The Relationship between the Perceiving Aspect of Tathāgatagarbha and the Five Universal Mental Factors

The perceiving aspect of the tathāgatagarbha is its function of perceiving dharmas. The tathāgatagarbha perceives all dharmas through the operation of the five universal mental factors: attention (manasikāra), contact (sparśa), sensation (vedanā), perception (saṃjñā), and volition (cetanā). It then apprehends and manifests these dharmas. Only after this process can the manas (the seventh consciousness, the mental faculty) perceive the dharmas. Prior to this, perception occurs solely through the tathāgatagarbha. However, the manas itself cannot perceive the perceiving function of the tathāgatagarbha. Only after attaining Buddhahood or as a Bodhisattva on the Bhūmis (grounds/stages) can one perceive the perceiving function of the tathāgatagarbha and the operation of its mental factors. The manas of ordinary beings and Bodhisattvas below the Bhūmis lacks such great wisdom and meditative power. Even Bodhisattvas on certain Bhūmis may not perceive it clearly and completely.

The perception of dharmas by all eight consciousnesses is accomplished through their respective five universal mental factors. The tathāgatagarbha itself possesses seeds of consciousness (vijñāna-bīja). As these seeds of consciousness operate continuously, the functioning aspect (ākāra) of the tathāgatagarbha becomes manifest. The tathāgatagarbha operates the five universal mental factors—attention, contact, sensation, perception, and volition—towards various dharmas, thereby discerning and processing them. Its function differs somewhat from the sensation, perception, and volition of the seven consciousnesses. The operation of the tathāgatagarbha's five universal mental factors is not mixed with any afflictions (kleśa) or ignorance (avidyā); it belongs to a state of non-intentional operation, also called spontaneous operation (anābhoga) or operating in accordance with dharmas. Within this, sensation (vedanā) does not enter into the object, perception (saṃjñā) lacks complex mental activity, and volition (cetanā) is merely discrimination, creation, and the maintenance and management of dharmas. In contrast, the five universal mental factors of the seven consciousnesses operate mixed with ignorance and afflictions, involve various complex mental thoughts, and are not in a state of non-intentional operation; they are greatly influenced by objects.

The seven consciousnesses also each possess their own seeds of consciousness. Their perception also relies on the operation of the five universal mental factors. During the operation of these five universal mental factors, some afflictions and ignorance may be mixed in, and wholesome mental factors, unwholesome mental factors, or neutral mental factors may also arise together. After the operation of the five universal mental factors, the seven consciousnesses gain the functional capacity of seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing. However, because the seven consciousnesses have the arising of afflictive mental factors, these afflictions exert a certain obscuring effect on their seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing. This causes the seven consciousnesses to perceive dharmas inaccurately and unclearly, leading to many misunderstandings. Consequently, these misunderstandings create unwholesome karma, forming the causes and conditions for unwholesome karmic results.