Dharma Objects Cannot Exist Independently

Dharmadhātu sense-objects (dharma-viṣaya) inherently exist upon the five sense-objects, combining together with the five sense-objects to constitute the object-realm, and cannot exist independently. For example, the beauty of a flower is the dharma sense-object of the flower, existing together with the flower's substance itself; where there is a flower there is beauty, and 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 dharma sense-object in a fine manner, so it must be discerned in detail by the mind consciousness, 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 flower's beauty. Even when discerning, it cannot discern the beauty apart from the flower; apart from the flower, the dharma sense-object of beauty cannot be found.

The manifestation of beauty is revealed jointly by the three transformative consciousnesses (parināma), and cannot be separated from the manas. Upon form sense-objects (rūpa-viṣaya), the dharma sense-objects of visible form (samsthāna-rūpa), expressive form (vijñapti-rūpa), and non-expressive form (avijñapti-rūpa) can manifest simultaneously; charm belongs to non-expressive form, and temperament, cultivation, and character all belong to non-expressive form, appearing simultaneously and in the same place as the form sense-object, and cannot be separated from it.