Mind and Mental Factors

Question 1

What are the sources for this deck?

Answer 1

• “Buddhist Psychology” by Geshe Tashi Tsering
• “The Inner Science of Buddhist Practice” by Artemus Engle
• “A Necklace for Those of Clear Awareness Clearly Revealing the Modes of Minds and Mental Factors” by Yeshe Gyeltsen

Question 2

What are the Five Aggregates?

Answer 2

• Form
• Sensation
• Perception
• Mental Formation
• Consciousness

Question 3

What are the primary consciousnesses?

Answer 3

• eye consciousness
• ear consciousness
• nose consciousness
• tongue consciousness
• body consciousness
• mind consciousness

Question 4

What is the mind?

Answer 4

The mind is mere clear and knowing

Question 5

How can we broadly categorize the 51 Mental Factors?

Answer 5

• 5 Always-Present Mental Factors (1-5)
• 5 Object-Ascertaining Mental Factors (6-10)
• 4 Variable Mental Factors (11-14)
• 11 Wholesome Mental Factors (15-25)
• 6 Main (Root) Mental Afflictions (26-31)
• 20 Derivative Mental Afflictions (32-51)

Question 6

What are the 5 Always-Present Mental Factors?

Answer 6

1. Contact
2. Discernment
3. Feeling
4. Intention
5. Attention

Question 7

What are the 5 Object-Ascertaining Mental Factors?

Answer 7

1. Aspiration
2. Appreciation
3. Recollection
4. Concentration
5. Intelligence

Question 8

What are the 4 variable [or neutral] mental factors?

Answer 8

1. ​sleep
2. regret
3. general examination
4. precise analysis

Question 9

What are the 11 wholesome mental factors?

Answer 9

1. faith
2. self-respect
3. consideration for others
4. detachment
5. nonhatred
6. nonignorance
7. enthusiasm
8. suppleness
9. conscientiousness
10. equanimity
11. nonviolence

Question 10

What are the 6 root mental afflictions?

Answer 10

1. Attachment
2. Anger
3. Pride/Self-Importance
4. Ignorance
5. Doubt/Indecision
6. Wrong (“Afflicted”) Views (5)

Question 11

Why do we say “six” mental afflictions and also “ten” mental afflictions?

Answer 11

It is “six” if we include the five Wrong Views as one (5+1=6), and”ten” if each the five Wrong Views is included separately (5+5=10).

Question 12

How can we broadly categorize the 20 derivative mental afflictions?

Answer 12

• 5 Afflications derived from **anger **
• 3 Afflications derived from attachment
• 6 Afflications derived from ignorance
• 2 Afflications derived from both attachment and ignorance
• 4 Afflications derived from all three (anger. attachment & ignorance)

Question 13

What are the 5 Wrong (“Afflicted”) Views?

Answer 13

1. Perishable Collections View
2. Extreme Views
3. Views of Superiority
4. [Wrong view] that denies causes, results and actions and rejects entities that exist
5. Regarding Morality and Asceticism as supreme

Question 14

What are the 5 afflications derived from anger?

Answer 14

1. wrath
2. vengence
3. spite
4. envy
5. cruelty

Question 15

What are the 3 afflictions derived from attachment?

Answer 15

1. avarice
2. self-satisfaction
3. excitement

Question 16

What are the afflictions dertived from ignorance?

Answer 16

1. concealment
2. dullness
3. faithlessness
4. laziness
5. forgetfulness
6. inattentiveness

Question 17

What are the 2 afflictions derived from both attachment and ignorance?

Answer 17

1. pretension
2. dishonesty

Question 18

​What are the 4 afflictions derived from all three of anger, attachment & ignorance?

Answer 18

1. shamelessness
2. inconsideration for others
3. unconscientiousness
4. distraction