The Five Universal Mental Factors Pervade the Three Realms and Nine Stages

The five universally operating mental factors (pañca-sarvatraga-caitasika-dharmas) can universally accompany the mind consciousness in its operation, pervading all places where the mind consciousness is present, pervading all times when the mind consciousness exists, and pervading all stages (bhūmis) of the mind consciousness's operation (the nine stages of the three realms, as well as the nirvāṇa of the eighth consciousness).

The mental factor of contact (sparśa) enables the mind consciousness to contact and connect with the associated dharmas; the mental factor of attention (manaskāra) enables the mind consciousness to direct attention toward the object dharma; the mental factor of feeling (vedanā) enables the mind consciousness to receive the object dharma and give rise to feelings; the mental factor of perception (saṃjñā) enables the mind consciousness to apprehend the characteristics of the object dharma and give rise to the nature of grasping; the mental factor of volition (cetanā) enables the mind consciousness to give rise to decision-making and the creation of actions.

All eight consciousnesses possess these five functions and operations. The operations of the mind consciousness must manifest through these five forms, and of course they also manifest through the forms of other mental factors. The mind consciousness itself is formless and markless, invisible; yet the operations of these five functions and of the other mental factors can be observed and identified by the mind consciousness. When the mind consciousness identifies these functions and operations, it thereby identifies the mind consciousness itself and realizes the mind consciousness.