Bahya-Karana
Bahya-Kāraṇa (IAST)Translation: "External Instruments"
The Serpent Power (Arthur Avalon)
"Sensations aroused by sense-objects are experienced by means of the outer instruments (Bahya-Kāraṇa) of the Lord of the body, or senses (Indriya), which are the gateways through which the Jīva receives worldly experience. These are ten in number, and are of two classes: viz., the five organs of sensation or perception (Jñānendriya), or ear (hearing), skin (feeling by touch), eye (sight), tongue (taste), and nose (smell); and the five organs of action (Karmendriya), which are the reactive response which the self makes to sensation — namely, mouth, hands, legs, anus, and genitals, whereby speaking, grasping, walking, excretion, and procreation are performed, and through which effect is given to the Jīva's desires. These are afferent and efferent impulses respectively."
A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy
ज्ञानेन्द्रिय – Jñānendriya (Organs of Knowledge)
Translation: "organs of knowledge; senses of knowledge"Definition:
- The five cognitive sense organs are the organs of knowledge. They are the organs of hearing (Śrotra), touch (Tvak), sight (Cakṣuḥ), taste (Rasana), and smell (Ghrāṇa).
- The Sāṅkhya school also includes the mind (Manas) as one of the sense organs. The Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika also includes mind as one of the Indriyas.
- They are also referred to as the "internal senses" as they impact knowledge from inside.
कर्मेन्द्रिय – Karmendriya (Organs of Action)
Translation: "organs of action"
Definition: The five conative sense organs. They are the organs of speech (Vāk), prehension (Pāṇi), movement (Pāda), excretion (Pāyu), and generation (Upastha).
तन्मात्र – Tanmātra (Subtle Essence)
Translation: "the subtle essence of the five elements; the pure elements; elemental essence (from tad = "that" + mā = "to measure")"
Definition: "They are sound (Śabda), touch (Sparśa), sight (Rūpa), taste (Rasa), and smell (Gandha). The five elements (Mahābhūta) are derived from the Tanmātras: from sound comes ether; from touch comes air; from sight comes fire; from taste comes water; and from smell comes earth. The Tanmātras are said to evolve from the Tāmasa aspect of egoity according to Sāṅkhya."
महाभूत – Mahābhūta (The Great Elements)
Translation: "the five great elements"
Definition: "They are ether (Ākāśa), which emerges from sound (Śabda); air (Vāyu), which emerges from touch (Sparśa); fire (Tejas), which emerges from color (Rūpa); water (Ap), which emerges from taste (Rasa); and earth (Pṛthvī), which emerges from smell (Gandha). These five gross elements emerge from the subtle essences of the elements (Tanmātras).
References:
- Avalon, Arthur (1950). The Serpent Power: Being the Shat-Chakra-Nirūpana and Pādukā-Panchakā. Adyar, Madras: Ganesh & Co. (Madras) Ltd. p.59.
- Grimes, John (1996). A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English. Albany: State University of New York Press
