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Eighteen Realms
The Eighteen Realms are comprised of the Six Organs, the Six Objects, and the Six Consciousnesses. The Six Organs are: 1) eyes, 2) ears, 3) nose, 4) tongue, 5) body, and 6) mind. The Six Objects are: 1) sights, 2) sounds, 3) smells/odors, 4) tastes/flavors, 5) objects of touch, and 6) dharmas (or objects of mind). The Six Consciousnesses are: 1) eye-consciousness, 2) ear-consciousness, 3) nose-consciousness, 4) tongue-consciousness, 5) body-consciousness, and 6) mind-consciousness. The Six Organs and the Six Objects taken together are known as the Twelve Bases. They are the bases for the production of the Six Consciousnesses.

Like the five skandhas, the Eighteen Realms are a way of analyzing the entire psycho-physical world as an aid to breaking attachments to it. Everything that we experience is included in the Eighteen Realms. The first five or the Six Objects include the entire external world. The first five of the Six Organs describe our physical bodies. Together they comprise the entire physical world. The mind organ, dharmas as objects of mind, and the Six Consciousnesses comprise the world of mind. All mental experience is included within them. Since both mental and physical worlds are completely included, there is no need for recourse to a real, permanent self or soul to describe any experience.

According to the teachings of the Mahayana, all dharmas are empty of any real, permanent, inherent identifying characteristics.

Therefore, in emptiness there…[are] no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch or dharmas; no field of the eyes, up to and including no field of mind-consciousness. (HS 56-57)

Chinese Terms

十八界

See Also: 
Eight Consciousnesses