The Tree of Enlightenment

Truths and in the destruction of the defilements.
Like the four roads to power, the five controlling faculties
(indriya) – (i) faith, (ii) energy, (iii) mindfulness, (iv) concentration,
and (v) wisdom – are also found in the twenty-four modes
of conditionality. In the Book of Causal Relations (patthana), the
five controlling faculties are defined as dominating factors. ere
is a very close connection between the five controlling faculties
and the four roads to power, as indicated by their mutual presence
in the modes of conditionality and their similarity in the
sense of controlling, dominating, or mastering.
e five faculties are called ‘controlling’ because they are said
to control or master their opposites: faith (or confidence) controls
lack of faith (or doubt); energy controls laziness; mindfulness
controls heedlessness; concentration controls distraction;
and wisdom controls ignorance. Like the four roads to power,
the five controlling faculties can only really control their opposites
when they are intensified by the factors of absorption. For
instance, faith can only function as a controlling faculty when
it is strengthened by the presence of the three factors of absorption
of interest, happiness, and one-pointedness; and wisdom
can only function effectively when it is strengthened by initial
application, sustained application, and one-pointedness. ese
five factors of absorption strengthen and intensify the five controlling
faculties so that the latter can function effectively to
propel one toward enlightenment. Similarly, the five controlling
faculties strengthen the five factors of absorption. For instance,
concentration strengthens interest and happiness. us the relationship
between the two sets of factors is one of reciprocal support
and intensification.
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