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General
Buddhism |
Namo Dharmaya !
Hail to the Teachings
MIND AND MENTAL FACTORS
PAGE CONTENTSUnderstanding the functioning of our mind is at the basis of Buddhism. The
first verse of the Dhammapada states: "All things are preceded by
the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind."
Similarly, in the Abidharma (the earliest attempt at a systematic representation of Buddhist philosophy and psychology, the world is regarded as a phenomena originating in the mind.
Mind is defined in Buddhism as a non-physical phenomena which perceives, thinks,
recognises, experiences and reacts to the environment.
In Buddhism the mind is described as having two main aspects: clarity and knowing;
meaning that the mind is clear, formless and allows for objects to arise in
it, and that the mind is knowing, an awareness, a consciousness which can engage
with objects.
The two main types of mind are explained as the conceptual and the non-conceptual.
The conceptual is the "normal" mind aspect we use to survive in daily life,
but is ultimately mistaken about the way in which reality exists. The non-conceptual
type of mind is also called the Buddha nature, rigpa (Tib.), fundamental
pure nature of mind which realises emptiness (see the page on Wisdom).
Study and training the mind in wisdom uses the conceptual mind, like preparing
the mind before the underlying non-conceptual Buddha-nature of the mind can
appear.
In Buddhist psychology, much emphasis is given to the so-called delusions, which we need to diminish and ultimately even eliminate for spiritual progress. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama said:
"Delusions are states of mind which, when they arise within our mental continuum, leave us disturbed, confused and unhappy. Therefore, those states of mind which delude or afflict us are called delusions or afflictive emotions."
Or, an over 1800 year old one-liner by Nagarjuna:
"Without the discipline of guarding the mind, what use are any other disciplines?"
For more information on counteracting these delusions, like anger and attachement, see the pages on delusions.
In the Abhidharmakosha of Vasubandu, 51 types of mind states or mental factors are distinguished. They are mainly categorised by the way they are related to the main delusions of attachment, anger and ignorance, (see below) and their relevance to mind training. Note that the English terms used often have different connotations than the actual definitions in Buddhism. Although below list may appear a dull list of definitions, a careful study of it can explain much of the Buddhist attitude towards the mind. The list does not have the intention to be complete in describing all possible mental states, but describes merely the most important ones in relation to spiritual practice.
THE 5 OMNIPRESENT (EVER-RECURRING) MENTAL FACTORS
1. Feeling (the first aggregate)
2. Recognition / discrimination / distinguishing awareness (the second
aggregate)
3. Intention / mental impulse - I will ...
4. Concentration / attention / mental application - focused grasping
of an object of awareness
5. Contact - the connection of an object with the mind, this may be pleasurable,
painful or neutral as experienced by the aggregate of Feeling.
THE 5 DETERMINATIVE MENTAL FACTORS
6. Resolution / aspiration - directing effort to fulfil desired intention,
basis for diligence and enthusiasm.
7. Interest / appreciation - holding on to a particular thing, not allowing
distraction
8. Mindfulness / Recollection - repeatedly bringing objects back to mind,
not forgetting
9. Concentration / Samadhi - one-pointed focus on an object, basis
for increasing intelligence
10. Intelligence / Wisdom - "common-sense intelligence", fine discrimination,
examines characteristics of objects, stops doubt, maintains root of all wholesome
qualities.
THE 4 VARIABLE (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE) MENTAL FACTORS
11. Sleep - makes mind unclear, sense consciousness turns inwards
12. Regret - makes mind unhappy when regarding a previously done action
as bad, prevents the mind from being at ease.
13. General examination / coarse discernment - depending on intelligence
or intention, searches for rough idea about the object.
14. Precise analysis / subtle discernment - depending on intelligence
or intention, examines the object in detail.
THE 11 VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS
(Note that 18 and 19 are not necessary always virtuous. The first 3 are also
known as roots of virtue.)
15. Faith / confidence / respectful belief - gives us positive attitude
to virtue and objects that are worthy of respect. Three types are distinguished,
with the last one being the preferred type:
a. uncritical faith: motivation is for no apparent reason
b. longing faith: motivation is by emotionally unstable mind
c. conviction: motivated by sound reasons
16. Sense of Propriety / self-respect - usually the personal conscience
to stop negative actions and perform positive actions
17. Considerateness / decency - avoids evil towards others, basis for
unspoiled moral discipline.
18. Suppleness / thorough training / flexibility - enables the mind to
engage in positive acts as wished, interrupting mental or physical rigidity.
19. Equanimity / clear-minded tranquility
- peaceful mind, not being overpowered by delusions, no mental dullness or agitation
20. Conscientiousness / carefulness - causes avoiding negative acts &
doing good; mind with detachment, non-hatred, non-ignorance and enthusiasm
21. Renunciation / detachment - no attachment to cyclic existence and
objects
22. Non hatred / imperturbability - no animosity to others or conditions;
rejoicing
23. Non-bewilderment / non ignorance / open-mindedness - usually understanding
the meaning of things through clear discrimination, never unwilling to learn
24. Non violence / complete harmlessness - compassion without any hatred,
pacifist
25. Enthusiasm / diligence - doing positive acts (specifically mental development
and meditation) with delight
THE 26 NON-VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS
THE 6 ROOT DELUSIONS (Delusion is defined as any secondary mental factor that, when developed, brings about suffering and uneasiness to self or others.)
26. Ignorance - not knowing karma, meaning and practice of 3 Jewels,
includes closed-mindedness, lack of wisdom of emptiness.
27. Attachment / desire - definition: not
wanting to be separated from someone or something. Grasping at aggregates in
cyclic existence causes rebirth & suffering of existence
28. Anger - definition: wanting to be separated
from someone or something, can lead to relentless desire to hurt others; causes
unhappiness
29. Pride - inflated superiority,
supported by one's worldly views, which include disrespect of others
30. Doubt / deluded indecisive wavering
- being in two minds about reality; usually leads to negative actions
31. Wrong views / speculative delusions - based on emotional afflictions.
Distinguished in 5 types: belief in the self as permanent or non-existent (as
opposite to the view of emptiness); denying karma, not understanding the value
of the 3 Jewels; closed-mindedness (my view -which is wrong- is best); wrong
conduct (not towards liberation)
THE 20 SECONDARY NON-VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS
Derived from anger:
32. Wrath / hatred - by increased anger, malicious state wishing to cause
immediate harm to others
33. Vengeance / malice / resentment - not forgetting harm done by a person,
and seeking to return harm done to oneself
34. Rage / spite / outrage - intention to utter harsh speech in reply
to unpleasant words, when wrath and malice become unbearable
35. Cruelty / vindictiveness / mercilessness - being devoid of compassion
or kindness, seeking harm to others.
Derived from anger and attachment:
36. Envy / jealousy - internal anger caused by attachment; unbearable
to bear good things others have
Derived from attachment:
37. Greed / avarice / miserliness - intense clinging to possessions and
their increase
38. Vanity / self-satisfaction - seeing one's good fortune giving one
a false sense of confidence; being intoxicated with oneself
39. Excitement / wildness / mental agitation - distraction towards desire
objects, not allowing the mind to rest on something wholesome; obstructs single
pointed concentration.
Derived from ignorance:
40. Concealment - hiding one's negative qualities when others with good
intention refer to them this causes regret
41. Dullness / muddle-headedness - caused by fogginess which makes mind
dark/heavy - like when going to sleep, coarse dullness is when the object is
unclear, subtle dullness is when the object has no intense clarity
42. Faithlessness - no belief of that which is worthy of respect; it
can be the idea that virtue is unnecessary, or a mistaken view of virtue; it
forms the basis for laziness (43)
43. Laziness - being attached to temporary
pleasure, not wanting to do virtue or only little; opposite to diligence [25])
44. Forgetfulness - causes to not clearly remember virtuous acts, inducing
distraction to disturbing objects - not "just forgetting", but negative tendency
45. Inattentiveness / lack of conscience - "distracted wisdom" after
rough or no analysis, not fully aware of one's conduct, careless indifference
and moral failings; intentional seeking mental distraction like daydreaming
Derived from attachment and ignorance:
46. Hypocrisy / pretension - pretend non-existent qualities of oneself
47. Dishonesty / smugness - hiding one's faults, giving no clear answers,
no regret, snobbery & conceit, self-importance and finding faults with others
Derived from attachment, anger and ignorance
48. Shamelessness - consciously not avoiding evil, it supports all root
and secondary delusions
49. Inconsiderateness - not avoiding evil, being inconsiderate of other's
practice, ingratitude
50. Unconscientiousness / carelessness- 3 delusions plus laziness; wanting
to act unrestrained
51. Distraction / mental wandering - inability to focus on any virtuous
object
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Last updated: February 28, 2001
