The Relationship between the Perceiving Aspect of Tathāgatagarbha and the Five Universal Mental Factors

The perceiving aspect of the Tathāgatagarbha is its functional capacity to perceive dharmas. The Tathāgatagarbha perceives all dharmas by operating through the five universal mental factors: attention, contact, sensation, perception, and volition. It then apprehends and manifests these dharmas. Only after this process can the manas (the seventh consciousness) perceive the dharmas; prior to this, only the Tathāgatagarbha perceives them alone. However, the manas cannot perceive the perceiving function of the Tathāgatagarbha. Only after attaining Buddhahood, or as a Bodhisattva on the Bhūmis (grounds), can one perceive the perceiving function of the Tathāgatagarbha and the operation of its mental factors. The manas of ordinary beings and Bodhisattvas below the Bhūmis lack such great wisdom and meditative power; even Bodhisattvas on certain Bhūmis may not necessarily perceive this function clearly and completely. The perception of dharmas by all eight consciousnesses is accomplished through their respective five universal mental factors. The Tathāgatagarbha itself also possesses consciousness-seeds (vijñāna-bīja). As these consciousness-seeds operate continuously, the functioning aspect (ākāra) of the Tathāgatagarbha becomes manifest. The Tathāgatagarbha, regarding various dharmas, operates the five universal mental factors—attention, contact, sensation, perception, and volition—thereby cognizing and processing the dharmas. Its function differs somewhat from the sensation, perception, and volition of the seven consciousnesses. The operation of the Tathāgatagarbha's five universal mental factors is untainted by any afflictions (kleśa) or ignorance (avidyā); it belongs to a state of non-intentional operation, also called spontaneous operation (anābhoga) or operating in accordance with dharmas. Within this, sensation does not immerse itself in the objects, perception lacks complex mental activities, and volition is merely selection, formation, and the maintenance and management of dharmas. In contrast, the operation of the five universal mental factors of the seven consciousnesses is intermingled with ignorance and afflictions, involves various complex mental thoughts, is not a state of non-intentional operation, and is greatly influenced by sensory objects. The seven consciousnesses also each possess their own consciousness-seeds. Their perception also relies on the operation of the five universal mental factors. During the operation of these five universal mental factors, some afflictions and ignorance may be mixed in, and wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral mental factors may also arise together. After the operation of the five universal mental factors, the seven consciousnesses acquire the functional capacities of seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing. However, because the seven consciousnesses have the arising of afflictive mental factors, these afflictions exert a certain obscuring effect on their seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing. This causes the seven consciousnesses to perceive dharmas inaccurately and imprecisely, leading to many misunderstandings. Consequently, these misunderstandings result in the creation of unwholesome karma, forming the causes and conditions for unwholesome karmic retribution.