The Perception Mental Factor of the Eight Consciousnesses

In the five universally associated mental factors (sarvatraga-caitasika) of the eight consciousnesses, there is the perception mental factor (saṃjñā). This perception refers to the discerning function, thinking function, and grasping function of the conscious mind; it also represents desire and aspiration, representing hope, occupying almost half of sentient beings' mental activities, and serving as the basis and driving force for the conscious mind's choices and decisions.

The perception of the six consciousnesses is classified as the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā-skandha) among the five aggregates (pañca-skandha); it has the function of aggregating the seeds of all dharmas, is subject to arising, ceasing, and change, and lacks autonomy. Among these, the perception of the five sense consciousnesses is relatively simple and direct, performing the function of discerning and distinguishing the five sense objects; its grasping nature is not strong and not obvious, and it all proceeds under the impetus and regulation of the manas. Without the impetus of the manas, there would be no perception in the five sense consciousnesses. The perception of the mind consciousness is rich in content and relatively obvious, with rather complex thinking; part of it can be autonomous, independent of the manas, while a large part is passive, being dragged along and controlled by the manas. That autonomous part cannot go too far against the manas' thoughts, will, and views; otherwise, the manas will obstruct it and not allow the mind consciousness to continue thinking, because this can easily cause the manas' emotions to become unstable, leading to psychological problems. This is exactly what happens with people who have a heavy view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and heavy karmic obstructions when they engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the selflessness of the five aggregates: when they contemplate to a certain point, they become agitated and distressed, which shows that the manas cannot accept the dharmas contemplated by the mind consciousness and does not allow the mind consciousness to continue contemplating.

The perception of the manas not only has the nature of discernment and distinction but, more importantly, also has the function of grasping. It is because of the manas' grasping of all dharmas that dharmas continuously arise and cease, with unceasing arising, ceasing, and change. The grasping nature of the manas is classified as grasping (upādāna) in the twelve links of dependent origination; because of the manas' grasping, there is future becoming and birth-and-death. Therefore, the perception of the manas plays a crucial role in both the arising and the complete cessation of all dharmas. Broadly speaking, the manas also has the function of aggregating dharmas, and indeed plays the primary role, so it should also be classified within the aggregate of perception among the five aggregates.

The perception of the tathāgatagarbha is relatively pure, performing only the function of discernment and distinction, and it is extremely fast; it never broods or deliberates at length—whatever dharma it encounters, it knows that dharma, without mental activities such as thinking, deliberation (manasikāra/manana), pondering, or inference—vastly different from the seven consciousnesses. Because the tathāgatagarbha has no ignorance, its wisdom is especially powerful; its discernment is almost like an automated process, with no stagnation or pause in between, and it takes nothing to heart among all dharmas. Because of the tathāgatagarbha's perception, there is the tathāgatagarbha's selection regarding dharmas and seeds, and thus the dharmas continue to operate without interruption—this arising as that ceases, that arising as this ceases—operating in an orderly manner without the slightest error. Sentient beings always feel that the world is very chaotic, but that is determined by karma and is necessarily so. However chaotic the seven consciousnesses and the world of the five aggregates may be, the operation of the tathāgatagarbha is not chaotic. Therefore, the perception of the tathāgatagarbha has a decisive aggregating function for the world of the five aggregates, and broadly speaking, it also belongs to the category of the aggregate of perception.