Mental Factors Are the Nature of Mind and Mental Formations

The operation of mental factors is interconnected with an individual's character, temperament, disposition, and wisdom. To understand the functioning of mental factors, one can observe a person's expressions, gaze, countenance, speech, behavior, reaction speed, and other aspects from the moment they encounter a situation until they make a final decision. Through this observation, one can discern the process and speed of each mental factor's operation, as well as the depth of each person's habits and the quality of their wisdom. This series of mental activities reflects both an individual's mental nature, habits, afflictions, and wisdom, and simultaneously manifests the operation of mental factors.

Some individuals possess an impatient temperament and a coarser mind. After encountering people or events, they engage in only a superficial discernment, disregarding accuracy and details, yet assume their perception is ultimately correct. Consequently, feelings arise—whether joy, anger, greed, or aversion—accompanied by strong clinging. Then, without further consideration, they make decisions directly. The operation of their mental factors is simple and swift, but the consequences may be unimaginable. Others, after an initial superficial discernment and the arising of feelings, will engage in careful discernment and analysis once more, thereby correcting their erroneous perception. Their feelings then change, and only afterward do they make a decision. The operation of their mental factors is slightly more complex, involving repeated cycles. Many people find their mental factors continuously changing as their discernment deepens; they become swayed by people, events, and objects, their minds immersed and unable to transcend.

Rational individuals typically refrain from forming thoughts or emotions until they have thoroughly understood people, events, or objects. They do not easily pass judgment or make decisions and do not mistake their temporary, superficial understanding for ultimate truth. Instead, they repeatedly observe, scrutinize, and deliberate. Cultivated individuals, even when discerning things they like or dislike, remain unmoved in mind, transcending external objects and attaining liberation.

Careless and perfunctory individuals experience mental factors operating swiftly and simply, while meticulous individuals experience mental factors operating slowly, deeply, and complexly. Those burdened by heavy afflictions experience mental factors operating in a complex, tangled, and unclear manner. Dull individuals might quickly discern a situation, realize their inability to handle it, and then abandon the matter—causing the mental factors to vanish rapidly. Alternatively, they might strive to discern clearly, causing the mental factors to operate extremely slowly, involving prolonged discernment, prolonged feeling, and prolonged deliberation, yet still failing to reach a final decision. Intelligent and wise individuals might discern matters clearly very quickly, deeply understanding their essence, or they might engage in extremely profound and meticulous discernment to reach an ultimate, error-free understanding.

The operation of mental factors is exceedingly intricate and complex. It is closely related to the weight of each person's character, temperament, disposition, afflictions, and attachments, as well as to each individual's cultivation, practice, meditative concentration, precepts, and wisdom.