What is sense consciousness?

Sense consciousness is pure consciousness contaminated by the six sense faculties (Pāli: indriya) or the internal bases and the six sense objects.   

Sense faculties or sense organs are also called “gates” or “doors” and they filter pure consciousness.  The six sense faculties are: 

1. eye, 
2. ear, 
3. nose, 
4. tongue, 
5. body, and 
6. mind.

Pure consciousness is tainted by the six sense objects or the external bases, and they are: 

1. forms,
2. sounds,
3. odors,
4. flavors,
5. tangibles, and
6. mind-objects. 

Sense consciousness arises dependent on internal and external sense bases (Pāli: saḷāyatana) and is the experience of: 

1. seeing, 
2. hearing, 
3. smelling, 
4. tasting, 
5. touching and 
6. thinking.

Sense consciousness is pure consciousness tainted or obscured by the six sense faculties and the six sense objects.  Sense consciousness, also known as sense experience, are contents of pure consciousness.