The Correspondence between the Five Aggregates and the Eighteen Realms

The concept, scope, and function of the aggregate of form (rūpa), the concept, scope, and function of the aggregate of feeling (vedanā), the concept, scope, and function of the aggregate of perception (saṃjñā), the concept, scope, and function of the aggregate of formations (saṃskāra), the concept, scope, and function of the aggregate of consciousness (vijñāna), as well as the concept, scope, and function of the six faculties (the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, body faculty, and manas), the concept, scope, and function of the six sense objects, and the concept, scope, and function of the six consciousnesses—what are each of these? What are the correspondences among them? To which of the five aggregates do the eighteen elements (dhātus) specifically correspond?

The five faculties, the five sense objects, and mental sense objects correspond to the aggregate of form. The six consciousnesses and the manas correspond to the aggregate of consciousness as well as the aggregates of feeling, perception, and formations. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are associated with the seven consciousnesses; form is also associated with consciousness, for without consciousness there would be no aggregate of form consisting of the five faculties. However, ordinary people cannot observe the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness of the manas. Even the functions of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness of the five sense consciousnesses cannot be clearly distinguished by most people. Therefore, in the teachings of the Small Vehicle, the functions of the feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness of the manas are generally not mentioned.

The aggregate of form is accumulated from the great seeds of the four elements, while the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are accumulated from seeds of consciousness. Seeds of consciousness alone cannot perform any function; they must operate in conjunction with mental factors (caittas). Therefore, the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are precisely the functions of the mental factors. The mental factors of the six consciousnesses cannot be separated from the mental factors of the manas; if the mental factors of the manas do not operate, there would be no six consciousnesses at all, nor the mental factors of the six consciousnesses.

Therefore, the five aggregates and the eighteen elements should correspond to each other one by one: the first five faculties and five sense objects correspond to the aggregate of form, while the manas, the mind consciousness, and the five sense consciousnesses correspond to the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. The general commander that sets all these dharmas in motion is the manas, and the commander-in-chief is the tathāgatagarbha.