The Five Universal Mental Factors Arise Together Mutually

Among the five universal mental factors (pañca-sarvatraga), "accompanying everything" means that the five universal mental factors accompany all consciousnesses and accompany all dharmas. As long as a consciousness is operating, the five universal mental factors must be operating; apart from the five universal mental factors, a consciousness cannot operate, cannot exist, and cannot engage in discerning activity. Therefore, in all dharmas, there are also the five universal mental factors of consciousness, because in all dharmas there must be at least the operation of the eighth consciousness and the seventh consciousness, and the five universal mental factors necessarily accompany the operation of these two consciousnesses.

The meaning of the five universal mental factors arising together with one another is that these mental factors arise and operate as a group. For example, when the eighth consciousness gives rise to a dharma, all the mental factors of the five universals must accompany the eighth consciousness throughout its operation from beginning to end, with not a single one missing. But this is not necessarily so for the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. After the sixth and seventh consciousnesses direct attention (manaskāra), if they are not interested, there will be no contact (sparśa)—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. After contact, feeling (vedanā) does not necessarily follow—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. After feeling, perception (saṃjñā) does not necessarily follow—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. After perception, deliberation (manana) does not necessarily follow—especially in the case of the seventh consciousness, the manas. If the manas's mental factors do not continue to operate, the six consciousnesses cannot appear; even if they appear, they will cease and stop operating. In particular, if the manas's deliberation mental factor does not appear, none of the six consciousnesses can appear. From this one can see the kingly, ruling position of the manas—how great His power is.

The Buddha's Dharma is most profound. If one's contemplation is even slightly lacking in power, deviations will arise, and the vast majority of people's contemplation is deviated, yet they cannot discover it themselves and are unwilling to admit it. Many people, precisely because their own contemplation lacks power, have no choice but to accept the words of famous figures with one hundred percent faith, relying on a ready-made answer, taking it as ultimate, believing this to be reliable, and not knowing even when they are wrong. This is an extremely widespread phenomenon in the Buddhist world today.