The Cetasika Embedded in the Process of Deliberation

The term "deliberation" (推敲, tuīqiāo) originates from an anecdote about the Tang dynasty poet Jia Dao composing poetry, originally describing his mental approach and diligent state when selecting words and phrases. To find the most fitting expressions, the poet continuously searched his mind for words to reveal the artistic conception the poem sought to convey, accompanied by matching gestures and actions. Initially, it begins with conscious deliberation, searching, and investigation (尋伺), gradually transitioning to deliberation, searching, and investigation by the mind faculty (意根, manas). The deliberation, searching, and investigation by the mind faculty are extremely subtle and concealed, to the point that the conscious mind (意識) seems still and thoughtless, akin to meditation (參禪).

What mental factors (心所法, caitta) arise when Jia Dao ponders and deliberates over words and phrases? The five universal mental factors (五遍行心所法) and the five object-specific mental factors (五別境心所法) appear, and perhaps also wholesome mental factors (善心所法) and afflictive mental factors (煩惱心所法). During deliberation, the mental factor of attention (作意心所法) must first arise directed towards the object being deliberated upon, drawing the mind to that object. The mental factor of contact (觸心所法) arises as the mind makes contact with the object of deliberation. The mental factor of feeling/vedanā (受心所法) arises, receiving and apprehending the object of deliberation. The mental factor of perception/saṃjñā (想心所法) arises, recognizing and grasping the object being deliberated upon. The mental factor of volition/cetanā (思心所法) arises, continuously considering this object until it is finally understood and settled, leading to subsequent actions. When gesturing the actions of 'pushing' and 'knocking' (推 and 敲), the five universal mental factors associated with the five sense consciousnesses and the sense-accompanying mental consciousness (五俱意識) also arise.

When attention (作意) is present, the mind is relatively concentrated; the conscious mind (意識) and the mind faculty (意根) are focused on the corresponding object. The arising of the feeling/vedanā mental factor might be less frequent than at other times, as the mind is preoccupied with pondering the question at hand. During the deliberation process, if a particularly sensitive image for the mind faculty is touched upon, the feeling/vedanā mental factor may arise. This feeling is an internal stirring and sensation within the mind, not a feeling caused by changes in the external six dusts (六塵, sensory objects). The feeling/vedanā mental factor fundamentally means to receive, accept, and apprehend. If the problem is not apprehended and accepted, one cannot proceed to think about it, cannot engage volition/cetanā (思), cannot achieve the final result of volition, cannot make decisions, cannot engage in subsequent formations (造作), and certainly cannot give rise to wisdom.

Throughout the processes of perception/saṃjñā (想) and volition/cetanā (思), the mental factor of concentration/samādhi (定心所法) is always present. There is also the mental factor of resolute conviction/adhimokṣa (勝解心所法). Adhimokṣa likely signifies correctly understanding the general meaning of the object, i.e., grasping the gist, enabling one to derive a relatively reasonable answer, view, concept, or conclusion regarding the object under consideration. During deliberation, the mental factors of desire/chanda (欲心所法), mindfulness/smṛti (念心所法), and concentration/samādhi (定心所法) also arise. The desire/chanda mental factor is the wish to deliberate, driving the sixth (consciousness) and seventh (manas) consciousnesses to deliberate, to select words and construct sentences. After resolute conviction/adhimokṣa regarding the meaning of the words, the mindfulness/smṛti mental factor forms. Focusing intently on deliberation is the function (功德) of the concentration/samādhi mental factor.