Reference: The 12 Aspects of Mindfulness
The Six Internal and External Sense Bases are part of the mental objects that one needs to be mindful of. These are:
- Eye and visual forms
- Ear and sounds
- Nose and smells
- Tongue and flavors
- Body and tactual objects
- Mind and mental objects
Here are some excerpts from Satipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness.
“And further, monks, a monk lives contemplating mental objects in the mental objects of the six internal and the six external sense-bases.
“How, monks, does a monk live contemplating mental objects in the mental objects of the six internal and the six external sense-bases?
“Herein, monks, a monk knows the eye and visual forms and the fetter that arises dependent on both (the eye and forms); he knows how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
“He knows the ear and sounds… the nose and smells… the tongue and flavors… the body and tactual objects… the mind and mental objects, and the fetter that arises dependent on both; he knows how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be; he knows how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be; and he knows how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
“Thus he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects internally, or he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects externally, or he lives contemplating mental objects in mental objects internally and externally. He lives contemplating origination factors in mental objects, or he lives contemplating dissolution factors in mental objects, or he lives contemplating origination-and-dissolution factors in mental objects. Or his mindfulness is established with the thought, “Mental objects exist,” to the extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness, and he lives detached, and clings to nothing in the world. Thus, monks, a monk lives contemplating mental objects in the mental objects of the six internal and the six external sense-bases.”
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EXERCISE
PURPOSE: To practice mindfulness in the internal and external sense bases.
1. Look and contemplate on EYE AND VISUAL FORMS.
- Know the eye and visual forms
- Know the fetter that arises dependent on both.
- Know how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
- Do steps 7 – 10 before going to the next step.
2. Look and contemplate on EAR AND SOUNDS
- Know the ear and sounds
- Know the fetter that arises dependent on both.
- Know how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
- Do steps 7 – 10 before going to the next step.
3. Look and contemplate on NOSE AND SMELLS.
- Know the nose and smells
- Know the fetter that arises dependent on both.
- Know how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
- Do steps 7 – 10 before going to the next step.
4. Look and contemplate on TONGUE AND FLAVORS.
- Know the tongue and flavors
- Know the fetter that arises dependent on both.
- Know how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
- Do steps 7 – 10 before going to the next step.
5. Look and contemplate on BODY AND TACTUAL OBJECTS.
- Know the body and tactual objects
- Know the fetter that arises dependent on both.
- Know how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
- Do steps 7 – 10 before going to the next step.
6. Look and contemplate on MIND AND MENTAL OBJECTS.
- Know the mind and mental objects
- Know the fetter that arises dependent on both.
- Know how the arising of the non-arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the abandoning of the arisen fetter comes to be.
- Know how the non-arising in the future of the abandoned fetter comes to be.
- Do steps 7 – 10 before going to the next step.
7. Continue contemplating this sense base internally and/or as observed externally.
8. Be mindful of the origination factors in this sense base, and/or the dissolution factors in this sense base.
9. Be mindful that this sense base exists to the extent necessary just for knowledge and mindfulness.
10. Live detached, and cling to nothing in the world.
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Further references: KHTK Mindfulness
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