as a general term for the 5 sense-organs (cakkhu-vatthu, etc ) is frequent in the Com., and often used together with a^rammana (object). This usage, however, is already indicated in the Abh. Canon: ”Cakkhum p”etam... vatthum p”etam” (Dhs. § 597; Vibh., p.71, PTS): ”cakkhuvin~n~a^nassa vatthu” (Dhs. §§ 679ff.).
”physical base”, i.e. the 6 physical organs on which the mental process is based, are the 5 physical sense-organs and, according to the Com., the heart (hadaya-vatthu, q.v.) as the 6th. This 6th vatthu must not be confounded with the 6th a^yatana, which is a collective name for all consciousness whatever. - (App.).