MindandMentalFactors

GesheLotinwillteachonthetopicMindandMentalFactorsbyKonchokJigmeWangpo.Atranslationofthe
fulltextinEnglishisnotavailable,howevertheBerzinarchivescontainsasummarycommentaryofthetext
whichcanbeaccessedatthefollowinglink:
http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/sutra/level4_deepening_understanding_path/mind_mental
_factors/mind_mental_factors_51.html?query=mind+and+mental+factors
May25,2008

1. HomagetotheGuru
2. Themindofanordinaryhumanbeingislikeanelephantcrazyonalcohol.Thistextislikeamirror.
Throughit,onecanseeeverythingclearlyandprecisely.Itsgeneralmeaningconcernshowthemind
engagesinmentalactivities.
3. Threewordsformind:sem=mind;yod=thoughts;namshe=consciousness.Theyallpointtothesame
object.
4. Theprimaryconsciousnessperceivesanobjectmainlyfromitsowncapability.Itdoesntneedtorelyon
factors.Itcanperceiveanobjectitself.Consciousnessperceives,butitdoesntnecessarilyunderstand.
Forexample,apersonwithjaundicewillseeyellowsnow,butdoesntunderstandthatitshouldbe
white.
5. Definitionofahumanbeing:Onewhocanspeakandunderstandwords.However,therearehumanswho
areoutsideofthisdefinitione.g.ababy.
6. Therearesixtypesofconsciousness;however,allrelyonprimaryconsciousness
Eye
Ear
Nose
Tongue
Body
Mind
Eachhasaspecificlocationandeachreliesonanorganandeachhasitsownuniquefunction.
7. Whereisthemindconsciousnesslocated?Differentschoolshavedifferentideas.Itisfoundinthefinal
momentofpreviousconsciousness.e.g.,youseetheTCC,then.....Thestreamofconsciousnesscannot
generatefromaninanimateobjectitmustcomefromapreviousconsciousness.Thereisastrong
connectionbetweenthe5organsandthementalconsciousnesswhichissupportedbytheorganin
question.

June1,2008

Primaryconsciousnessisconsideredtoconsistof6types.Thisisacommonassertionofallschools.

TheMindOnlySchooladditionallyseesconsciousnessaseightfold.Inaddition,the6types,theMindOnly
Schoolwhichfollowsthescriptures(Asanga)adds:

7. Deludedawareness
8. Mindbasisofallalayavijnana(kungzhirnamshes,allencompassingfoundationconsciousness,
storehouse consciousness).

Anotherschool(Tenamdidnotstatethenameofthisschool)addsaninthtype:(Tib.Tunme)pure
consciousness,stainlessconsciousness.).

Whichistheconsciousnessthatgoesfromthislifetothenext?

Lowerschoolassertsonlyoneprimaryconsciousness(remembertheexampleofthehousewith6windows
withonlyonemonkeyinside).

TheMindOnlywithitsassertionof8consciousnesses,seesKungshe(Foundationconsciousness,also
describedasthemindbasisofall,orthestorehouseformentalimprints)asthevehiclethatcarriesthe
consciousnessfromlifetimetolifetime.Howeverwhenthepractitionerreachesthe8
th
bhumi,thenatureof
thismindistransformedandultimatelyneedtobeeliminated.

Themindconsciousnessgoesfromthislifetonext.Thisargumentisverysubtle,sparkingmuchdebateabout
whatconsciousnessholdsthementalimprintsthatarecarriedfromlifetimetolifetime.Therearemanytypes
ofconsciousnesswithinmindconsciousness.Thestreamofmentalconsciousnessmustbestableforthe
streamtogofromonelifetoanother.Thistextdealswithimputatedmind,aspectsofthemind,typeofmind,
typeofconsciousness.

Consciousnesscanbecategorizedintothreetypes:

1. positiveorvirtuousmindwhichdependsonpositivementalfactors
2. nonvirtuousmindwhichdependsonnonvirtuous/negativementalfactors
3. neutralmindwhichdependsonneutralmentalfactors.

ThefivecongruentfeatureswillbedealtwithfurtheronintheTibetantext(theBerzinarchivesdocument
discussedthemnow.)

Howisconsciousnessgenerated?Itdependsonthreefactors;

1. objectivecondition:thetargetorobjectofobservation
2. fundamentalcondition:theorganofapprehension
3. immediatecondition:finalmomentofpreviousconsciousness

Asanexample,Geshelanotedhowconsciousnessapprehendsthecolorblue.Theobjectiveconditionisthe
actualcoloroftheobjectbeingseen,inthiscaseblue.Thefundamentalconditioninthiscaseistheeye,the
pureinnerorganwhichistypeoffundamentalconditionneededtogenerate(orgiveriseto)theresultofeye
consciousness.

Eye:Theinnerpureformsubstanceororganwhichhelpstogenerateeyeconsciousnessmustrelyontheeye
facultybutitisnotthephysicalorganoftheeyeitisdescribedinthetextaslightbluish,thesizeoftheseed
ofagrapeandtransparent.Itisaphysicalformaggregatesoitexists.Thisistheinnerpureformsubstance
organwhichhelpstogeneratetheeyeconsciousnessand,therefore,itmustrelyontheeyefaculty.Itis
unique.Ithelpstodevelopaspecialqualityofeyeconsciousness(notsimplythephysicaleye.)TheTibetan
wordtranslatesasthebasisorlocationofwheretheeyeorganislocated.

Whataretheremainingorgans?Ear,nose,tongueandbody.

Thefundamentalconditionsoftheseremainingorgansaredescribedasfollow:

Ear:Itlookslikethecrosssectionofarolledleafthathasbeencutinhalfresemblingtheformofaspiral.

Nose:Resemblesthepointedendportionofawhiteconchshell.

Tongue:Twocrescentmoonshapesarelocatedonthetongueinoverlappingareaswhichenableoneto
distinguishbetweendifferenttastes.Geshelasaidyoucouldexperimentandseeforyourselfwhereyoucan
apprehendsweetnessversussour.

Body:Thisaggregateisbasedonallpartsofbody.

Eachfundamentalconditionhasauniqueabilitytoperceiveorapprehendobjectorinformation.Thesixth
mentalconsciousnesshastheabilitytounderstandall5butalsomustendontheotherfive(inotherwordsis
hastorelyonindividualfaculties)

June8,2008

Therehastobeaflow

Wheredoesthisconsciousnessarise?Itarisesfromapreviousmomentofconsciousnesswhichthenceases.

1. Schoolsthatassertobjectivephenomena,suchastheSutraSchool,stateacause/effectrelationship
betweensubjectandobject.
2. TheMindOnlyschoolsaysthatthesubjectandobjectareofthesamenatureand,therefore,thereis
nocause/effectrelationship.
3. TherearethreetypesofconditionsaccordingtotheSutraSchool
a. Object(e.g.thecolorblue)
b. Fundamentalcondition(e.g.eyeorgan)
c. ImmediateCondition(thepreviousmomentofconsciousness)

MindOnlySchoolassertsthatwhentheeyeconsciousnessperceivesthecolorblue(theobjectofeye
consciousness)thatcolorexistedpreviouslyandwasjusttriggeredbytheperception

June15,2008

Theprimarymindislikethegeneralofanarmywhohasaregimentunderhim.Ithasmentalfactorsunder
him.Thementalfactorshaveaboss.

Themindandmentalfactorshavethesamenaturebutaredifferententities.

Regardingthe5aggregates:
1. Formhasnothingtodowithmentalfactors
2. Feelingonementalfactor
3. Perception/discriminationonementalfactor
4. CompositionalFactors49mentalfactors
5. Consciousnesshasnothingtodowithmentalfactors

MentalFactors:Dividedintotwocategories

1. General
2. GoodandBad

General:Themindwhichaccompaniestheprimary(major)mindtheconsciousnessofapprehendingothers.

Threewordsformind:
1. Semliteralmeaning(citteSanscrit)referstothenatureofaccumulationandgatheringofthe
mentalimprints.Thestorehousewherementalimprintsaregathered.
2. Namsheeconsciousnesswhichapprehendstheparticularitiesoftheobjects;nam=perfect;shepa
=apprehends
3. Yod=thatwhichrecognizes/identifiesitsobjectofobservation

Anetworkofsubsidiaryawarenessesaccompanieseachmomentofprimaryconsciousnessand49ofthese
compositionalfactorshavethefollowingcongruentorconcomitantfeatures:

1. Reliancerelyingonthesamecognitivesensor
2. Objectcognitivelyaimingatthesamefocalobject
3. Aspectgivingrisetothesamecognitiveappearanceormentalsemblance
4. Timearising,abiding,andceasingsimultaneously
5. Natalsourcealthoughcomingfromtheirownindividualnatalsources(referringtoindividualkarmic
tendencies)theycomefromnatalsourcesthathavethesameslant.Thus,theyworkharmoniously
togetherwithoutclashing.

June29,2008

TenamisusingGesheRaptensbook:TheMindandItsFunctionstohelphimtranslateGeshelas
teachings.HealsohasbeenusingGesheKelsangGyatsosbookUnderstandingtheMind.Hedidnotbuy
thebook,butfoundinaboxoffreebies.GesheKelsangGyatsoisaleadingmemberoftheShugdensect
whobrokehiscommitmenttohisrootlama,theDalaiLama.IntheTibetantradition,adharmaauthor
needstobecommissionedtodohiswritingbyhisteacher,hisyiddam,andhisstudents.However,since
hebrokehisconnectiontohisteacher,thiscreatesbadkarmawhichistransmittedwithhiswritings.

WhenscienceandBuddhistteachingscontradicteachother,HisHolinesssaysgowiththefactsgowith
reality.DuringthetimeoftheBuddha,onlySariputrawasgivenpermissiontoreadnonBuddhisttexts.
ThecosmologydescribedintheAbhidharmaKhoshisdifferentfromwhatweexperiencewhenweflyfrom
IndiatotheUSA.Weneedtogowithourexperience.Whenwemeetmanycontradictions,wemust
analyze,examine,andfollowthelogicalapproach.

Thereare51mentalfactors:

5 Allaccompanying,everfunctioningmentalfactors
5 Allascertainingsubsidiaryawarenesses
11 Constructiveemotions
6 Rootdelusions
20 Secondarydelusions
4 Changeablementalfactors

Allaccompanying,everfunctioningmentalfactors
Wheneverthereisaprimarymind,ithastohaveaneverfunctioningmentalfactor.Eachofthese5hasits
ownfunction.Theprimarymindworkswiththementalfactorthatisstrongestatthattime.Analogy:a
kinghas5ministerswhoarealwayswiththeking.Allareinvolvedinaproject(active),butoneministeris
moreinvolvedwiththekingthanothers.

Theseallaccompanying,everfunctioningmentalfactorsare

Feelingadistinctcognitionofpleasure,pain,orindifference.Themindafeelingwiththehelpof
thementalfactor.
Discernment/discriminationidentifiestheobjecttobeonethingandnotanotherbymeansof
differentiation
Intentionenablesthemindtomovetowardstheobject
Contactconnectstheorganwiththeprimaryconsciousness
Attentiondirectstheprimarymindandmentalfactorspushesthemindtowardstheobject

Tibetantextschangetheorder:
Feeling
Discernment
Intention
Attention
Contact

July13:Notestobeprovidedfor5AllAscertainingSubsidiaryAwarenessesand11ConstructiveEmotions.

July27,2008

TheSixRootDelusionsaretheprincipalsfromwhichallotherdelusionsarise.Theyservearootcauses.They
makethemindand/ormentalfactorsmoredeluded.

1. Desire:attachmenttoonesobject
2. Anger:hatredtowardthenatureofthesuffering
3. Pride:relyingonthemundane
4. Ignorance:ofonesknowledge
5. Deludeddoubt:frozendecisionobstructontothePathofSeeing
6. Deludedviews:5types
a. RootofsamsaragrapsingtotheIandmybasedontheaggregates=slefgraspingofperson
b. Extremeviewholdingontoeitherofthe2extremes:unchaingingcreaterandnotholdingonto
cause/effect.(resultofa.)
c. Holdingfalseviewslookingatthe4NobleTruthsasnottrue
d. Holdingfalseviewsbyholdingtheconceptsofthelowerschoolsasbeingthebestphilosophy
e. Holdingwrongmoralconductactingonwrongviewsandadoptingextremepractices(e.g.
jumpingintofireandsittingana3pointedscepter.

The20SecondaryDelusions:closesttothe4ootdelusions

1. Wrath
2. Vengeance
3. Spite
4. Envy
5. Cruelty
6. Avarice
7. Selfsatisfaction
8. Excitement(scatteredmind)
9. Concealment
10. Dullness
11. Faithlessness
12. Laziness
13. Forgetfulness
14. Inattentiveness(carelessindifference)
15. Pretention
16. Dishonesty
17. Shamelessness
18. Inconsiderationofothers
19. Unconcientousness
20. Distraction

August17,2008

TheFourChangeableMentalFactors

1. Sleep:ifthementalityispositive,itwillbepositive.
2. Regret:byitselfitisnotpositiveornegativedependsonwhatyouregrest
3. Investigation:examinesanobjecttogetunderstandingofitsgrossnature.
4. Analysis:examinesanobjecttogetunderstandingofitssubtlenature

Thisdiscussionofthe51MentalFactorsisbasedontheTreasuryofKnowledge.
WewillreturntoexaminingtheAllAccompanyingMentalFactors:

Feeling
Discernment
Intention
Contact
Attention

Feelingisdirectanddistinct.Itisdifferentfromlogicalexperience.Thisexperienceisgeneratedwhen
Contacttouchestheobject.TheresultisFeeling.Feelingdoesntgothroughtheothermentalfactors.
Pleasureandpainarenottheobjectoffeeling.Theyarethefeelingortheexperienceitself.

Thegeneralfunctionoffeelingistofullyexperiencetheripeningeffectofourpreviousactions.

Feelingsmaybeclassifiedas

1. pleasure,sufferingorindifference

2. sensory:accompanysensesconsciousnesses
mentalfeeling:accompanymentalconsciousnesses

3. contaminated:unsatisfactoryexperiencesofpleasure,painandindifferencethataccompanyallstates
ofconsiousnessaffectedbyaffliction
unconcontaminatedfeelingsaccompanystatesofconsciousnessinthemindsofAryaswhoareno
longeraffectedbytheafflictions.

Process:

1. lookatanobject
2. Eyegeneratesfeelingofattractivenessandpassesittothementalconsciousness
3. Mindreceivesandwantstoseeitagainthisisafunctionofconsciousness(goesthrougheye
consciousnessandthentothemind

Weexperiencemanytypesoffeelingsonadailybasis:

1. Seeingthenafeelingisgenerated
2. Feelinggivesbirthtocraving
3. Cravinggivesrisetograspingandsoonthroughthe12DependentlinksofOrigination

IfyouknowtherolesoftheAllAccompanyingMentalFactors,itwillhelpyoutounderstandbetterthe12
LinksofDependentOrigination

Therearetwowaysofexplainingafeeling:

1. ThroughtheFaculty:relyingonafaculty:thisfeelingisingnorantuntilitmeetstheobject
2. ThroughtheMindItself:feelinginthemindamemoryhasnothingtodowiththefaculty

Discernmentisadistinctmentalfactorhavingthefunctionofidentifyingtheobjectobeonethingasopposed
toanotherbymeansofdifferentiation.

E.g.:theeyeconsciousnessisaccompaniedbytheFiveEverAccompanyingMentalFactors.Eachfactordoes
itsworknotthatoftheother.TheeyeconsciousnessseekssupportoftheseFiveOmniPresentMental
Factors.EachoftheFivehasitownabilityandfunction.

Therearetwotypesofdiscernment:withasignandwithoutasign.
1. Withoutasign:
a. ayoungchildlooksattwodifferentcolorsandseesthedifferencebutdoesnthavethewords
todefineit.
b. Discernmentofameditativeperceptionofultimatetruthinwhichthereisnosignofany
conditionedphenomenon.
c. DiscernmentoftheformlessabsorptionatthepeakofSamsarainwhichthereisnosignofa
clearordistinctreferent.
2. Withasign:
a. Thatwhichisskilledinraltingtermstotheircorrespondingobjects
b. Thatwhichdiscernsconcerete,impermanentphenomena
c. Thatwhichhasaclear,distinctreferent.