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THE OBJECTS OF THE SENSES
is the sense of taste. That which sees is the eye. That which hears is ear. The order in which the senses are mentioned is intended to recall the increase of the senses one by one.
What are the objects of these senses ?
स्पर्शरसगन्धवर्णशब्दास्तदर्थाः Sparśarasagandhavarnaśabdāstadarthāḥ (20) 20. Touch, taste, smell, colour and sound are the objects of the senses.
The derivation of touch etc. from the object of an action and from the sense of an abstract noun must be understood from the point of view of substance and modes respectively. From the point of view of substance, the object of an action is indicated. That which is touched is touch. That which is tasted is taste. That which is smelt is smell. That which is seen is colour. That which is sounded is sound. From the point of view of modes, the sense of an abstract noun is indicated. Touching is touch. Tasting is taste. Smelling is smell. Seeing is colour. Sounding is sound. Their order is explained in the order of the senses.
Since the mind is unstable, the mind is not admitted to be a sense. Does it assist consciousness or not? Of course, it does assist consciousness. Without the mind the senses cannot function in their province. Is assisting the senses its only use? Or is there any other use also ? .. श्रुतमनिन्द्रियस्य
Il 29 H1 Šrutamanindriyasya
(21) 21, Scriptural knowledge is the province of the mind.
The object of scriptural knowledge is called scripture. It is the province of the mind. In the case of the soul with destruction-cum-subsidence of scriptural-knowledge-obscuring karma, the knowledge depending on the mind operates in the objects described in the scriptures. Or scriptural knowledge is scripture. It is the object of the mind. This is capable of accomplishment independently by the mind.
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