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The Five Strengths in Abhidharma Samucchaya

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The Five Strengths (पञ्च बलानि) in Abhidharma Samucchaya

In the Abhidharma Samucchaya (Yogācāra tradition), the Five Strengths (balāni)—which are identical in name to the Five Spiritual Faculties (indriyāni) but represent these qualities at an unshakable, fully developed level—are defined by mapping them directly to their underlying mental factors (caitasika):

Strength (Sanskrit / Pali)Mental Factor & CategorySanskrit Definition & TranslationSanskrit Function & Translation
1. Faith
(श्रद्धा / Śraddhā)		श्रद्धा (Śraddhā / Confidence)
[Wholesome Factor]		अस्तित्व-गुणवत्त्व-शक्तत्वेषु अभिसंप्रत्ययः प्रसादोऽभिलाषः।
astitva-guṇavattva-śaktatveṣu abhisampatyayaḥ prasādo’bhilāṣaḥ

Conviction in existence, virtue, and capability; clarity of mind and longing (for attainment).		च्छन्दसन्निश्रयदानकर्मिका।
chandasanniśrayadānakarmikā

Serving as the basis for wholesome desire/interest (chanda).
2. Energy
(वीर्य / Vīrya)		वीर्य (Vīrya / Energy)
[Wholesome Factor]		कुशले चेतसोऽभ्युत्साहः… अलीनत्वे वा।
kuśale cetaso’bhyutsāhaḥ… alīnatve vā

Mental enthusiasm for the wholesome, characterized by non-slothfulness.		कुशलपक्षपरिपूरणपरिनिष्पादनकर्मकम्।
kuśalapakṣaparipūraṇapariniṣpādanakarmakam

Completing and fulfilling the wholesome side.
3. Mindfulness
(स्मृति / Smṛti)		स्मृति (Smṛti / Mindfulness)
[Object-Determining]		संस्तुते वस्तुनि चेतसः असंप्रमोषः।
saṃstute vastuni cetasaḥ asaṃpramoṣaḥ

Non-forgetting or retention of a familiar/experienced object.		अविक्षेपकर्मिका।
avikṣepakarmikā

Preventing mental distraction or scattering.
4. Concentration
(समाधि / Samādhi)		समाधि (Samādhi / Focus)
[Object-Determining]		उपपरीक्ष्ये वस्तुनि चित्तस्यैकाग्रता।
upaparīkṣye vastuni cittasyaikāgratā

One-pointedness of the mind on an object under examination.		ज्ञानसन्निश्रयदानकर्मकः।
jñānasanniśrayadānakarmakaḥ

Serving as the immediate support/basis for knowledge/insight (jñāna).
5. Wisdom
(प्रज्ञा / Prajñā)		प्रज्ञा (Prajñā / Wisdom)
[Object-Determining]		उपपरीक्ष्य एव वस्तुनि धर्माणां प्रविचयः।
upaparīkṣya eva vastuni dharmāṇāṃ pravicayaḥ

The thorough investigation and discernment of phenomena under examination.		संशयव्यावर्त्तनकर्मिका।
saṃśayavyāvarttanakarmikā

Turning away or removing doubt and uncertainty.

Causal Connection of Wholesome Action

While the factors of orientation (Manaskāra, Cetanā) and conviction (Adhimokṣa) are necessary cognitive precursors, the text explicitly establishes a direct, sequential causal chain for the generation of spiritual energy:

graph LR
    A["Śraddhā (Faith/Confidence)"] -->|Provides basis for| B["Chanda (Interest/Desire)"]
    B -->|Provides basis for| C["Vīrya (Energy/Effort)"]

The Explicit Causal Chain in the Text:

  1. Śraddhā (Faith) Chanda (Desire): The function (karma) of Śraddhā is explicitly defined as giving the support/basis for Chanda:

    च्छन्दसन्निश्रयदानकर्मिका (chanda-sanniśrayadāna-karmikā)

  2. Chanda (Desire) Vīrya (Energy): The function (karma) of Chanda is explicitly defined as giving the support/basis for launching Vīrya:

    वीर्यादानसन्निश्रयदानकर्मकः (vīryādāna-sanniśrayadāna-karmakaḥ)

Precursor Cognitive Conditions:

  • Manaskāra (Attention) & Cetanā (Volition): Universal factors that orient and impel the mind toward any object.
  • Adhimokṣa (Resolve): Decides and holds the object in an unshakable manner (asaṃhāryatā), creating the certainty that allows faith (śraddhā) to arise.