of mental factors is the result of practice. The five universal mental factors also need continuous improvement and strengthening: the mental factor of feeling (vedanā) becomes closer to equanimity (upekṣā); the mental factor of perception (saṃjñā) discerns and differentiates more accurately, without error, more thoroughly; the mental factor of volition (cetanā) has greater, faster, more accurate, more wholesome, and more selfless power of discernment. It is also possible that the mental factors of feeling, perception, and volition arise less and less frequently, and mental conduct/formations occur less and less.

The mental factors of ordinary beings also differ from one another. The greater the difference between one's mental factors before and after studying Buddhism, the better the practice. If someone studies Buddhism for ten or twenty years and their mind-ground, mental conduct, and mental factors remain the same, what has this person been doing for decades? If after many years of study, mental conduct and mental factors show no change, afflictions have not been subdued to a certain degree, and the difference from the mental factors and mental conduct of a Stream-enterer (srotāpanna) is still vast, how can one approach the stage of Stream-entry (srotāpattipratipannaka) and then realize Stream-entry? As long as the practice initiates the seven factors of enlightenment (saptabodhyaṅga), the mental factors must change. If there is no change, the seven factors of enlightenment are not complete, and without them, one cannot realize the fruit (phala) no matter what. How many people haven't even touched the edge of the seven factors of enlightenment, yet claim to have attained great holy fruits and gone home to enjoy them? This is the chaotic phenomenon of the Dharma-ending age.

IV. The Mental Factors of Mahayana Bodhisattvas Should Change Even More

Some say the practice of Mahayana Bodhisattvas is completely different from that of Hinayana practitioners. Hinayana practitioners seek to eradicate afflictions and pursue liberation, while Mahayana Bodhisattvas should be like the Tathāgatagarbha, not eradicating afflictions and not seeking liberation. But does the Tathāgatagarbha have afflictions to eradicate? Is the Tathāgatagarbha bound by any dharma? The Tathāgatagarbha is inherently without afflictions, inherently liberated, needing neither to eradicate afflictions nor attain liberation. The Tathāgatagarbha is without ignorance, so naturally, there is no exhaustion of ignorance. However, the seven consciousnesses of Bodhisattvas have afflictions, so they must eradicate them. If the seven consciousnesses are not liberated, they must seek liberation. If the seven consciousnesses have ignorance, they must dispel it. If a Mahayana Bodhisattva has heavy afflictions and is bound by birth and death, such a Bodhisattva cannot be called a true Bodhisattva and cannot liberate sentient beings. If one is still unable to escape the river of birth and death oneself, how can one save sentient beings?

Furthermore, not to mention if a Mahayana Bodhisattva has root afflictions, but if they also have the eight major derivative afflictions—lack of faith, laziness, heedlessness, torpor, excitement, forgetfulness, incorrect perception, distraction—and the two medium derivative afflictions—shamelessness and lack of remorse—blatantly displayed before the world, what kind of Bodhisattva is this? If their mind does not correspond at all to the eleven wholesome mental factors, what kind of Mahayana Bodhisattva is this? Can such a Bodhisattva be a model and example for sentient beings? What can the masses learn from following such a Bodhisattva? If the unhealthy trend of only wanting results, benefits, and fame, but not the merit of liberation, is not stopped, Buddhism will surely perish rapidly.

V. Genuine Practice Involves the Transformation of Body, Mind, and World

The change in mental factors can be used as a quantifiable standard for practice results. For example, if hatred decreases, greed decreases, delusion decreases, and other afflictive mental factors correspondingly lessen; if the mind-ground becomes increasingly incompatible with afflictions like greed, hatred, and delusion, and this state lasts for a relatively long time, then it indicates accomplishment in practice. Changes in afflictions have corresponding changes in mental factors; changes in wisdom also have corresponding changes in mental factors. Using visible, tangible quantifiable standards to measure progress in practice might benefit practitioners. Using these standards, one can compare and measure oneself. Every progress can be measured against a standard, thus increasing confidence in practice.

The change in mental factors is the result of practice and can serve as a standard to measure the degree of practice. However, there is also the question of to what degree specific afflictions have decreased and to what degree wholesome mental factors have increased and strengthened. This is hard to grasp firmly and still involves the transformation of body and mind. The transformation of body and mind is a significant, obvious, and clear mark. The attainment of each fruit (phala) or stage must have a corresponding degree of physical and mental transformation; this is the mark. There are also hints from certain states, such as dream indications, showing the degree to which a person has attained the fruits of the Hinayana or Mahayana paths, the degree of affliction elimination, and the degree of mental purity. Each time practitioners elevate their fruit or level of practice, there are displays and hints in their states: one is the shock and change experienced by body and mind; the other is auspicious dream hints, indicating the degree of inner purity, the degree of affliction subjugation, the depth of wisdom, and future development.

Why does realization involve the transformation of body and mind, and why is this transformation a significant and clear mark? Because from beginningless kalpas past to beginningless kalpas future, the body-mind world has always been controlled and regulated by manas. When the cognition, views, and wisdom of manas transform, it correspondingly transforms the body-mind world. The reactions of the body and mind are the barometer of manas. The venting of manas's emotions, the expression of thoughts, etc., are all reflected through the body and mind. If the thoughts of manas are touched or shocked in some way, it will inevitably simultaneously drive and affect the body-mind world, causing a chain reaction in body and mind.

Dreams with special significance have important meaning, serving as hints and warnings, enabling one to judge oneself. They are a basis for judging the degree and progress of practice, and among them, dreams may also contain hints and guidance from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The marks of accomplishment in practice are, first, the change in afflictions, and second, the change in wisdom. These two are the most important, and both are transformations of mental factors. When mental factors undergo genuine change, that is the stage of the Third Fruit (Anāgāmin), Fourth Fruit (Arhat), or Bodhisattvas who have entered the grounds (Bhūmi). Before this, afflictions are only subdued; there cannot be obvious and clear changes in mental factors. Therefore, before the Third or Fourth Fruit, it is impossible to accurately quantify the standard.

VI. The Power of Manas

As practice deepens continuously and concentration and wisdom become increasingly complete, manas gradually becomes powerful. The mark of manas becoming powerful is the transformation of consciousness into wisdom and the transformation of mental factors. The power of manas represents the strength of mental factors; strong mental factors make manas strong—indestructible, fully possessing the five universal, five object-specific, and eleven wholesome mental factors. Afflictive mental factors were long ago completely eradicated, though perhaps some very subtle habitual tendencies of afflictions and some subtle clinging to dharmas (dharmagrāha) remain. When manas becomes powerful enough, it can replace the six consciousnesses, functioning without their support, independently cognizing objects of the six senses, coarse or subtle, without problem. At this time, great spiritual powers will manifest.

VII. Manas Has the Same Function, But Mental Factors Differ

Question: Between people, is the function of manas the same? Among beings in the six realms, is the function of manas the same? Between ordinary beings and sages, is the function of manas the same? Between animals and humans, is the function of manas the same?

Answer: The function of manas is the same for all sentient beings; only the mental factors differ, the degree of ignorance contained differs, and the degree of clarity differs. When functioning, there are good functions and bad functions. For example, all knives have the function of cutting. Because knives differ in sharpness, the results of what they cut differ. A sharp knife cuts perfectly, neatly, and valuably; a dull knife cuts unevenly, unusably, perhaps even damaging things, yielding no good result. Manas with different wisdom creates different karmic actions; different afflictions create different karmic deeds; the karmic results differ. Manas with slight ignorance can be used well; manas with deep ignorance is used poorly, resulting in great differences. Because the degree of ignorance in manas differs, and the degree of clarity also differs, sentient beings in the world are divided into various grades—ordinary beings and sages—and the eons required for sentient beings to become Buddhas differ.

The differences between individuals are caused by differences in the mental factors of manas. Whether acknowledged or not, this is the fact. Does the fact care whether you acknowledge it or not? The fact does not care who acknowledges it or not; it never changes. Truth, even if not a single person in the Sahā world acknowledges it, is forever truth. It does not cease to be truth because others do not acknowledge it. Genuine Dharma, no matter who slanders it, remains Dharma; truth remains truth.