The Concept of the Five Object-Specific Mental Factors (pañca-viṣaya-caitta)

At the buddha-stage, all eight consciousnesses possess twenty-one mental factors (caittas), and all of them are characterized by non-self. The mental factor of desire (chanda) means having a goal to be accomplished; this goal is not necessarily characterized by self, and it also has a non-self aspect. The mental factor of desire in a sage is non-self, without selfishness or personal desire; it is wholesome desire, arising various thoughts for the sake of sentient beings and for the sake of Buddhism, aiming to realize certain goals. The characteristic of self is manifested in the view-delusions (dṛṣṭi-kleśa) and thought-delusions (kleśa), and manifested in ignorance (avidyā); when ignorance is completely eradicated, the seventh consciousness is thoroughly without self.

The mental factor of determination (adhimokṣa) means having an understanding, comprehension, and clarity regarding the dharma one is engaged with. Only after clarity can one make choices and decisions, and then act. The mental factor of mindfulness (smṛti) means having thoughts and mental activity in the mind. Whether it is being mindful of dharmas one has experienced, or being mindful of dharmas one wishes to know, it is all mindfulness, including the thought of investigating in Chan meditation (chan canjiu), the thought of contemplating the Dharma, and only then can the thoughts and mental activity be realized. The mental factor of meditative concentration (samādhi) has one meaning: having a resolute mind toward a dharma, remaining unwavering in that dharma; another meaning: being fixed on a certain dharma without moving, concentrating on discernment and activity. The mental factor of wisdom (prajñā) means wise activity, wise discernment, wise choice, wise concentration, and so on—all activities of the consciousness are characterized by wisdom.

The Mind-King and Mental Factors Each Have Their Own Modes of Operation

The mode of operation of the mind-king (citta) is manifested in the flowing forth and running of the consciousness seeds; the mode of operation of the mental factors is manifested in the process of discerning, recognizing, and acting upon dharmas, such as the five universal mental factors and the five object-specific mental factors; it is also manifested in mental activities, such as the wholesome mental factors, the unwholesome mental factors, and the mental factors that are neither wholesome nor unwholesome. These mental factors are not carried over from the consciousness seeds and are not one substance with the consciousness seeds; each has its own mode of operation, yet they can merge together perfectly, cooperating seamlessly. In fact, the mode of operation of the mind-king is precisely the operation of the mental factors; the two are tightly bound together and cannot be separated.

Among the mental factors, the operation of the five universal mental factors and the five object-specific mental factors is not easy to distinguish from the operation and flowing forth of the consciousness seeds. The mental factors are easier to observe than the flowing forth of the consciousness seeds; observing the flowing forth of the consciousness seeds requires extremely deep meditative concentration and the wisdom of the seed-knowledge of Consciousness-Only (yogācāra). The mental factors are constantly changing; not only can they increase and decrease, they can also become more perfected. The operation of the consciousness seeds is sometimes concentrated and sometimes dispersed; when the consciousness seeds are dispersed in several places, the mental factors operate in several places. Therefore, the mental factors operate in accordance with the flowing forth of the consciousness seeds and cannot operate independently.

For example, take the mental factor of concentration among the five object-specific mental factors: when the mind-king can settle down, meditative concentration appears. This concentration can be strengthened, and it can also weaken and disappear; the mental factor of concentration is constantly changing—the more concentrated the consciousness seeds are, the stronger the mental factor of concentration becomes. These mental factors have a certain relationship with karmic seeds; they are bound together with the seeds of past lives' bodily, verbal, and mental actions. Therefore, the mental factors have a certain continuity between past and present lives. For example, for someone who practiced meditative concentration in a past life, if they practice meditative concentration a little in this life, the mental factor of concentration will easily arise.

Take another example, the mental factors of determination, mindfulness, and desire: each mental factor will undergo change. The mental factors are not fixed; they can increase and decrease, and can also undergo change. They are also related to karmic seeds and karmic power, yet they do not have separate karmic seeds of their own. For example, the mental factor of wisdom will certainly continually increase or decrease according to the conditioning of the environment; it is constantly changing. However, the consciousness seeds of the mind-king do not change; the seeds themselves are forever pure as they are. It is only that the flowing forth of the seeds differs in being concentrated or dispersed: when the seeds are concentrated, the power of concentration is good, the force of discernment is great, and the wisdom of discernment is deep.