Thought 15: We all have five sense organs, which bring the outside world into our minds

There are five sense organs – called Jnaanendriyas. They are eyes, ears, palate, nose and skin.

There are five objects of the world corresponding to these five sense organs – which are form and color for the eyes, sound for the ear, taste for the palate, smell for the nose and touch for the skin.

The senses are always in touch with their objects. The sense organs report – about the outside world to the mind. There are only five ways of knowing the world outside – these are the five ways in which the senses can sense the outside world. There is no other way of knowing the world outside. If any of these sense organs become dysfunctional, as for instance, when the eyes become dysfunctional, we have no visual idea of the outside world.

The senses contact their objects and the mind captures them and brings them inside. This is how the outside world enters your mind.

Senses do not present anything as it is. They distort. They deceive. What they report is conditioned by your likes and dislikes, fears, anxiety etc. When you examine anything with objective understanding (that is, with an open mind and without superimposing anything on it), you become a mature person.

The next thought is about “You go wherever your mind takes you”