The Connection Between Dharma-Āyatana and the Five Sense-Objects

Question: Some say that dharma objects (dharmāyatana) arise solely within the subtle sense organs (indriya), and that the mental faculty (manas) comes into contact with them, giving rise to mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) to discriminate these dharma objects. Is this the case?

Answer: The dharma objects within the subtle sense organs are transmitted simultaneously with the objects of the five senses (the five viṣaya: form, sound, smell, taste, touch) through the five sense faculties to the subtle sense organs, becoming the internal six objects (adhyātmika-āyatana), which are then contacted by the mental faculty (manas) and simultaneously discriminated by the six consciousnesses. The internal dharma objects do not arise solely within the subtle sense organs. If that were the case, dharma objects would bear no relation to the five sense objects; such independently arising dharma objects would appear abrupt, unfounded, and somewhat fabricated. They would fail to manifest the nature and essence of the five sense objects, and the mental consciousness accompanying the five senses (pañca-vijñāna-sahaja-mano-vijñāna) would also lack a close relationship with the five sense consciousnesses.

After the mental consciousness accompanying the five senses discriminates the dharma objects, makes choices, and judgments, it must convey information to the mental faculty. The information about the five sense objects discriminated by the five sense consciousnesses is also conveyed to the mental faculty along with the mental consciousness, because the mental faculty is likewise the concomitant basis (sahabhū-hetu) for the arising of the five sense consciousnesses. Only when the mental faculty decides to discriminate and process the five sense objects can the five sense consciousnesses arise. Consequently, the actions and functions of the five sense consciousnesses are directed by the mental faculty, are responsible to it, and provide it with reference.

The five sense objects and the dharma objects combine to form the complete realm of the six objects (ṣaḍ-āyatana): form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharma. The five sense consciousnesses discriminate and process the coarser aspects within these six objects, while the mental consciousness discriminates and processes the subtler aspects. The combined information, both coarse and subtle, is conveyed to the mental faculty. The mental faculty simultaneously receives information about both the coarse objects (the five) and the subtle object (dharma). Through its own independent deliberation (manana), it makes its own judgments and decisions regarding the entirety of the six objects.

For example, when going to a store to buy clothes and seeing garments of various colors, the mental faculty will choose clothes in a color more suitable for oneself. The eye consciousness and the mental consciousness must simultaneously discriminate the clothes: the eye consciousness discriminates only the color aspect (rūpa-viṣaya), while the mental consciousness discriminates the dharma objects beyond color, including the style, material, and overall impression of the clothes. After the information about the form object and the dharma objects is conveyed to the mental faculty, the mental faculty considers the color, style, and material. It then instructs the mental consciousness to separately analyze and judge which color, red or black, is more suitable, and which style is more appropriate. This falls within the scope of the independent consciousness (mano-vijñāna, functioning independently of the five senses). The independent consciousness then visualizes the effect of wearing the clothes and conveys the result of this imagination and analysis back to the mental faculty. The mental faculty deliberates and judges again, making its own decision. Finally, the several consciousnesses function together harmoniously, and the clothes satisfactory to the mental faculty are purchased. The six consciousnesses have thus completed their service to the mental faculty.

What constitutes the complete garment includes the manifest color aspect (varṇa-rūpa), which is the form object discriminated by the eye consciousness. All other parts beyond color – the shape, appearance, non-apparent qualities (saṃsthāna-rūpa, saṃstāna-rūpa, anidarśana-rūpa) – are the dharma objects discriminated by the mental consciousness. These two combine to form a single garment. When the garment is produced and manufactured, the form object and the dharma objects exist simultaneously. When each person discriminates it, they simultaneously transmit the form object and the dharma objects through the five sense faculties into their own subtle sense organs, forming internal form objects and internal dharma objects for discrimination by the eye consciousness and mental consciousness respectively. It is not the case that when the garment is produced, it possesses only color, lacking the dharma objects such as style, material, length, fit, size, impression, etc. In such a case, it could not be called a garment, nor would sewing and cutting equipment be used to process the fabric, and the very concept of fabric would not exist. Therefore, dharma objects are combined with the five sense objects; they are not produced solely within the subtle sense organs.