Six sense bases ⏳
- the first five sense organs correspond to the Peripheral nervous system
- The mind base corresponds to the Central nervous system
The six pairs of sense bases are the six internal sense faculties and their corresponding external objects, which support the arising of the respective type of consciousness. Because the internal sense bases mediate between consciousness and its objects, they are refered to as “the six bases of sense impression.” The six sense bases and their respective types of consciousness consist of:
- eye, forms, and visual-consciousness (seeing)
- ear, sounds, and auditory-consciousness (hearing)
- nose, smells, and olfactory-consciousness (smelling)
- tongue, tastes, and gustatory-consciousness (tasting)
- body, tactile objects, and tactile-consciousness (touching)
- mind, phenomena, and mental-consciousness (cognizing)
The Nikayas suggest an interesting difference between the treatment of the five aggregates and the six sense bases. While they both serve as the basis from which clinging occurs, the five aggregates are the basis for identity view, and the six sense bases are the basis for craving. Thus a necessary step in the conquest of craving is the restraint of the senses. Practitioners must be vigilant in their encounters with pleasant and painful sense objects. When one is negligent, experience through the senses invariably becomes a trigger for craving.
Note: I am skeptical of the passage above. As long as youre mindful and pay attention the three characteristics and the three standpoints, you would develop a natrual dispassion and restraint wouldnt be necessary right? Then again, restraint can help develop impulse control
Note: no because restraint is not the same as repression
References
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Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (2005). In the Buddha’s Words An Anthology of Discourses From the Pali Canon Chapter IX. SHINING THE LIGHT OF WISDOM (Location 5345). Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
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Samyutta Nikaya 35:26; IV 17–18, Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (2005). In the Buddha’s Words An Anthology of Discourses From the Pali Canon Chapter IX. SHINING THE LIGHT OF WISDOM (Location 5992). Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
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Samyutta Nikaya 35:28; IV 19–20
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Samyutta Nikaya 35:147–49, combined; IV 133–35
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Type:🔵 Tags: Psychology / Philosophy Status:☀️