Six sense objects

Six sense objects (Skt. ṣaḍ viṣaya; T. ཡུལ་དྲུག་་ yul drug) are six external sensory objects that are perceived by the six consciousnesses.

There are five type of sense object that are processed by the five physical sense organs:

1. rūpa (visible forms)
2. śabda (sounds)
3. gandha (smells)
4. rasa (tastes)
5. spraṣṭavya (tangible objects)

And one type of sense object that is processed by the mental faculty:

6. dharma (mental objects; aka manoviṣaya)

The first five sense objects belong to rupa-skandha (the aggregate of form), and are percieved by the five sensory consciousness. The sixth sense object (mental objects) consists of both form and non-form, and is perceived by the mind consciousness.

The six sense objects are identified as:

• the six sense object ayatanas within the twelve ayatanas
• the six sense object dhatus within the eighteen dhatus

Within the scheme of the eighteen dhatus, the apprehension of these objects is controlled by the six sense faculties.

Sources

• Mipham Rinpoche (2004), Gateway to Knowledge, vol. I, translated by Kunsang, Erik Pema, Rangjung Yeshe Publications