The Mental Factor of Perception in the Eight Consciousnesses

Among the five omnipresent mental factors in the eight consciousnesses, there exists the mental factor of perception (saṃjñā). This perception refers to the discerning, thinking, and grasping/clinging functions of the conscious mind. It also represents desire, aspiration, and hope, occupying nearly half of sentient beings' mental activities. It serves as the basis and driving force for the conscious mind's decisions and choices.

The perception associated with the six consciousnesses is categorized within the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā-skandha) among the five aggregates. It has the function of aggregating the seeds of all dharmas, being subject to birth, cessation, and change, lacking autonomy. The perception of the five sense consciousnesses is relatively simple and direct, functioning to discern and differentiate the five sense objects (forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tangible objects). Its grasping nature is not strong or obvious, operating under the impetus and regulation of the manas (ego-mind or defiled mentation). Without the impetus of the manas, there would be no perception in the five sense consciousnesses. The perception of the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) is rich in content and more apparent, involving complex thinking. A portion of it can operate with some autonomy from the manas, but a significant part remains passive, being pulled and controlled by the manas. The autonomous part cannot significantly contradict the thoughts, will, and views of the manas; otherwise, the manas will obstruct it, preventing the mental consciousness from continuing its thought process. This is because such contradiction easily causes emotional instability in the manas, leading to psychological issues. This is evident in individuals with strong self-view (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and heavy karmic obstructions when contemplating the selflessness of the five aggregates. Upon reaching a certain depth of contemplation, they become agitated and confused. This indicates that the manas cannot accept the Dharma contemplated by the mental consciousness and prevents it from continuing the contemplation.

The perception of the manas not only has discerning and differentiating functions but primarily has the function of grasping/clinging (upādāna). It is due to the manas's grasping/clinging of all dharmas that the continuous arising, cessation, birth, death, and unceasing change of all dharmas occur. The grasping nature of the manas is categorized as grasping (upādāna) within the twelve links of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda). Because of the grasping of the manas, there is becoming (bhava) and subsequent birth-and-death (jātimaraṇa) in future lives. Therefore, the perception of the manas plays a crucial role in both the arising and cessation of all dharmas. Broadly speaking, the manas also has the function of aggregating all dharmas, playing a primary role, so it should also be included within the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā-skandha).

The perception of the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness, or Tathāgatagarbha) is relatively pure, functioning only for discernment and differentiation. It operates extremely swiftly, never pondering laboriously. It knows whatever dharma it encounters without the need for thinking, pondering, speculation, reasoning, or other mental activities. It is distinctly different from the seven evolving consciousnesses (pravṛtti-vijñāna) because the ālaya-vijñāna is free from ignorance (avidyā). Its wisdom is exceptionally potent, functioning almost like an automatic discernment without any pause or interruption, never taking any dharma to heart. Due to the perception of the ālaya-vijñāna, there is its selection regarding all dharmas and their seeds. Consequently, all dharmas continue to operate uninterruptedly: as one arises, another ceases; as that arises, this ceases. The operation is orderly, without the slightest confusion. Sentient beings often perceive the world as chaotic, but this is determined by karma and is inevitable. No matter how chaotic the world of the seven consciousnesses and the five aggregates may seem, the operation of the ālaya-vijñāna remains undisturbed. Therefore, the perception of the ālaya-vijñāna has a decisive aggregating function upon the world of the five aggregates. Broadly speaking, it also belongs to the category of the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā-skandha).