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Sūtra 2.16 – dvividhāni (द्विविधानि)
Sandhi-viccheda: dvi + vidhāni
Meaning: The senses (indriyas) are of two kinds.
The Two Types of Senses:
- Dravya-indriya (Physical sense):
- Modification of matter (pudgala).
- Arises due to the rise of indriya-nāma karma.
- It refers to the physical sense-organ structure in the body.
- Bhāva-indriya (Psychical sense):
- Modification of the soul (ātmā).
- Arises due to the subsidence and destruction (kṣayopaśama) of knowledge-obscuring karma (jñānāvaraṇīya karma).
- It refers to the capacity of the soul to actually use the sense for knowledge.
Thus, each sense has a material aspect (dravya) and a spiritual aspect (bhāva).
Sūtra 2.17 – nirvṛtty-upakaraṇe dravyendriyam (निर्वृत्त्युपकरणे द्रव्येन्द्रियम्)
Meaning: The physical sense (dravya-indriya) consists of nirvṛtti (formation) and upakaraṇa (auxiliary matter).
Explanation:
- Nirvṛtti (Formation):
- The special bodily structure of sense-organs formed by the rise of aṅgopāṅga-nāma karma.
- Two types:
- Ābhyantara nirvṛtti (Internal formation): The specific portions of the soul (ātma-pradeśas) shaped as sense-organs. E.g., the regions of the soul corresponding to the eyes actually see through the physical eyes.
- Bāhya nirvṛtti (External formation): The pudgala (matter atoms) arranged into the shape of sense-organs. E.g., the material structure of the eyes, ears, etc.
- Upakaraṇa (Auxiliaries):
- Supporting material parts that assist the senses.
- Two types:
- Ābhyantara upakaraṇa (Internal auxiliaries): Example – the dark circular iris that supports the pupil in vision; the eardrum that assists hearing.
- Bāhya upakaraṇa (External auxiliaries): Example – eyelids, eyelashes for eyes; outer ear for hearing.
✅ Together, nirvṛtti + upakaraṇa = dravya-indriya (the physical sense).
Sūtra 2.18 – labdhy-upayogau bhāvendriyam (लब्ध्युपयोगौ भावेन्द्रियम्)
Meaning: Bhāva-indriya (psychical sense) consists of labdhi (capacity) and upayoga (actual use).
Explanation:
- Labdhi (Capacity / Potential):
- When knowledge-obscuring karma (jñānāvaraṇīya karma) is destroyed or suppressed, a power to know arises in the soul.
- This inherent ability is called labdhi.
- Upayoga (Actual activity of consciousness):
- When, because of labdhi, the soul’s conscious units (pradeśas) actually vibrate and turn toward an object, it is called upayoga.
- It is the actual operation of knowing or perceiving.
Thus:
- Labdhi = potential to know
- Upayoga = actual act of knowing
Special Note:
- Example: A person may have the capacity to see (labdhi), but unless they direct attention to an object, they will not actually see it (upayoga).
- Similarly, one may desire to know, but if knowledge-obscuring karma is not suppressed or destroyed, knowledge does not arise.
- Hence, both labdhi and upayoga are required for true knowledge.
Summary
- Senses are of two types: dravya-indriya (physical) and bhāva-indriya (psychical).
- Dravya-indriya = nirvṛtti (formation) + upakaraṇa (auxiliaries), involving both internal and external structures.
- Bhāva-indriya = labdhi (capacity) + upayoga (use), both arising from the interaction of soul and karma.
- True sensory knowledge requires both physical organ + soul’s capacity and attention.
Dravya-indriya and Bhāva-indriya from Tattvārtha Sūtra
| Aspect | Dravya-indriya (Physical Sense) | Bhāva-indriya (Psychical Sense) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Modification of matter (pudgala) | Modification of soul (ātma) |
| Cause | Arises due to indriya-nāma karma | Arises due to subsidence/destruction (kṣayopaśama) of knowledge-obscuring karma |
| Definition | The physical organ formed in the body | The spiritual power to use that organ |
| Constituents | Nirvṛtti (formation) + Upakaraṇa (auxiliaries) | Labdhi (capacity) + Upayoga (actual use) |
| Nirvṛtti | Formation of organ (eye, ear, etc.) | – |
| Types of Nirvṛtti | Ābhyantara (internal – soul units shaped as organ) & Bāhya (external – pudgala atoms forming organ) | – |
| Upakaraṇa | Supporting structures (internal: iris, eardrum; external: eyelids, outer ear, etc.) | – |
| Labdhi | – | Potential ability to know (power arises after karma suppression/destruction) |
| Upayoga | – | Actual use of knowledge (directing attention, perceiving an object) |
| Example (Eye) | Eyeball, iris, pupil, eyelids (material structures) | Soul’s ability to see + actual act of seeing |
| Without this… | No physical basis for knowledge | No actual knowing, even if organ exists |
| Key Point | External equipment of senses | Internal use of senses by the soul |
- Dravya-indriya = the hardware (sense-organ structure).
- Bhāva-indriya = the software (soul’s power + activity of knowing).
- Both are essential: without the organ, no perception; without the soul’s use, the organ is useless.
Sūtra 2.19 – sparśana-rasana-ghrāṇa-cakṣus-śrotrāṇi ( स्पर्शनरसनघ्राणचक्षुः श्रोत्राणि )
Names of the Senses
Sandhi-viccheda (word-split): sparśana + rasana + ghrāṇa + cakṣus + śrotrāṇi
Meaning: The five senses are –
- Sparśana (Touch) → skin
- Rasana (Taste) → tongue
- Ghrāṇa (Smell) → nose
- Cakṣus (Vision) → eye
- Śrotra (Hearing) → ear
Functional description:
- By touch, the soul perceives objects through skin.
- By taste, it experiences flavours through the tongue.
- By smell, it perceives odours through the nose.
- By sight, it perceives forms and colours through the eye.
- By hearing, it perceives sound through the ear.
The senses are sometimes described dependently (“I see through my eyes”) and sometimes independently (“My eyes see”).
The soul, when aided by:
- the rise of Nāma-karma (body-making karmas), and
- the subsidence or destruction of obstacles like Jñānāvaraṇa (knowledge-obscuring karma) and Vīryāntarāya (energy-obstructing karma),
uses these sense-organs for perception.
Order of listing:
The senses are listed in this sequence because:
- The one-sensed beings (ekendriya), which are the most numerous from beginningless time, possess only the sense of touch.
- Two-sensed beings have touch + taste.
- Three-sensed beings have touch + taste + smell.
- Four-sensed beings have touch + taste + smell + vision.
- Five-sensed beings have all five.
Physical forms of the senses:
- Ear (śrotra): shaped like a canal of barley grain.
- Eye (cakṣus): shaped like a lentil seed.
- Nose (ghrāṇa): shaped like a sesame flower.
- Tongue (rasana): shaped like half a pea.
- Touch (sparśana): spread across the whole body.
Sūtra 2.20 – sparśa-rasa-gandha-varṇa-śabdās tadarthāḥ ( स्पर्शरसगंधवर्णशब्दास्तदर्था: )
Objects of the Senses
Sandhi-viccheda: sparśa + rasa + gandha + varṇa + śabdaḥ + tadarthāḥ
Meaning: The objects of the five senses are:
- Touch → tangible qualities
- Taste → flavours
- Smell → odours
- Vision → colour and form
- Hearing → sound
Detailed explanation:
- Touch (sparśa): perception of hot/cold, hard/soft, light/heavy, smooth/rough.
- Taste (rasa): perception of sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, astringent.
- Smell (gandha): perception of fragrance or foul odour.
- Vision (varṇa): perception of colours – white, red, yellow, blue, black.
- Sound (śabda): perception of tones – seven notes: ṣaḍja, ṛṣabha, gāndhāra, madhyama, pañcama, dhaivata, niṣāda (sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni).
Thus, with five senses and their various distinctions, there are 27 variations of sensory objects.
Scope of the senses (extent of perception):
The range of perception (measured in yojanas) increases as beings possess more senses:
| Beings | Touch | Taste | Smell | Vision | Hearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-sensed | 400 | – | – | – | – |
| Two-sensed | 800 | 64 | – | – | – |
| Three-sensed | 1600 | 128 | 100 | – | – |
| Four-sensed | 3200 | 256 | 200 | 2954 yojanas | – |
| Five-sensed (without mind) | 6400 | 512 | 400 | 5908 yojanas | – |
| Five-sensed (with mind) | 9 yojanas | 9 yojanas | 9 yojanas | 47263 + 7/20 yojanas | – |
✅ Essence:
- The five senses are both physical instruments (dravya-indriya) and soul-based powers (bhāva-indriya).
- They function as tools for the soul’s knowledge when karmic veils subside.
- Their objects (touch, taste, smell, colour, sound) are pudgala (matter), but the actual act of knowing is a property of the soul.
Sutra 21 to 25
English explanation of Tattvarth Sutra
Chapter 1 – Sutra 1 to 5 | Sutra 6 to 12 | Sutra 13 to 19 | Sutra 20 to 25 | Sutra 26 to 31 | Sutra 32 and 33
Chapter 2– Sutra 1 to 5 | Sutra 6 to 10 | Sutra 11 to 15
Animations and Visualizations.
मुनि श्री 108 प्रणम्यसागरजी तत्वार्थ सूत्र with Animation