Sometimes translated “sense fields” or “bases of cognition,” the term usually refers to the six sense faculties and their corresponding objects, i.e., the first twelve of the eighteen dhātus (see “elements”). Along with aggregates and elements, one of the three major categories in the taxonomy of phenomena in the sūtra literature.

Usually refers to the six sense faculties and their corresponding objects, i.e., the first twelve of the eighteen elements (dhātus). Along with the aggregates and elements, it is one of the three major categories in the taxonomy of phenomena in the sūtra literature.

The six “inner” sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, tactile sense, and mind), and their respective six “outer” objects of forms, sounds, smells, flavors, tactile objects, and mental objects, are sometimes called collectively the “six sense sources” (q.v.), but are also sometimes taken as two separate groups, making twelve.

See “six sense sources.”

The senses as sources of perception and their respective objects. The twelve sense sources consist of the six sense organs and their respective six objects. They are sometimes called collectively “the six sense fields,” meaning six pairs of two (this set of six is the fifth of the twelve links of dependent origination), or the “twelve sense fields.”

The subjective and objective poles of sense perception. The fifth of the twelve links of dependent origination.

Twelve sense fields: the six sensory faculties (the eyes, nose, ear, tongue, body, and mind), which form in the womb and eventually have contact with the external six bases of sensory perception (form, smell, sound, taste, touch, and phenomena). In another context in this sūtra, āyatana refers to the four formless absorptions.

Sometimes translated “sense bases” or “bases of cognition,” the term usually refers to the six sense faculties and their corresponding objects, i.e., the first twelve of the eighteen dhātus. Along with the skandhas and dhātus, one of the three major categories in the taxonomy of phenomena in the sūtra literature.

The six senses plus the six objects of the senses.

One way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense fields (eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and touch, mind and mental objects).

Twelve sense fields: the six sensory faculties (the eyes, nose, ear, tongue, body, and mind), which form in the womb and eventually have contact with the external six bases of sensory perception (form, smell, sound, taste, touch, and phenomena). In another context in this sūtra, āyatana refers to the four formless absorptions and its stations.

Twelve bases of sensory perception: the six sensory faculties (the eyes, nose, ear, tongue, body, and mind), which form in the womb and eventually have contact with the external six bases of sensory perception (form, smell, sound, taste, touch, and phenomena). This can also refer to the four meditative states associated with the formless realm: (1) infinite space, (2) infinite consciousness, (3) nothingness, and (4) neither perception nor nonperception.

Here refers to both the four formless meditations (see “liberation”) and the sensory bases.

The twelve bases of sensory perception: the six sensory faculties (eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind), which form in the womb and eventually have contact with the six external bases of sensory perception: form, smell, sound, taste, touch, and mental phenomena.

Sometimes translated “sense-fields” or “bases of cognition,” the term usually refers to the six sense faculties and their corresponding objects, i.e. the first twelve of the eighteen dhātu. Along with skandha and dhātu, one of the three major categories in the taxonomy of phenomena in the sūtra literature.

The six “inner” senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind), and their respective six “outer” objects of forms, sounds, odors, tastes, touch, and mental objects, are sometimes called collectively the “six sense sources,” but are also sometimes taken as two separate groups, making twelve.

Usually refers to the six sense faculties and their corresponding objects, i.e., the first twelve of the eighteen dhātus (“elements”). Along with skandha (“aggregates”) and dhātu, it is one of the three major categories in the taxonomy of phenomena in the sūtra literature.

Sometimes translated “sense field” or “base of cognition,” the term usually refers to the six sense faculties and their corresponding objects, i.e. the first twelve of the eighteen constituents (Skt. dhātus). Along with the aggregates (Skt. skandhas) and the constituents, one of the three major categories in the taxonomy of phenomena in the sūtra literature.

See “six sense bases.”

The sense spheres are a collective list of the six sense objects (forms, sounds, odors, tastes, textures, mental phenomena) with their respective senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, tactile sense, and mind) totaling twelve and indicating their interdependence. In this sūtra, they are equated to an “empty city.” This most likely denotes the fact that there is no self independent of the interaction of these or perceiver independent of the process of perception.

There are twelve bases of cognition in all: the five physical sense organs plus the mind and their respective six sorts of objects. The six inner bases from eye to mind are what apprehend, and the six outer bases from form to mental objects are the objects that are apprehended.

The six bases of sensory perception are the six sensory faculties: the eyes, nose, ear, tongue, body, and mind, which form in the womb but as yet have no contact with the external six bases of sensory perception: form, smell, sound, taste, touch, and phenomena. In another context in this sūtra, āyatana refers to the four formless meditations (see “liberations”).

This term has various meanings according to context. Here in this sūtra it is used to refer to the four meditative states associated with the formless realm: (1) infinite space, (2) infinite consciousness, (3) nothingness, and (4) neither perception nor nonperception. In the context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena. In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

This term has various meanings according to context. Here in this sūtra it is used to refer to the four meditative states associated with the formless realm: (1) infinite space, (2) infinite consciousness, (3) nothingness, and (4) neither perception nor nonperception. In the context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena. In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

Here station refers to sucessive stages of formless absorption, namely: station of endless space, station of endless consciousness, station of nothing-at-all, and station of neither perception nor nonperception. In other contexts in this sūtra, āyatana refers to the twelve sense fields; see “sense field.”

Here station refers to sucessive stages of formless absorption, namely: station of endless space, station of endless consciousness, station of nothing-at-all, and station of neither perception nor nonperception. In other contexts in this sūtra, āyatana refers to the twelve sense fields; see “sense field.”

The twelve bases of perception are divided into two groups, consisting of six inner and six outer bases. These are the six sense faculties and the six corresponding outer objects. Together they are the causes for the production of the six sense consciousnesses.

These can be listed as twelve or as six entrances (sometimes also called sense sources, sense fields, bases of cognition, or simply āyatanas):

In context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste, (9–10) body and touch, and (11–12) mind and mental phenomena. (These are subsumed in the eighteen bases or elements, where to the twelve sense sources, the six consciousnesses are added.)

In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned and they are the inner sense sources (similar to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

The twelve sense-media are eye-medium (cakṣurāyatana), form-medium (rūpa-), ear-medium (śrotra-), sound-medium (śabda-), nose-medium (ghrāna-), scent-medium (gandha-), tongue-medium (jihvā-), taste-medium (rasa-), body-medium (kāya-), texture-medium (spraṣṭavya), mental-medium (mana-), and phenomena-medium (dharmāyatana). In some passages they are enumerated as six, the object-faculty pair being taken as one, and it is this set of six that is the fifth member of the twelve links of dependent origination. The word āyatana is usually translated as “base,” but the Skt., Tib., and Ch. all indicate “something through which the senses function” rather than a basis from which they function; hence “medium” is suggested.