The mind, or citta (consciousness), does not arise in isolation merely to perceive or know things; rather, it emerges accompanied by mental factors known as cetasika. The mind, in its essence, is 'pure,' as its primary function is solely to 'know' objects. It is the mental factors that imbue the mind with 'colour': wholesome mental factors (kusala-cetasika) adorn the mind beautifully, while the unwholesome ones (akusala-cetasika) taint it negatively. It is crucial to comprehend, through wisdom, both the mind and the mental factors in order to achieve the first vipassanā knowledge: the analytical knowledge of mentality and materiality (nāmarūpa-pariccheda-ñāṇa). But understanding alone is insufficient; clear comprehension with wisdom through proper discernment is paramount.
In this post, for your general knowledge, four universal mental factors that accompany with all unwholesome mind moments will be briefly explained here along with their characteristics and functions in order to fully realise that all the ultimate reality (mentality and materiality) that are needed to be specially known with one's wisdom are devoid of self (anatta).
All unwholesome mind moments share these four mental factors: delusion (moha), which is blindness to unwholesomeness; shamelessness (ahīrika) in committing wrongdoing; fearlessness (anottappa) in committing wrongdoing; and restlessness (uddhacca). This implies that every unwholesome mind moment is intertwined with these four universal mental factors, and no unwholesome mind moment can emerge without them serving as their foundation. Let's explore what characteristics and functions these unwholesome universal mental factors.
(1) Delusion (Moha):
Moha, or ignorance, hinders one's ability to comprehend the ultimate reality of mentality and materiality (the dhamma). As a result, those who lack this ability engage in unwholesome wrong conduct (duccarita) without recognising it as such. Moha leads to erroneous actions and mental dispositions known as micchāpaṭipatti. On the other hand, right conduct and mental disposition, known as sammāpaṭipatti, involve practicing to attain a correct understanding of the four noble truths. Thus, moha stands in opposition to this proper practice. Moha prevents individuals from realising the ultimate reality of mentality and materialty (nāma and rūpa), kamma and the law of cause and effect, and the three universal characteristics of all conditioned realities: impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and non-self (anatta), which are integral to attaining right view (sammādiṭṭhi) of the noble eightfold path.
Oftentimes, moha is equated with ignorance (avijjā) because it conceals a person's ability to perceive the ultimate reality or the four noble truths. Until moha, in its latent defilement form, is eradicated, the tendency to engage in wrongful conduct and mental dispositions persists, leading to more and more unwholesome mental states.
It is the ultimate truth (Dhamma) that our five aggregates: form, feeling, perception, formation and consciousness are impermanent, suffering and non-self. However, ordinary disciples (putthujjana) who have not realised the noble truths yet are engulfed by moha, and this moha also manifests as a leading factor to cause distortions of the mind called the vipallāsa. Because of the presence of such distortions, unwholesomeness are being committed over and over again, and can often go unnoticed due to the delusion/distortion itself. These distortions play a pivotal role in understanding how powerful moha is.
The mind's distortions (vipallāsa) exist on three levels, and these perversions or distortions lead us to regard impermanent (anicca) as permanent (nicca), suffering (dukha) as blissful (sukha), non-self (anatta) as self (atta), and unpleasant/impure (asubha) as pleasant (subha).
First, there is the distortion of perception (saññā-vipallāsa), which causes us to misinterpret information from our sense doors. For instance, all humans are composed of five aggregates, materiality and mentality that are born of their respective causes and are inherently unsatisfactory (dukkha), do not follow one's command to be always youthful and pleasant (asubha). However, distortion of perception (saññā-vipallāsa) leads us to perceive that our bodies, as well as others', are blissful and beautiful to be possessed. This trickery, caused by moha (delusion), prevents us from truly realising in the present moment that all beings are composed of aggregates. Therefore, whenever we fail to eradicate moha (delusion) from its core even at its latent form, this distortion of perception persists, misleading individuals into perceiving and remembering that 'life is beautiful (sukha instead of dukkha)', or 'this body is beautiful and worthy to be possessed (subha instead of asubha)'.
Next, there is the distortion of thought (citta-vipallāsa), which occurs when we ponder or think about things in our minds. Our thoughts tend to build on our perceptions, and if our perceptions are distorted, our thoughts will be too. Referring back to the previous example, if we hold the perception and memory that 'this body is beautiful and worthy to be possessed', our thoughts will consistently gravitate towards contemplating whenever we see ourselves in the mirror while beautifying or encounter someone attractive, and believe that 'the body is beautiful, or worthy'.
Over time, these thought patterns can become ingrained and lead to the distortion of views (diṭṭhi-vipallāsa), leading to wrong views. Someone might become so deeply convinced that 'the body is beautiful and worthy of possession' that no amount of evidence from their senses, reasoning, advice from others, or even teachings from the Dhamma can shake their beliefs. Consequently, they become trapped in wrong view. This wrong view, associated with the distortion of views, serves as one of the primary factors perpetuating the cycle of rebirth without escape. Therefore, eliminating this distortion of wrong view is paramount to entering the 'stream' towards Nibbāna. For a Sotāpanna (stream-enterer), this distortion is completely eradicated upon realising the Path and Fruition Knowledge. However, if you have not yet reached such a stage, you must exert diligent effort into cultivating mindfulness. The remedy to the defiling 'moha' is the simple yet challenging practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness serves as a 'guardian' of the mind, always purposeful, allowing only wholesomeness to pass through and leading to wise attention. Therefore, to combat moha or avijjā, one must practice mindfulness consistently. This will be discussed more later.
(2) Shamelessness of wrongdoing (Ahīrika) and Fearlessness of wrongdoing (Anottappa):
Ahīrika means shamelessness (of wrongdoing), which manifests by encouraging the mind and the associated mental factors to disregard moral boundaries (sīla) and engage in unethical or unwholesome behaviours. When it gains its prominence, it assumes the role of a commanding force, often becoming a principal influence or even a leader of unwholesome actions. It can wield significant negative power, capable of committing various unwholesome deeds. Anottappa, closely associated with ahīrika, operates as another facet of disinhibition. Unlike ahīrika, anottappa embodies fearlessness, often in the face of potential consequences. In this context, disinhibition takes the form of a lack of concern for the foreseeable negative consequences of engaging in unwholesome actions and the resulting kammic effects.
These two are universal in every unwholesome mind moments because when one is committing unwholesome actions, it is due to the lack of resulting unwholesome kammic effects.
(3) Restlessness (Uddhacca):
Uddhacca is akin to calm water disturbed by the wind, and its function is to cause unsteadiness of the mind, as mentioned in Abhidhamma. Usually, in meditation, when this mental factor overpowers, it manifests as the inability to sustain focus on the meditation object during samatha or vipassanā practice, or the inability to 'be in the present moment' in daily life. Restlessness can result from the emergence of thoughts related to worldly activities, actions, family matters, etc. Restlessness, by its very nature, lacks the capacity to remain fixed on a particular object for an extended period and lacks steadiness. Although a restless mind is considered unwholesome since it cannot maintain steady focus on an object, it does not serve as the primary cause ('leader') for misconduct (duccarita), and restlessness, in itself, does not possess enough karmic power to lead one to the four woeful states like lobha and dosa. Restlessness, although subtle, is a potent defilement grouped under one of the five higher fetters/defilements that can only be eliminated at Arahantship, meaning that restlessness is still present for the lower three noble disciples albeit at lesser degrees.
The power of mindfulness (sati):
Most of the time, restlessness and delusion arise or become overpowering due to a lack of mindfulness. The Buddha likened sati (mindfulness) to a diligent shepherd who watches over his flock, a vigilant soldier on a watchtower keenly observing any signs of threat or danger, or a gatekeeper at a city entrance deciding who is allowed to enter and guiding the right visitors to the king. Sati is akin to a skilled charioteer who steers attention and maintains control over one's passions, or even a waggoner who carefully manages the oxen, ensuring they are harnessed to the yoke, greasing the axle, and gently guiding the wagon forward. These examples demonstrate that sati is always purposeful and wholesome.
When practicing mindfulness, one allows only wholesomeness to arise while preventing unwholesomeness from 'passing through'. By being mindful of one's mind or feelings, feelings of anger, envy, greed, and mental misconduct can be halted. By being mindful of one's body, feelings of attachment, anxiety, restlessness, and physical or verbal misconduct can be stopped. Therefore, it is vital to practice mindfulness consistently to allow only wholesome deeds to pass through and to put a halt to unwholesome actions.
Furthermore, as mindfulness takes precedence, individuals become acutely aware of how their actions can become defiling due to shamelessness and fearlessness of wrongdoing. They also gain awareness of past wrongdoings and unwholesome deeds, and can engage in stronger mindfulness to prevent such actions from arising again in the future. For instance, one who exhibits a strong tendency to anger may commit mental, verbal, and physical actions that lead to damage not only to oneself but also to others. This happens due to a lack of mindfulness, which translates to shamelessness and fearlessness of committing wrongful and unwholesome actions. Therefore, for individuals engaging in both samatha and vipassanā practices, it is vital to maintain mindfulness at all times, not only during meditation sessions. The activities and engagements you participate in throughout the day significantly influence your practice. If you fail to engage in reflective mindfulness throughout the day, your actions may be unwholesome, potentially disrupting your meditation practice. However, if you thoroughly engage in reflective mindfulness throughout the day, you may find your meditation sessions becoming fruitful and productive, as wholesomeness is consistently cultivated throughout the day.
A reflective person contemplates with wisdom the consequences of their actions before engaging in misconduct or unwholesome actions, considering the potential negative outcomes. This is why the Buddha directed his disciples to practice clear comprehension of purpose (sattha-sampajañña) and suitability (sappāya-sampajañña). This means reflecting on the purpose and suitability of each action before engaging, such as reflecting on the purpose of the speech to be said and its suitability, so that unwholesome deeds do not arise and negative consequences can be avoided. Thus, no matter where you are in your practice, whether it be vipassanā or samatha, such mindfulness techniques must be adopted so that mindfulness accompanies you in whatever activity you engage in throughout the day, preventing unwholesome acts from 'sneaking through'.
However, practicing mindfulness methods alone is not sufficient. One must aspire to develop true insight knowledge for the attainment of Arahantship through repeated contemplation on the ultimate materialities, mentalities, and their causes as impermanence, suffering, and non-self. By doing so, the Path and Fruition Knowledge can arise, serving as powerful forces for the complete eradication of all defilements. Until one can reach such a stage, unwholesomeness can sneak in when mindfulness is absent. Therefore, regardless of where you are in your practice, one must aspire to achieve the highest level of attainment for the complete eradication of mental defilements so that no more unwholesomeness can 'sneak in' anymore.
A mind free from hindrances and defilements is the greatest blessing of all (Maṅgalasutta).
May you always remember to be mindful.