Mental Factors Associated with the Eight Consciousnesses

The mental factors are the attributes possessed by the consciousness, representing the mental activities that occur during the functioning of the consciousness, assisting the operation of the eight consciousnesses. The mental factors of the eight consciousnesses were summarized and categorized by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu into a maximum of fifty-one, but there are still more subtle mental factors that have not been included, such as emotions like alarm, fear, joy, and happiness. These mental factors are neither good nor evil and do not fundamentally affect spiritual cultivation. Each consciousness has its own mental factors, which are not entirely the same, and each sentient being at different stages of cultivation also has different mental factors, which are determined by the mind and change according to the mind. Therefore, it is difficult to say exactly how many fixed mental factors each consciousness possesses, nor is it easy to specify which mental factors each sentient being has. These must be analyzed and addressed based on specific circumstances and cannot be generalized.

Generally speaking, the eight consciousnesses have the following mental factors:

The five universal mental factors: contact, attention, feeling, discrimination, and volition;

The five specific mental factors: desire, determination, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom;

The eleven wholesome mental factors: faith, shame, remorse, non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion, diligence, tranquility, vigilance, equanimity, and non-harm;

The six root afflictions: greed, hatred, delusion, pride, doubt, and wrong views;

The eight major secondary afflictions: lack of faith, laziness, heedlessness, drowsiness, restlessness, forgetfulness, incorrect knowledge, and distraction;

The indeterminate mental factors: regret, sleep, investigation, and analysis;

The two intermediate secondary afflictions: shamelessness and lack of remorse;

The ten minor secondary afflictions: anger, resentment, hostility, concealment, deceit, flattery, arrogance, harm, jealousy, and stinginess.

Among these, the eleven wholesome mental factors are opposed to the afflictive mental factors. If one exists, the other does not; if the other exists, the one does not. When the consciousness possesses a wholesome mental factor, the corresponding afflictive mental factor is absent, and vice versa. A single consciousness cannot simultaneously possess both wholesome and unwholesome mental factors; it is either wholesome, unwholesome, or neither wholesome nor unwholesome, and they cannot coexist.

For example, when encountering a particular state or phenomenon, if the consciousness possesses the mental factor of faith, it cannot simultaneously possess the mental factor of lack of faith, nor can it be in a state of doubt. Conversely, the same applies; they cannot coexist. If the mental factor of shame or remorse is present, the mental factor of shamelessness or lack of remorse cannot be present. If the mental factor of non-greed is present, the mental factor of greed cannot be present. If the mental factor of non-hatred is present, the mental factor of hatred cannot be present. If the mental factor of non-delusion is present, the mental factor of delusion cannot be present. If the mental factor of diligence is present, the mental factor of laziness cannot be present. If the mental factor of tranquility is present, the mental factor of drowsiness cannot be present. If the mental factor of heedfulness is present, the mental factor of heedlessness cannot be present. If the mental factor of equanimity is present, the mental factors of anger, resentment, and hostility cannot be present. If the mental factor of non-harm is present, the mental factor of harm cannot be present. Of these opposing pairs, only one can exist, and they cannot coexist.

Does the eighth consciousness possess the twenty-six afflictive mental factors? Certainly not. The eighth consciousness is free from ignorance and all afflictions. It possesses wholesome mental factors as well as neither wholesome nor unwholesome mental factors. If it did not possess wholesome mental factors, it would possess unwholesome mental factors. The wholesome mental factors of the eighth consciousness are: faith, non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion, diligence, tranquility, heedfulness, equanimity, and non-harm. It does not possess the mental factors of shame or remorse, because the eighth consciousness never engages in actions that betray itself or others, so there is no need for shame or remorse. The mental factors of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion are easy to understand. The eighth consciousness is free from ignorance and therefore naturally free from the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, with its mind liberated from all afflictions.

The eighth consciousness possesses the mental factor of heedfulness. It never indulges itself in the pursuit of pleasure or ease, because it is indifferent to all phenomena, never feels fatigue, does not crave states, does not delight in states, and does not reject states. Thus, it neither indulges itself nor seeks comfort, and it possesses the mental factor of heedfulness.

The eighth consciousness possesses the mental factor of equanimity. Equanimity means that the mental state is in a condition of balance, impartial toward all phenomena, not dwelling on the past, not grasping at the future, with a calm and even mind, neither hurried nor sluggish, abiding in the middle way, with a neutral nature. The eighth consciousness is precisely such a mind.

The eighth consciousness possesses the mental factor of non-harm. It has no intention to harm or oppose any person, matter, object, or principle. If people, matters, objects, or principles are not in accordance with the Dharma, the eighth consciousness never holds them accountable and is absolutely unconcerned. Thus, it does not generate thoughts or actions of harm, and it simply manifests all phenomena, whether wholesome or unwholesome. The eighth consciousness never discriminates or makes distinctions, never gives rise to thoughts, and is unaffected by either good or evil.