Translation guide
In Buddhist philosophy, the six sense organs (眼耳鼻舌身意) are the faculties through which we perceive the world. This entry explains how to refer to them in Japanese, from the standard list to individual organs.
Referring to the complete set of six sense organs in Buddhist context.
The standard Buddhist term for the six sense organs: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
六根を清める修行
a practice to purify the six sense organs
A more descriptive, modern phrase meaning 'six sensory organs'. Less technical than 六根.
仏教では六つの感覚器官について説かれている。
In Buddhism, the six sensory organs are expounded.
Enumerating the six sense organs one by one.
The standard list of the six sense organs in Buddhist terminology: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
六根とは眼・耳・鼻・舌・身・意のことです。
The six sense organs are the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
A more everyday listing using common words for the organs. Note that 'body' and 'mind' replace the technical terms 身 and 意.
六つの感覚器官は目、耳、鼻、舌、身体、心です。
The six sensory organs are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
Referring to a specific sense organ using the technical Buddhist term.
The eye as a sense organ (visual faculty).
眼根は色を見る。
The eye faculty sees forms.
The ear as a sense organ (auditory faculty).
耳根は声を聞く。
The ear faculty hears sounds.
The nose as a sense organ (olfactory faculty).
鼻根は香りを嗅ぐ。
The nose faculty smells scents.
The tongue as a sense organ (gustatory faculty).
舌根は味を感じる。
The tongue faculty tastes flavors.
The body as a sense organ (tactile faculty).
身根は触れたものを感じる。
The body faculty feels tactile objects.
The mind as a sense organ (mental faculty).
意根は法を認識する。
The mind faculty cognizes mental objects.
In everyday conversation, Japanese people rarely refer to the 'six sense organs' as a set. The term 六根 is primarily used in Buddhist or philosophical contexts. If you need to talk about the senses in daily life, it's more natural to list them individually using common words like 目 (eye), 耳 (ear), etc.