Mental factors (Buddhism)

Introduction

Mental factors are aspects of the mind that apprehend the quality of an object and have the ability to color the mind. Geshe Tashi Tsering explains:

The Tibetan for mental factors, semlay jungwa chö (Skt. chaitasika dharma), means phenomena arising from the mind, suggesting that the mental factors are not primary to the mind but arise within a larger framework. A mental factor, again, is defined as the aspect of the mind that apprehends a particular quality of an object. Because it is characterized by the qualities of activity and non-neutrality, it has the ability to color the mind in dependence on the way it manifests. Hence, a feeling of desire from seeing what is conceived as a beautiful object affects the other mental factors that are present at that time, and this colors the whole mind.

The relationship between the main mind (Sanskrit: citta) and the mental factors can be described by the following metaphors:

The main mind is like screen in a cinema, and the mental factors are like the images projected on the screen. In this analogy, we typically do not notice the screen because we are so caught up on the images.

The main mind is like a king who sits passively on a throne, and the mental factors are like the king's busy ministers.

Traleg Rinpoche states that the main distinction between the mind and mental factors is that the mind apprehends an object as a whole, whereas mental factors apprehend an object in its particulars.

Lists of mental factors

Within Buddhism, there are many different systems of abhidharma (commonly referred to as Buddhist psychology), and each system contains its own list of the most significant mental factors. These lists vary from system to system both in the number of mental factors listed, and in the definitions that are given for each mental factor. These lists are not considered to be exhaustive; rather they present significant categories and mental factors that are useful to study in order to understand how the mind functions.

Some of the main commentaries on the Abhidharma systems that are studied today include:

Abhidhammattha-sangaha by Acariya Anuruddha - a Theravada commentary that lists fifty-two mental factors.

Atthasālinī by Buddhaghosa - a Theravada commentary that provides explanations for fifty-two mental factors

Abhidharma-kosha by Vasubandhu - a Sarvastivada commentary (studied by the Mahayana schools) that lists forty-six mental factors.

Abhidharma-samuccaya by Asanga - a Yogachara commentary (studied by the Mahayana schools) that lists fifty-one mental factors.

Innermost Core of Topics of Knowledge (mDzod-phug) by Shenrab Miwo - a Tibetan Bon commentary that lists fifty-one factors.

Sthaviravāda Sarvastivada tradition

In Mahavibhasa and Abhidharma-kosa, 46 mental factors have been listed as below:

Ten mahā-bhūmika

The ten mahā-bhūmika are common to all consciousness.

Vedanā - feeling

Saññā - perception

Cetanā - volition

Phassa - contact

Chanda - Desire (to act)

Paññā - wisdom

Sati - mindfulness

Manasikāra - attention

Adhimokkha - Decision

Samādhi - mental concentration. it also called Ekaggata, one-pointedness

Ten kuśala-mahā-bhūmikādharmāḥ

The ten kuśala-mahā-bhūmikādharmāḥ accompany the wholesome consciousnesses (kusala citta).

Sraddhā - faith

Vīrya - Energy

Hiri - shame at doing evil

Apatrāpya - decorum, regard for consequence

Alobha

Advesha

Passaddhi

Upekkha

Apramada

Ahimsa - not to injure anyone or anything.

Six kleśa-mahā-bhūmika

These six one would accompany with kleśa.

Moha - delusion

Pramāda - heedlessness, carelessness, unconcern

Kausīdya - laziness, slothfulness

Āśraddhya - lack of faith, lack of trust

Styāna - lethargy, gloominess

Auddhatya - excitement, ebullience

Theravāda Abhidharma tradition

Within the Theravāda tradition, the Abhidhammattha-sangaha enumerates the fifty-two mental factors listed below:

Note that this list is not exhaustive; there are other mental factors mentioned in the Theravada teachings. This list identifies fifty-two important factors that help to understand how the mind functions.

Seven universal mental factors

The seven universal mental factors (sabbacittasādhāraṇa cetasikas) are common (sādhāraṇa) to all consciousness (sabbacitta). Bhikkhu Bodhi states: "These factors perform the most rudimentary and essential cognitive functions, without which consciousness of an object would be utterly impossible."

These seven factors are:

Phassa - contact

Vedanā - feeling

Saññā - perception

Cetanā - volition

Ekaggata - one-pointedness

Jīvitindriya - life faculty

Manasikāra - attention

Six occasional mental factors

The six occasional or particular mental factors (pakiṇṇaka cetasikas) are ethically variable mental factors found only in certain consciousnesses. They are:

Vitakka - Application of thought

Vicāra - Examining

Adhimokkha - Decision

Viriya - Energy

Pīti - Rapture

Chanda - Desire (to act)

Fourteen unwholesome mental factors

The unwholesome mental factors (akusala cetasikas) accompany the unwholesome consciousnesses (akusala citta).

Bhikkhu Bodhi states:

Unwholesome consciousness (akusalacitta) is consciousness accompanied by one or another of the three unwholesome roots—greed, hatred, and delusion. Such consciousness is called unwholesome because it is mentally unhealthy, morally blameworthy, and productive of painful results.

The fourteen unwholesome mental factors are:

Four universal unwholesome mental factors (akusalasādhāraṇa):

Moha - delusion

Ahirika - lack of shame

Anottappa - disregard for consequence

Uddhacca - restlessness

Three mental factors of the greed-group (lobha):

Lobha - greed

Diṭṭhi - wrong view

Māna - conceit

Four mental factors of the hatred-group (dosa)

Dosa - hatred

Issā - envy

Macchariya - miserliness

Kukkucca - regret

Other unwholesome mental factors

Thīna - sloth

Middha - torpor

Vicikicchā - doubt

Twenty-five beautiful mental factors

The beautiful mental factors (sobhana cetasikas) accompany the wholesome consciousnesses (kusala citta).

Bhikkhu Bodhi states:

Wholesome consciousness (kusalacitta) is consciousness accompanied by the wholesome roots—non-greed or generosity, non-hatred or loving-kindness, and non-delusion or wisdom. Such consciousness is mentally healthy, morally blameless, and productive of pleasant results.

The twenty-five beautiful mental factors (sobhana cetasikas) are:

Nineteen universal beautiful mental factors (sobhanasādhāraṇa):

Saddhā - faith

Sati - mindfulness

Hiri - shame at doing evil

Ottappa - regard for consequence

Alobha - lack of greed

Adosa - lack of hatred

Tatramajjhattatā - balance, neutrality of mind

Kāyapassaddhi - tranquility of mental body

Cittapassaddhi - tranquility of consciousness

Kāyalahutā - lightness of mental body

Cittalahutā - lightness of consciousness

Kāyamudutā - malleability/softness of mental body

Cittamudutā - malleability/softness of consciousness

Kāyakammaññatā - wieldiness of mental body

Cittakammaññatā - wieldiness of consciousness

Kāyapāguññatā - proficiency of mental body

Cittapāguññatā - proficiency of consciousness

Kāyujukatā - straightness/rectitude of mental body

Cittujukatā - straightness/rectitude of consciousness

Three Abstinences (virati):

Sammāvācā - right speech

Sammākammanta - right action

Sammā-ājīva - right livelihood

Two Immeasurables (appamañña):

Karuṇā - compassion

Mudita - sympathetic joy

One Faculty of wisdom (paññindriya):

Paññā - wisdom

Mahayana Abhidharma tradition

Abhidharma studies in the Mahayana tradition are based on the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda abhidharma system. Within this system, the Abhidharma-samuccaya identifies fifty-one mental factors:

Five universal mental factors

The five universal mental factors (sarvatraga) are:

1. Sparśa - contact, contacting awareness, sense impression, touch
2. Vedanā - feeling, sensation
3. Saṃjñā - perception
4. Cetanā - volition, intention
5. Manasikara - attention

These five mental factors are referred to as universal or omnipresent because they operate in the wake of every mind situation. If any one of these factors is missing, then the experience of the object is incomplete. For example:

If there is no sparśa (contact), then there would be no basis for perception.

If there is no vedana (feeling, sensation), there is no relishing of the object.

If there is no saṃjñā (perception), then the specific characteristic of the object is not perceived.

If there is no cetanā (volition), then there is no movement towards and settling on the object.

If there is no manasikara (attention), then there is not holding onto the object.

Five object-determining mental factors

The five object-determining mental factors (viṣayaniyata) are:

1. Chanda - desire (to act), intention, interest
2. Adhimoksha - decision, interest, firm conviction
3. Smṛti - mindfulness
4. Prajñā - wisdom
5. Samādhi - concentration

The five factors are referred to as object-determining is because these factors each grasp the specification of the object. When they are steady, there is certainty concerning each object.

Eleven virtuous mental factors

The eleven virtuous (kuśala) mental factors are:

1. Sraddhā - faith
2. Hrī - self-respect, conscientiousness, sense of shame
3. Apatrāpya - decorum, regard for consequence
4. Alobha - non-attachment
5. Adveṣa - non-aggression, equanimity, lack of hatred
6. Amoha - non-bewilderment
7. Vīrya - diligence, effort
8. Praśrabdhi - pliancy
9. Apramāda - conscientiousness
10. Upekṣa - equanimity
11. Ahiṃsā - nonharmfulness

Six root unwholesome factors

The six root unwholesome factors (mūlakleśa) are:

1. Raga - attachment
2. Pratigha - anger
3. Avidya - ignorance
4. Māna - pride, conceit
5. Vicikitsa - doubt
6. Dṛiṣṭi - wrong view

Twenty secondary unwholesome factors

The twenty secondary unwholesome factors (upakleśa) are:

1. Krodha - rage, fury
2. Upanāha - resentment
3. Mrakśa - concealment, slyness-concealment
4. Pradāśa - spitefulness
5. Irshya - envy, jealousy
6. Mātsarya - stinginess, avarice, miserliness
7. Māyā - pretense, deceit
8. Śāṭhya - hypocrisy, dishonesty
9. Mada - self-infatuation, mental inflation, self-satisfaction
10. Vihiṃsā - malice, hostility, cruelty, intention to harm
11. Āhrīkya - lack of shame, lack of conscience, shamelessness
12. Anapatrāpya - lack of propriety, disregard, shamelessness
13. Styāna - lethargy, gloominess
14. Auddhatya - excitement, ebullience
15. Āśraddhya - lack of faith, lack of trust
16. Kausīdya - laziness, slothfulness
17. Pramāda - heedlessness, carelessness, unconcern
18. Muṣitasmṛtitā - forgetfulness
19. Asaṃprajanya - non-alertness, inattentiveness
20. Vikṣepa - distraction, desultoriness

Four changeable mental factors

The four changeable mental factors (aniyata) are:

1. Kaukṛitya - regret, worry,
2. Middha - sleep, drowsiness
3. Vitarka - conception, selectiveness, examination
4. Vicāra - discernment, discursiveness, analysis

Alternate translations

Alternate translations for the term mental factors (Sanskrit: caitasika) include:

Mental factors (Geshe Tashi Tsering, Jeffrey Hopkins, Bhikkhu Bodhi, N.K.G. Mendis)

Mental events (Herbert Guenther)

Mental states (Erik Pema Kunzang, Nārada Thera)

Concomitants (N.K.G. Mendis)

Concomitants of consciousness (Bhikkhu Bodhi)

Subsidiary awareness (Alexander Berzin)