The Conjunction of the Five Consciousnesses and Mind Consciousness in the Discrimination of Complete Rūpa

Question: The internal six sense objects are form, sound, smell, taste, and touch, along with the form included in the dharma-āyatana. Is the form included in the dharma-āyatana equivalent to the dharma-dhātu? What is its precise definition? What is the relationship between the five sense objects and this dharma-dhātu—is it one of equality, parallelism, or subordination?

Answer: The form included in the dharma-āyatana is indeed the dharma-dhātu. It is the dharma-dhātu that is additionally manifested based on the internal five sense objects. It is also composed of the four great elements (mahābhūtas) and is subsumed under material form (rūpa-dharma). Together with the five sense objects, it constitutes the complete set of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The five sense objects alone represent only a small portion of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch; they are not the complete material form. The dharma-dhātu constitutes the major part of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch; only when combined do they form the complete material form. For example: The form-dhātu combined with the dharma-dhātu upon it constitutes the complete internal form-dhātu. The sound-dhātu combined with the dharma-dhātu upon it constitutes the complete sound-dhātu. The five sense objects and the dharma-dhātu have a parallel and co-existing relationship; they are interdependent, with the dharma-dhātu arising and existing dependent upon the five sense objects. The internal five sense objects are discriminated by the five consciousnesses (vijñāna), while the dharma-dhātu is discriminated by the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna). From this, it can be seen that the five consciousnesses alone cannot discriminate the complete set of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch, nor can the mental consciousness alone discriminate the complete set of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Only when the five consciousnesses and the mental consciousness are combined can they discriminate the complete set of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch.