Mind – The Sixth Sense

Senses are objectified desires. Will to see is the eye. Will to hear is the ear. The Senses have two states, static and dynamic. When the desire begins to operate, the Senses are put in motion. This is the dynamic state. As soon as the desire is gratified, the Senses shrink through satisfaction. This is the static or passive state.

Mind and Senses are one. Sense is a prolongation of the mind. The sea is fed by the rivers; the sea cannot exist without the rivers. Even so, mind is fed by Senses and cannot exist without Senses. If you have controlled the  Senses, you have already controlled the mind. Sense is another name for mind.

Mind is a mass of Senses. Mind is a higher power than the Senses. Mind is a consolidated Sense. Sense is the mind in manifestation. Just as a minister obeys the king, so also, the five Senses act in accordance with the dictates of  the mind. Senses represent backwaters. The desire in the mind to eat has manifested as tongue, teeth and stomach. The desire in the mind to walk has manifested itself as legs and feet. If you can control mind, you can control the Senses.

Eyes can only see. Ears can only hear. Tongue can only taste. Skin can only touch. Nose can only smell. But, the mind can see, hear, taste, touch and smell. Mind is the common sensory. The five senses are blended there. It can directly see, hear, smell, taste and feel independent of the senses. It is an aggregate of the five senses. All the sense-faculties are blended in the mind. You can see and hear directly through the mind by Yogic practice
(clairvoyance and clairaudience).

Mind is termed the sixth sense: “Manah shashthanindri-yani - the senses of which mind is the sixth”(Gita, XV-7). The five senses are the five Senses (organs of knowledge, sensation or perception).

Ayatana means mind (Chhandogya Upanishad, IV-vii) which is the substratum of the experiences of all other organs. Senses cannot do anything, if the mind is not connected with them. When you are wholly absorbed in the study of an interesting newspaper, you do not hear when your friend loudly calls you. You are not aware that the clock has struck five. It is everybody's daily experience. The mind was away at that time. It was not then connected with the sense of hearing. The eyes may be wide open during sleep. They do not see anything, because the mind is not there.

Reference

Mind – Its Mysteries and Control by Sri Swami Sivananda