e of the senses is entirely
material. Each sense has two subdivisions, namely, the principal
sense and the auxiliary sense. The substratum of the principal
senses consists of a combination of parama@nus, which are extremely
pure and minute, while the substratum of the latter is
the flesh, made of grosser materials. The five senses differ from
one another with respect to the manner and form of their respective
atomic combinations. In all sense-acts, whenever an act is
performed and an idea is impressed, a latent energy is impressed
on our person which is designated as avijnapti rupa. It is called
rupa because it is a result or effect of rupa-contact; it is called
avijnapti because it is latent and unconscious; this latent energy
is bound sooner or later to express itself in karma effects and is
the only bridge which connects the cause and the effect of karma
done by body or speech. Karma in this school is considered
as twofold, namely, that as thought (_cetana karma_) and that as
activity (_caitasika karma_). This last, again, is of two kinds, viz.

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that due to body-motion (_kayika karma_) and speech (_vacika
karma_). Both these may again be latent (_avijnapti_) and patent
(_vijnapti_), giving us the kayika-vijnnpti karma, kayikavijnapti
karma, vacika-vijnapti karma and vacikavijnapti karma. Avijnapti
rupa and avijnapti karma are what we should call in modern
phraseology sub-conscious ideas, feelings and activity. Corresponding
to each conscious sensation, feeling, thought or activity
there is another similar sub-conscious state which expresses itself
in future thoughts and actions; as these are not directly known but
are similar to those which are known, they are called avijnapti.

The mind, says Vasubandhu, is called cittam, because it
wills (_cetati_), manas because it thinks (_manvate_) and vijnana
because it discriminates (_nirdis'ati_). The discrimination may be
of three kinds: (1) svabhava nirdes'a (natural perceptual discrimination),
(2) prayoga nirdes'a (actual discrimination as present,
past and future), and (3) anusm@rti nirdes'a (reminiscent discrimination
referring only to the past). The senses only possess the
_svabhava nirdes'a_, the other two belong exclusively to manovijnana.
Each of the vijnanas as associated with its specific sense discriminates
its particular object and perceives its general characteristics;
the six vijnanas combine to form what is known as the
Vijnanaskandha, which is presi