Mental sense-objects cannot exist independently

Mental sense-objects (dharmāyatana) inherently exist upon the five sense-objects, and together with the five sense-objects they constitute the object-realm; they cannot exist independently. For example, the beauty of a flower is the mental sense-object of the flower, existing together with the flower's substance itself: where there is a flower, there is its beauty; when the flower disappears, its beauty also ceases. It is not that the beauty of the flower is newly born only after the mind consciousness discerns it; it is merely that the manas cannot discern this mental sense-object in a fine-grained way, so it must be handed over to the mind consciousness for fine discernment, and only then can one know that the flower is beautiful. The beauty is first contacted by the manas, but since it cannot make fine distinctions, it is handed over to the mind consciousness, which can then discern the beauty of the flower. Even in discerning, one cannot depart from the flower to cognize its beauty; apart from the flower, the mental sense-object of beauty cannot be found.

The manifestation of beauty is jointly manifested by the three transforming consciousnesses, and cannot be separated from the manas. Upon material sense-objects, the mental sense-objects of visible form, expressive form, and non-indicative form can manifest simultaneously; charm belongs to non-indicative form, and temperament, cultivation, and refinement all belong to non-indicative form, appearing simultaneously and in the same place as the material sense-object, and cannot be separated from it.