The Discernment Process of the Six Consciousnesses and the Six Dusts

There are six types of dharma-dhatu: the dharma-dhatu within form-dhatu, the dharma-dhatu within sound-dhatu, the dharma-dhatu within scent-dhatu, the dharma-dhatu within taste-dhatu, the dharma-dhatu within touch-dhatu, and the six types of independent-image realm. The first five are discerned by the five-concomitant mental consciousness, while the latter is discerned by the independent mental consciousness.

When observing form-dhatu during relatively stable meditation—whether reading a book, viewing flowers, gazing at mountains, or observing anything at all—upon closing and then opening the eyes, the very first thing perceived upon opening is inevitably a color. This is the manifest color discerned by the visual consciousness. An instant later, the color assumes shape, revealing length, breadth, squareness, roundness, thickness, or thinness. This is the dharma-dhatu, discerned by the mental consciousness. Subsequently, the specific characteristics of the form become clear, displaying its intrinsic qualities and attributes. These are the revealed and unrevealed aspects of form, constituting the dharma-dhatu discerned by the mental consciousness. Finally, conceptual designations arise.

The entire process of discernment begins with the visual consciousness arising first, followed by the mental consciousness an instant later. The visual consciousness alone cannot discern the dharma-dhatu, nor can the mental consciousness alone discern color. Only through the conjunction of both can the coarse and subtle aspects of the present form-dhatu be fully discerned, allowing the complete characteristics of the form-dhatu to manifest. However, within this process, it is the color discerned by the visual consciousness that appears first. Color is the coarsest aspect of form, while the dharma-dhatu represents a subtler aspect of form; the subtler the aspect, the later it manifests. The dharma-dhatu discerned by the mental consciousness appears subsequently. The time interval between them is extremely brief. The two consciousnesses are interdependent; neither can function alone. The relationship between the other four consciousnesses and the mental consciousness follows the same principle.