Twelve ayatanas 十二處 / 十二入

Twelve ayatanas (Skt. dvadaśa āyatana; Wyl. skye mched bcu gnyis) —

• the six sense objects (or six outer sources):
  • sights (Skt. rūpa-āyatana; Wyl. gzugs kyi skye mched)
  • sounds (Skt.śabda-āyatana; Wyl. sgra'i skye mched)
  • smells (Skt. gandha-āyatana; Wyl. dri'i skye mched)
  • tastes (Skt. rasa-āyatana; Wyl. ro'i skye mched)
  • textures (Skt. spraṣṭavya-āyatana; Wyl. reg bya'i skye mched)
  • mental objects (Skt. dharma-āyatana; Wyl. chos kyi skye mched)

• the six sense faculties (or six inner sources):
  • eyes (Skt. cakṣur-āyatana; Wyl. mig gi skye mched)
  • ears (Skt. śrotra-āyatana; Wyl. rna ba'i skye mched)
  • nose (Skt. ghrāṇa-āyatana; Wyl. sna'i skye mched)
  • tongue (Skt. jihva-āyatana; Wyl. lce'i skye mched)
  • body (Skt.kāya-āyatana; Wyl. lus kyi skye mched)
  • mind (Skt. mano-āyatana; Wyl. yid kyi skye mched)

Alternative Translations

• twelve bases of cognition
• twelve sources of consciousness

Internal Links

• five sense faculties