The Mutual Concomitance of the Five Universally Applicable Mental Factors

The concept of "all-accompanying" in the five universal mental factors refers to these factors accompanying all consciousnesses and all dharmas. Whenever consciousness operates, the five universal mental factors are necessarily operating. Consciousness cannot function, exist, or engage in discriminative activities apart from the five universal mental factors. Furthermore, the five universal mental factors of consciousness are present in all dharmas because, within all dharmas, there is necessarily at least the operation of the eighth consciousness and the seventh consciousness. The five universal mental factors inevitably accompany the operation of these two consciousnesses.

The meaning of the five universal mental factors being mutually concomitant is that these mental factors are born and operate together as an aggregate. For example, when the eighth consciousness gives rise to a dharma, all five universal mental factors must accompany the eighth consciousness throughout its entire operation, without a single one missing. However, the sixth and seventh consciousnesses are not necessarily like this. After the sixth and seventh consciousnesses generate mental application (manasikāra), if there is no interest, contact (sparśa) may not occur, especially for the seventh consciousness, the manas. After contact, feeling (vedanā) is not necessarily generated, especially for the manas. After feeling, perception (saṃjñā) is not necessarily generated, especially for the manas. After perception, volition (cetanā) is not necessarily generated, especially for the manas. If the mental factors of the manas do not proceed further, the six consciousnesses cannot arise; even if they appear, they will cease and stop functioning. Especially if the volition mental factor of the manas does not arise, none of the six consciousnesses can arise. This reveals the kingly, governing position of the manas and how great its authority is.

The Buddha Dharma is extremely profound. If contemplation is even slightly inadequate, deviations will arise. Yet, the contemplation of the vast majority of people is deviant; they cannot discover it themselves and are unwilling to admit it. Many people, precisely because their own contemplation is inadequate, have no choice but to accept the words of famous figures one hundred percent, relying on a ready-made answer, believing it to be ultimate and trustworthy, unaware even if it is wrong. This is an extremely common phenomenon in the current Buddhist community.