The Kleshas and Caitasika Dharmas

Fundamental Afflictions: The six mental factors of greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance, doubt, and wrong view are called fundamental afflictions because they can give rise to all afflictions. Once the fundamental [afflictions] are eradicated, the subsequent twenty derivative afflictions or even more derivative afflictions will gradually cease accordingly, just as when a tree's roots are severed, its branches and leaves will subsequently wither and not endure for long.

Major Derivative Afflictions: Lack of faith, laziness, heedlessness, torpor, agitation, forgetfulness, incorrect perception, and distraction. The mental factor of lack of faith is eradicated when the cultivation of the faith stage is perfected, removing doubts about the Three Jewels, doubts about one's own Tathagatagarbha, doubts about one's future Buddhahood, etc. However, not all lack of faith regarding the Dharma is eradicated; only the lack of faith concerning fundamental Dharma and Dharma of a certain level is eliminated. The mental factor of laziness ceases when the Seven Factors of Enlightenment are cultivated and the factor of diligence arises. When not diligent, laziness can still manifest; it is only completely eradicated upon attaining the third fruition, the fourth fruition, or the first Bodhisattva ground. The mental factor of heedlessness is similar; when the mind of renunciation arises, one becomes less heedless, but complete eradication requires cultivation up to the third fruition or beyond.

Torpor is eradicated upon attaining meditative concentration. The same applies to the mental factor of agitation; it ceases when the Undistracted Concentration is fully attained. Agitation is eradicated after the First Dhyana, though it might reappear if the meditative absorption is lost. Forgetfulness is also similar, as it is related to meditative concentration. When the power of concentration is sufficient, one does not forget the object of meditation, but this cannot be guaranteed when concentration wanes. Distraction is also related to meditative concentration, while incorrect perception is related to wisdom; without cultivating the Dharma of liberation, incorrect perception exists in the mind. The sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna) is associated with all major derivative afflictions. The five sense consciousnesses alone do not possess these afflicting mental factors; they arise only in conjunction with the sixth consciousness, assisting the seventh consciousness and the sixth consciousness in manifesting these afflictions. The seventh consciousness possesses all afflicting mental factors except torpor. The eighth consciousness is not associated with any afflicting mental factors.

Medium Derivative Afflictions: Shamelessness and lack of remorse. These are the opposite of the mental factors of shame and remorse. One does not reflect upon one's own wrongdoings and feels no shame or repentance for having wronged others. The sixth and seventh consciousnesses are associated with shamelessness and lack of remorse. The five sense consciousnesses can manifest these only relying on the sixth consciousness, assisting the sixth and seventh consciousnesses in manifesting these afflictions; they cannot manifest them independently. The eighth consciousness does not possess these two afflictions.

Minor Derivative Afflictions: Anger, resentment, concealment, deceit, flattery, conceit, malice, envy, vexation, and stinginess. These are primarily afflictions rooted in hatred, though stinginess arises from greed. Generally, they are considered habitual tendencies of afflictions, latent within the seventh consciousness, and are extremely difficult to eradicate. Even after the fundamental afflictions are eradicated and one becomes an Arhat, these habits are hard to eliminate. Bodhisattvas on the grounds gradually eradicate and exhaust them during the long path of cultivation, but Arhats and Bodhisattvas on the grounds are not associated with every minor derivative affliction. The five sense consciousnesses assist the sixth and seventh consciousnesses in manifesting these afflicting mental factors. The eighth consciousness does not have these afflictions or mental activities.