The Mental Factors (caittas) of the Seventh Consciousness (Manas)

The mental factors of the seventh consciousness are very complex, because the wholesome and unwholesome karmic retributions of all sentient beings since beginningless kalpas have been accomplished through the wholesome and unwholesome mental factors of the seventh consciousness, the manas. Whether it is the retribution of ordinary beings in the three good destinies or the three evil destinies, or the sublime retributions of the four kinds of noble ones—arhats, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas—all are accomplished through the wholesome and unwholesome mental factors of the manas. The difference in retribution from hell to Buddhahood is so vast, and it is all brought about by the differences in the mental factors of the manas. Although the wholesome and unwholesome mental factors of the mind consciousness also exert a very great influence on karmic retribution, the wholesome and unwholesome states of the mind consciousness can only produce a genuine influence and effect on the final retribution after they have successfully permeated the manas. If the manas has not been permeated and influenced, it means that the person's essential nature has not changed, and the karmic retribution cannot change.

Since the mental factors of the manas determine the wholesome and unwholesome karmic retributions of sentient beings in future lives, and sentient beings indeed do have different wholesome and unwholesome retributions, the manas must possess wholesome and unwholesome mental factors. Moreover, the degree of severity of the wholesome and unwholesome mental factors of the manas differs among individual sentient beings. The manas of beings in the three evil destinies is replete with afflictive mental factors; the Buddha is replete with wholesome mental factors; and other sentient beings possess neither wholesome nor unwholesome mental factors in full. Since the mental factors of the manas differ so greatly among different sentient beings, the various mental factors of the manas must be described separately according to the different categories of sentient beings, and cannot be generalized in a single statement.

Sentient beings have had the affliction of ignorance in the seventh consciousness since beginningless kalpas. After studying Buddhism and cultivating practice, through the restraint of the precepts and the growth of meditative concentration (samādhi) and wisdom, the affliction of ignorance is continuously subdued and eliminated, the afflictive mental factors are continuously lightened and reduced, the eleven wholesome mental factors continuously increase and strengthen, and the functions of the five particular mental factors also continuously increase and strengthen. Therefore, the mental factors of the seventh consciousness must be described separately according to the stage and degree of cultivation.