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When, further, they paused to consider why these particular orifices were two-fold, the older explanation was that these orifices were made in pairs for the sake of adornment, as with but a single orifice sentient beings would appear hideous. But the philosophic Vasubandhu objected to this explanation, and argued that their two-fold nature (A.K. 1-14&) was due to more practical reasons, viz., that we may have a clearer or more exact impression of the external object. When we look at an object with one eye closed, we are unable to see it clearly. (c) Sense Perceiving Aspects of Consciousness The five aspects of consciousness concerned only with the cognition of sense data arise from the interaction of sense object and sense organ, or more accurately the sense-object atoms and sense-organ atoms. The transient nature of consciousness, and incidentally of the sense objects and sense organs, is seen from the following citation from the Samyutta Nikaya : " Consciousness comes into being, monks, because of two things. Because of the sight organ and visual object there comes into being visual consciousness. The organ of sight is impermanent, fleeting, constantly changing. Visible objects are the same. Visual consciousness arising from such a conditioning relation which is impermanent, fleeting, constantly changing, is itself no less so, for how can it be that consciousness arising from such an impermanent relation can itself be permanent " (S.N. iv, 67). Two further details call for mention. Later Buddhists, when dealing with sense perception, laid great emphasis on the distinction between individual perception (svabhava- laksana) and aggregate perception (samjnana-laksana). The sixth aspect of consciousness, mano-vijnana, was considered COSMIC ANALYSIS 99 to have aggregate perception, or to be cognisant of objects, common to all the same organs. But the first five vijnanas were limited in their scope to their own field of action, they had only an individuate cognizance of the homogeneous object immediately in front of them, and did not encroach upon other fields. This individuality of perception, however, only referred to each vijnana cleaving to its own ayatana. Inside of its own sense group, every vijnana and aggregate perception as may be seen from the following discussion in the Abhidharma Kosa (l-8a). Objects of touch were divided into eleven divisions. Some teachers thought that at any one time tactual consciousness could only perceive one derivative and four elemental groups, owing to the doctrine of svabhava-laksana, but Vasubandhu says that tactual con sciousness can perceive all eleven simultaneously, because, all being within one ayatana, they did not constitute a case of samjnana-laksana. Again, Buddhism asserted that Vijnana has three kinds of cognizance or Samkalpa.1 One, Svabhava samkalpa, is immediate sense perception of the object presented to it ; the second, Smrti samkalpa, is memory or the cognizance of present sense data associated with the memory of former similar and dissimilar sense impressions. The third, Samprayoga samkalpa, may be called reasoning or intellection based upon sense data. Of these three functions of consciousness, Mano- vijnana possesses all three. The first five vijnana are possessed of Svabhava samkalpa alone. 2. The Five Non-sensuous Dhdtus present some of the most interesting problems of Buddhist philosophy, though for the present we can but consider their bare outline, (a) The Sense Object The mind proper or mental cognition is considered a sense in the same way as the first five vijnana. Consequently it, 1 I have not found this doctrine in Pali tradition, but it io common to both Sarv. and Yog. schools, see A.K. 2. 100 MANUAL OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY too, is possessed of the three-fold distinction of sense object, sense organ, and sense perceiving aspect of consciousness. The sense object in this case consists of those things which are the subject of mentation. Thus, in so far as we reason or think about Nirvana, Nirvana becomes a sense object, or the object of Mano-vijnana. The formulation of the group of factors constituting this dhatu was obviously subsequent to the Sutra period, for we find some difference of detail among the various schools. The Sthaviravadin l enumeration is as follows : — 1. Nirvana, the highest reality. 2. The subtle forms of Bupa matter which cannot be perceived by the physical sense organs, or their associated vijnana. 3. Citta, or mind itself. 4. Caitasikas, or mental properties. 5. Prajnapti, or concepts or notions. The Sarvastivadin 2 in enumeration was : — 1. The Vedana, Samjna, and Samskara skandhas, with all their numerous subdivisions. 2. Avijnapti Rupa, or unmanifested rupa. 3. The three Asamskrta dharmas, or the transcendental and permanent factors of existence, making seven divisions in all. The Yogacarin 3 enumeration was : — 1. The Caitasika dharmas. 2. The Citta-viprayukta dharmas. 3. The six Asamskrta dharmas. 4. The subtle forms of matter. These four categories when subdivided make eighty-two dharmas in all. At first sight there appears to be a great deal of divergence of opinion concerning mental object among the three schools 1 C.R, p. 3 and p. 120. 2 A.K. 1-10. 3 A.V.P. l-lo, see disc. * ft $C • COSMIC ANALYSIS 101 which we are considering. But a good deal of the difference is more apparent than real, as will be seen when we come to deal with each of the above-mentioned groups. It will be better, however, to postpone all discussion of the matter until we come to examine them from the point of view of objective analysis. (b) Sense Organ In many of the later Sthaviravadin commentaries it is said that the sense organ of the Mano-vijnana is the physical heart, which takes the place of the brain in most Oriental calculations. This, however, is not mentioned in the Pitakas themselves, and in their enumerations of the twelve ayatanas and the eighteen dhatus they agree with the other schools of Buddhism in making the manas (or mind) — an abstract entity — the organ of Mano-vijnana. What is this curious thing called the mind or manas which is thus contrasted with mental cognition, or Mano-vijnana ? At present I am aware of no Pali text dealing with the matter, but Vasubandhu tells us (A.K. l-12a) that the " flux of the six vijnanas constitutes Manas ", and, again, (b) " the continuous passing away of the six vijnanas forms manas . . . The continuous passing away of the group of six vijnanas, causing later vijnanas to arise in their place, is called Mano-dhatu, just as the child of this (man) is called the father of that (man), or as the fruit of this tree is called the seed of that tree." In other words, each of the six vijnanas has only a momentary existence. Never theless, there is a Karmic or causal affinity between the various groups of consciousness of one moment and the next. The group of this moment inherits the tendencies, etc., of the immediately preceding group, and as the chief function of Mano- vijnanas is memory and reason, both inseparately con nected with the continuity of the mental process, it is said that the constantly dying away vijnanas of the past moment constitutes the base or organ for the activity of the Mano- vijnana of the present moment. Just as the activity of the 102 MANUAL OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY caksur or indriya brings about the arising of Caksur- vijnana or the visual consciousness, so does the transmitted energy of all the immediately preceding vijiianas bring about the arising of the Mano-vijnana. (c) The Sense-perceiving Consciousness At the present moment little need be said about the nature of the Mano-vijnana. We have already said that this aspect of consciousness possesses aggregate as well as individual perception, as opposed to the other five types of conscious ness, and, moreover, while the latter has only svabhava samkalpa, the former has samprayoga samkalpa, and smrti samkalpa as well. Nor must it be forgotten that the Yogacarins added two other types of consciousness, which shared some of the attributes and functions of the old Mano- vijnana.