Indriya (इन्द्रिय)

Sanskrit-Pali. Term that literally means ‘belonging to Indra’ or ‘agreeable to Indra’, and refers to physical strength or ability in general, and to the senses more specifically. In Buddhism, the term connotes supremacy, dominance and control, and usually refers to power or strength while it is generally translated as ‘faculty’. There are three groups of faculties, the largest one having 22 phenomenological faculties or controlling powers, which —though other faculty groupings exist— are usually described to consist of 6 sensory faculties, being the eyes (vision), ears (hearing), nose (smell), tongue (taste), body (sensibility), and the mind; 3 physical faculties, namely femininity, masculinity, and life (vitality); 5 feeling faculties, i.e. physical pleasure, physical pain, mental joy, mental grief, and composure (self-control); 5 spiritual faculties, which are faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom; and 3 final-knowledge faculties, being contemplation (seeking to understand the unknown); gnosis; and understanding (one who knows). In Thai, it is known as Inthria. See also Cetasika. 回