The Mental Factors of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Should Be Transformed Even More

Some say that the practice of a Mahayana Bodhisattva is completely different from that of a Hinayana practitioner. Hinayana practitioners seek to cut off afflictions and attain liberation, while a Mahayana Bodhisattva should, like the Tathagatagarbha, neither cut off afflictions nor seek liberation. But does the Tathagatagarbha have afflictions to cut off? Is the Tathagatagarbha bound by any phenomena? The Tathagatagarbha is originally free of afflictions and inherently liberated; there is no need to seek to cut off afflictions to attain liberation. The Tathagatagarbha has no ignorance, so naturally there is no ending of ignorance. However, the seventh consciousness of a Bodhisattva has afflictions, and thus must cut them off; the seventh consciousness is not liberated, and thus must seek liberation; the seventh consciousness has ignorance, and thus must eradicate ignorance. If a Mahayana Bodhisattva is heavily burdened by afflictions and bound by birth and death, such a Bodhisattva is not a true Bodhisattva and cannot save sentient beings. How can one who is still in the river of birth and death and unable to escape rescue others?

Furthermore, not to mention the fundamental afflictions of a Mahayana Bodhisattva, there are also the eight major subsidiary afflictions: lack of faith, laziness, heedlessness, drowsiness, restlessness, loss of mindfulness, incorrect knowledge, and distraction, as well as the two intermediate subsidiary afflictions: shamelessness and lack of embarrassment. If these are clearly displayed before the world, what kind of Bodhisattva is this? If the mind does not correspond to any of the eleven wholesome mental factors, what kind of Mahayana Bodhisattva is this? Can such a Bodhisattva serve as a model and example for sentient beings? What can the vast multitude of sentient beings learn by following such a Bodhisattva? If the corrupt trend of seeking only results, benefits, and fame, while rejecting the merit of liberation, is not halted, Buddhism will surely perish swiftly.

The change in mental factors can be used as a quantifiable standard for the achievement of practice. For example, if anger decreases, greed decreases, ignorance decreases, and other afflicted mental factors correspondingly diminish; if the mind becomes increasingly non-corresponding to afflictions like greed, anger, and ignorance, and this state persists for a considerable time, then it indicates that practice has achieved results. The transformation of afflictions corresponds to changes in the relevant mental factors, and the transformation of wisdom also corresponds to changes in the relevant mental factors. Using tangible and measurable quantifiable standards to gauge the progress of practice may benefit the practice of the masses. By measuring oneself against these standards, examining oneself, and evaluating oneself, every advancement can be measured by a standard, thereby increasing confidence in practice.

The change in mental factors is the result of practice and can serve as a standard for measuring the degree of practice. However, there is also the issue of to what extent specific afflictions have been reduced, and to what extent wholesome mental factors have been increased and strengthened. This is difficult to grasp and also involves the transformation of the body and mind. The transformation of the body and mind is a significant, obvious, and clear sign. The attainment and realization of each fruition level must be accompanied by a corresponding degree of transformation of the body and mind; this is the sign. There are also hints from certain states, such as prompts in dreams, which indicate the extent of one's attainment of the fruition levels of Hinayana and Mahayana, the degree to which afflictions have been eliminated, and the degree of mental purity. Every time a practitioner advances in fruition level or elevates their stage of practice, there are manifestations and hints in states. One is the vibration and change experienced by the body and mind; the other is the hint from auspicious dreams, indicating the degree of inner purity, the extent to which afflictions have been subdued, the depth of the state of wisdom, and the future course of development.

Why must actual realization involve the transformation of the body and mind, and why is the transformation of the body and mind a significant and clear sign? Because the body-mind world, from beginningless time until after beginningless time, is controlled and regulated by the manas (the seventh consciousness). When the cognition, views, and wisdom of the manas transform, the body-mind world will correspondingly transform accordingly. The reactions of the body and mind are the barometer of the manas; the venting of emotions, the expression of thoughts, etc., of the manas are all reflected through the body and mind. If the thoughts of the manas are touched or shaken by something, it will inevitably simultaneously drive and influence the body-mind world, causing a chain reaction in the body and mind.

Those dreams with special significance have important meaning, serving as prompts and warnings, enabling one to judge oneself. They are a basis for judging the degree and progress of practice. Within dreams, there are also hints and prompts from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The signs of accomplishment in practice are, firstly, the transformation of afflictions, and secondly, the transformation of wisdom. These two are the most important, and both involve the transformation of mental factors. When mental factors truly change, this corresponds to individuals at the stage of a Third-fruition Arhat, Fourth-fruition Arhat, or a Bodhisattva who has entered the grounds. Prior to this, afflictions are merely subdued, and there cannot be an obvious and clear change in mental factors. Therefore, before the Third and Fourth Fruitions, it is impossible to accurately quantify the standards.