INDRIYA
(Faculty-Function)
In relation to the senses
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There are, brahmin, as you say, these five sense-faculties of different scope and different range, and they do not mutually enjoy each other's scope and range.
What are the five?
The sense-faculty of eye,
that of ear,
that of nose,
that of tongue,
and the sense-faculty of body.
Well, mind (intellect) is their common ground of proceeding (paṭisaraṇa).
It is mind (manassa) that profits by their scope and range."
...
"But, Gotama, what is the proceeding of mind?"
"Mindfulness, brahmin, is the proceeding of mind."
"Then, Gotama, what is the proceeding of mindfulness?"
"Release, brahmin, is the proceeding of mindfulness."
"What, then, Gotama, is the proceeding of release?"
"Nibbana, brahmam, is the proceeding of release."
"But, Gotama, what is the proceeding of Nibbāna?"
"The question goes too far, brahmin.
SN 48.42
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Friend, there are these five faculties each with a separate range, a separate domain, and they do not experience one another's range & domain: the eye-faculty, the ear-faculty, the nose-faculty, the tongue-faculty, & the body-faculty. Now what do these five faculties — each with a separate range, a separate domain, not experiencing one another's range & domain: the eye-faculty, the ear-faculty, the nose-faculty, the tongue-faculty, & the body-faculty — have as their [common] arbitrator? What experiences [all] their ranges & domains?"
"Friend, these five faculties — each with a separate range, a separate domain, not experiencing one another's range & domain: the eye-faculty, the ear-faculty, the nose-faculty, the tongue-faculty, & the body-faculty — have the intellect as their [common] arbitrator. The intellect is what experiences [all] their ranges & domains."
"Now, these five faculties — the eye-faculty, the ear-faculty, the nose-faculty, the tongue-faculty, & the body-faculty: In dependence on what do they remain standing?"
"These five faculties — the eye-faculty, the ear-faculty, the nose-faculty, the tongue-faculty, & the body-faculty — remain standing in dependence on vitality."
"And vitality remains standing in dependence on what?"
"Vitality remains standing in dependence on heat."
"And heat remains standing in dependence on what?"
"Heat remains standing in dependence on vitality."
...
Friend, what can be known with the purified intellect-consciousness divorced from the five [sense] faculties?"
Nissaṭṭhena hāvuso, pañcahi indriyehi parisuddhena manoviññāṇena kiṃ neyyan”ti?
Friend, with the purified intellect-consciousness divorced from the five faculties the dimension of the infinitude of space can be known [as] 'infinite space.' The dimension of the infinitude of consciousness can be known [as] 'infinite consciousness.' The dimension of nothingness can be known [as] 'There is nothing.'
Nissaṭṭhena, āvuso, pañcahi indriyehi parisuddhena manoviññāṇena ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ neyyaṃ, ‘anantaṃ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ neyyaṃ, ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ neyyan”ti.
MN 43
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And how, bhikkhus, is a bhikkhu one who guards the doors of the sense faculties?
Here, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu does not grasp its signs and features. Since, if he left the eye faculty unrestrained, evil unwholesome states of covetousness and displeasure might invade him, he practises the way of its restraint, he guards the eye faculty, he undertakes the restraint of the eye faculty.
Having heard a sound with the ear …, etc.
SN 35.239
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Endowed with this noble restraint of the sense faculties, the bhikkhu experiences within himself an unblemished happiness.
DN 10
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And how, bhikkhus, does one dwell negligently? If one dwells without restraint over the eye faculty, the mind is soiled among forms cognizable by the eye. If the mind is soiled, there is no gladness. When there is no gladness, there is no rapture. When there is no rapture, there is no tranquillity. When there is no tranquillity, one dwells in suffering. The mind of one who suffers does not become concentrated. When the mind is not concentrated, phenomena do not become manifest. Because phenomena do not become manifest, one is reckoned as ‘one who dwells negligently.’
“If one dwells without restraint over the ear faculty,...
SN 35.97
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It would be better, bhikkhus, for the eye faculty to be lacerated by a red-hot iron pin burning, blazing, and glowing, than for one to grasp the sign through the features in a form cognizable by the eye. For if consciousness should stand tied to gratification in the sign or in the features, and if one should die on that occasion, it is possible that one will go to one of two destinations: hell or the animal realm. Having seen this danger, I speak thus.
It would be better, bhikkhus, for the ear faculty ..., etc.
In regard to this, bhikkhus, the instructed noble disciple reflects thus: ‘Leave off lacerating the eye faculty with a red-hot iron pin burning, blazing, and glowing. Let me attend only to this: So the eye is impermanent, forms are impermanent, eye-consciousness is impermanent, eye-contact is impermanent, whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too is impermanent.
(idem with ear, nose, tongue, body).
SN 3.235
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Monks, there are these six sense-faculties.
What six?
The sense-faculty of eye,
the sense-faculty of ear,
the sense-faculty of nose,
the sense-faculty of tongue,
the sense-faculty of body
the sense-faculty of mind.
These are the six sense faculties.
When the Ariyan disciple understands, as they really are, the arising and the perishing of, the satisfaction in, the misery of and the escape from these six sense-faculties, such an Ariyan disciple, monks, is called 'Stream-winner, one not doomed to Purgatory, one assured, one bound for enlightenment.
SN 48.26
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When a monk, by seeing, as they really are, the arising and the perishing of, the satisfaction in, the misery of and the escape from these six sense-faculties, becomes released without grasping, - such a monk is called 'Arahant', in whom the asavas (the three taints) are destroyed, one who has lived the life, done the task, lifted the burden, a winner of his own welfare, one who has outworn the fetters of rebirth, one released by perfect insight.
SN 48.27
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when I came to know fully, as they really are, the arising and the perishing of, the satisfaction in, the misery of, and the escape from these six faculties of sense, then, monks, I fully knew the meaning of 'being enlightened with supreme enlightenment with regard to the world and its devas, its Maras, its Brahmas, with regard to the host of recluses and brahmins, of devas and mankind.'
SN 48.28
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Monks, those recluses and brahmins
who understand the sense-faculty of the eye,
understand the arising of the sense-faculty of the eye,
understand the perishing of the sense-faculty of the eye,
understand the practice leading to the ceasing of the sense-faculty of the eye;
(idem with ear, ..., mind)
such are worthy to be accounted as recluses among recluses and as brahmins among brahmins, and those worthies have of themselves understood, even in this life realized, the goal of recluseship and brahminhood, and they do dwell in the attainment of it.
SN 48.30
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Furthermore, the monk who is an adept discerns the six sense faculties: the faculty of the eye... ear... nose... tongue... body... intellect. He discerns, 'These six sense faculties will disband entirely, everywhere, & in every way without remainder, and no other set of six sense faculties will arise anywhere or in any way.' This too is a manner of reckoning whereby a monk who is an adept, standing at the level of an adept, can discern that 'I am an adept'.
SN 48.53
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Therefore, friend, you should train yourself thus:
‘We will guard the doors of the sense faculties;
we will be moderate in eating;
we will be devoted to wakefulness.’
Thus, friend, should you train yourself.
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