The Cetasika Embedded in the Process of Deliberation

The term "deliberation" (推敲) originates from an anecdote about the Tang dynasty poet Jia Dao composing poetry, originally describing Jia Dao's mental approach and diligent state when selecting words and phrases. To find the appropriate words, the poet continuously searched his mind for vocabulary to reveal the artistic conception the poem sought to express, with physical gestures accompanying the mental deliberation. Initially, it began with conscious deliberation, searching, and investigation, gradually transitioning to deliberation, searching, and investigation by the mental faculty (意根). The deliberation, searching, and investigation by the mental faculty are extremely subtle and concealed, to the point that the conscious mind seems inactive and thoughtless, akin to Chan meditation.

What mental factors (心所法) arise when Jia Dao pondered and deliberated over the words and phrases? The five universal mental factors (五遍行心所法) and the five object-specific mental factors (五别境心所法) appeared, and perhaps wholesome mental factors (善心所法) and afflictive mental factors (烦恼心所法) did too. During deliberation, the mental factor of attention (作意心所法) must first arise towards the object of deliberation, directing the mind to it. The mental factor of contact (触心所法) arises as the mind contacts the object being deliberated. The mental factor of feeling (受心所法) arises, receiving and apprehending the object of deliberation. The mental factor of perception (想心所法) arises, recognizing and grasping the object being deliberated. The mental factor of volition (思心所法) arises, continuously pondering this object until it is finally understood and determined, leading to subsequent actions. When gesturing the actions of 'pushing' and 'knocking' with the hands, the five universal mental factors associated with the five sense consciousnesses and the sense-accompanied mental consciousness also arise.

When attention is applied, the mind is relatively focused; the conscious mind and mental faculty concentrate on the corresponding object. The arising of the feeling mental factor might be less frequent than at other times, as the mind is occupied with calculating the problem being considered. During the deliberation process, if a particularly sensitive image for the mental faculty is touched upon, the feeling mental factor might arise. This feeling is an internal stirring and sensation within the mind, not a feeling caused by changes in the external six dusts (六尘). The feeling mental factor fundamentally means to receive, accept, and apprehend, because if the problem is not apprehended and accepted, one cannot proceed to think about it, cannot engage in volition, cannot achieve the final result of volition, cannot make decisions or engage in subsequent formations, and even less can wisdom arise.

Throughout the processes of perception and volition, the mental factor of concentration (定心所法) is constantly present. There is also the mental factor of resolve (胜解心所法). Resolve should signify a correct understanding of the general meaning of the object, meaning a grasp of the general idea, leading to relatively reasonable answers, views, concepts, and conclusions regarding the object under consideration. During the deliberation process, the mental factors of desire (欲心所法), mindfulness (念心所法), and concentration also arise. The desire mental factor is the wish to deliberate, driving the sixth and seventh consciousnesses to deliberate and select words and phrases. After resolve is formed regarding the meaning of the words, the mindfulness mental factor arises towards that meaning. Focusing intently on deliberation is the function of the concentration mental factor.