The Concept of the Five Universal Mental Factors

The meaning of the five universally associated mental factors (sarvatraga-caitasika-dharma) is that there are five mental factors that universally accompany the mind consciousness in its operation, pervading all places where the mind consciousness is present, pervading all realms where the mind consciousness is present, pervading all times when the mind consciousness exists, pervading all dharmas that the mind consciousness corresponds to, and pervading all grounds (bhūmis) in which the mind consciousness operates (the nine grounds of the three realms, as well as nirvāṇa of the eighth consciousness).

The mental factor of contact (sparśa) enables the mind consciousness to make contact and connect with the corresponding dharmas; the mental factor of attention (manaskāra) enables the mind consciousness to attend to the dharmas that are its objects; the mental factor of feeling (vedanā) enables the mind consciousness to receive the dharmas that are its objects and give rise to sensations; the mental factor of perception (saṃjñā) enables the mind consciousness to discern the characteristics of the dharmas that are its objects 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 actions of karmic formation.

The mind consciousnesses of all eight consciousnesses have these five functions and roles. The functions of the mind consciousness must manifest in these five forms, and of course they also manifest in the forms of other mental factors. The mind consciousness itself is formless and without marks, invisible, yet the functions of these five roles and the operations of other mental factors can be observed and identified by the mind consciousness. When the mind consciousness identifies these functions and roles, it identifies the mind consciousness itself and realizes the mind consciousness.

Related Concepts of the Five Universally Associated Mental Factors

In the phrase "associated with everything" among the five universally associated mental factors, it means that the five universally associated mental factors are associated with all mind consciousnesses and with all dharmas. As long as a mind consciousness is operating, the five universally associated mental factors must be operating; without the five universally associated mental factors, the mind consciousness could not exist and could not carry out discerning activities. Therefore, on all dharmas, there are also the five universally associated mental factors of the mind consciousness, because on all dharmas there is at least the operation of the eighth consciousness and the seventh consciousness, and the five universally associated mental factors must accompany the operation of these two consciousnesses.

The meaning of the five universally associated mental factors arising together mutually is that these mental factors arise and operate gathered together. For example, when the eighth consciousness gives rise to a dharma, all of the five universally associated mental factors must accompany the operation of the eighth consciousness from beginning to end, without a single one missing. However, this is not necessarily so for the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. After the sixth and seventh consciousnesses give rise to attention (manaskāra), if they are not interested, there will be no contact (sparśa), especially with the seventh consciousness, the manas; after contact, feeling (vedanā) does not necessarily follow, especially with the seventh consciousness, the manas; after feeling, perception (saṃjñā) does not necessarily follow, especially with the seventh consciousness, the manas; after perception, volition (cetanā) does not necessarily follow, especially with the seventh consciousness, the manas. If the mental factors of the manas do not continue to operate, the six consciousnesses cannot appear, and even if they appear, they will cease and stop operating. In particular, if the mental factor of volition (cetanā) of the manas 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 teachings are extremely profound. If one's contemplation is even slightly lacking in power, deviations will arise, and the vast majority of people's contemplation contains deviations, yet they themselves are unable to discover them. It is precisely because their own contemplation lacks power that, having no other choice, they place one hundred percent faith in the words of famous figures, relying on a ready-made answer, taking it as ultimate, believing this to be reliable, and not even knowing when they are wrong. This is an extremely widespread phenomenon in the current Buddhist community.