There are different ways of classifying perception. First, we have the distinction between laukika or ordinary and alaukika or extraordinary perceptions. This distinction depends on the way in which the senses come in contact with their objects.
We have laukika perception when there is the usual sense-contact with objects present to sense. In alaukika perception, however, the object is such as is not ordinarily present to sense, but is conveyed to sense through an unusal medium.
Perception again is of two kinds, namely, external (bahya) and internal (manasa). The former is due to the external senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell. The latter is brought about by the mind’s contact with psychical states and processes.
Thus we have six kinds of ordinary perceptions, viz., thevisual (caksusa) auditory (srautra), tactual (sparsana), gustatory (rasana), olfactory (ghranaja), and the internal or mental (manasa) perception, Alaukika or extraordinary perception is of three kinds, viz., samanyalaksana, jndnalaksana and yogaja.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
According to the Nyaya (also the Vaisesika Mimamsa, and Jaina), there are six organs of knowledge. Of these, five are external and one is internal.
The five external senses are the organs of smell (ghrana) taste (rasana), sight (caksuh), touch (tvak), and hearing (srotra). These perceive respectively the physical qualities of smell, taste, colour, touch and sound.
They are physical in nature and each of them is constituted by that very same physical element whose qualities are sensed by it.
This seems to be suggested by the fact that in many cases we use the same name for both the sense organ and the physical quality sensed by it. It is probably based on the principle that only like can perceive like.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Mind (manas) is the internal organ which perceives such qualities of the soul as desire (iccha), aversion (dvesa), striving or willing (prayatna), pleasure (sukha), pain (duhkha) and cognition. It is not made of the material elements (bhiitas) like the external senses.
It is not limited to the knowledge of any particular class of things or qualities but functions as a central and common organ in all kinds of knowledge.
The Nyaya view of mind as an internal sense’ (antarindriya) is accepted by the Vaisesikas, the Sarikhyas, the Mimamsakas and others. But some Vedantins criticise and reject the Nyaya view of mind as an ‘inner sense’.