The Relationship between the Four Aspects of the Mind and the Five Universal Mental Factors

The four aspects of the conscious mind are the perceiving-aspect (darśana-bhāga), the object-aspect (nimitta), the self-cognition (svasaṃvitti), and the self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana). If the object-aspect perceived by the conscious mind is also the conscious mind itself, then all four aspects must rely on the mental factors (caittas) in order to operate; only then is there the function of perceiving, only then is it called the perceiving-aspect, only then can it perceive dharmas, and only then can it perceive itself. Among these, the mental factors are primarily the five universal mental factors; at every moment, the operation is never apart from the functioning of the five universal mental factors. Without the five universal mental factors, the conscious mind cannot operate, and there would be no four aspects.

When the five universal mental factors operate, the conscious mind can contact dharmas, receive dharmas, recognize dharmas, and engage with dharmas; only then do the perceiving-aspect, object-aspect, self-cognition, and self-validating cognition manifest. At the same time the four aspects manifest, the five particular mental factors can be revealed, and wholesome and unwholesome mental factors can be expressed. In other words, when the four aspects appear, they appear together with the other mental factors, revealing the strength or weakness of the conscious mind's forces, its wholesome and unwholesome mental actions, and whether or not there is meditative concentration and wisdom, and so on.