A History of Indian Medical Literature v1.c11.3

v1.c11.3

The puruṣa (individual) is composed of the five mahābhūtas and cetanā (consciousness) as the sixth principle (dhātu);² cetanā alone is also called puruṣa (1.16). In addition, the puruṣa can be described as consisting of twenty-four principles (dhātu):³ manas (mind), the ten indriyas (the functions of the five senses and the five organs of action),⁴ the five objects of the senses (artha), and the prakṛti (matter), which has eight elements (dhātu) (1.17).⁵ Manas and buddhi are characterized (1.18–23),⁶ followed by the ten indriyas (1.24–26), the five mahābhūtas (1.27–31ab), the objects of the senses (1.31cd), buddhi (1.32–34),⁷ and para (= avyakta;⁸ 1.35).