Yan gen, Yǎn gēn: 4 definitions

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

眼根 [yan gen]— (Eye faculty) — [Terminology] One of the 六根 [liu gen] (six sense faculties). It is the basis upon which 眼识 [yan shi] (eye consciousness) arises. It is formed by the 地水火风四大种 [de shui huo feng si da zhong] (four great elements of earth, water, fire, and wind), its substance is pure; this is the true eye faculty, that which cannot be seen with the physical eye, it is called the 胜义根 [sheng yi gen] (true/principal faculty). The eyeball, which can be seen with the physical eye, is called the 扶尘根 [fu chen gen] (auxiliary/physical faculty), and it is the support for that true/principal faculty. For instance, a blind person has the auxiliary/physical faculty but lacks the true/principal faculty, and therefore cannot generate eye consciousness. The 俱舍论 [ju she lun] (Abhidharmakośa-śāstra), Chapter 1, states: "The eye refers to an internal sense base, formed by the four great elements, whose nature is 净色 [jing se] (pure matter/form)." The commentary on the same verse, Chapter 1, states: "The five faculties including the eye, because their substance is pure, are like the light of jewels, and therefore are called pure matter/form."