六根，六塵與六識構成了十八界，是佛法中探討認知哲學最重要的部分，再加上第七 (末那)，第八 (阿賴耶)，及第九意識 (菴摩羅)，形成了非常完備的認知體系. 許多修行的方式及理論莫不由此產生. 心理學或行為科學中最核心的部分也在「認知」原理，由此亦衍生出許多實用的知識，對精神醫學，教育學，哲學，經濟學等均有重大的影響，不只是人類的歷史，現在的行為，甚至會對人類的將來有更深遠而有力的影響. 本文的目的即在把佛學的認知體系科學化，給予科學上可以接受的定義，並藉此展現佛法對「認知」問題的深刻反省. 一旦這些佛學名詞能定義明確，則能為科學界所援用，如此將能打破「認知原理」在兩者間各說各話，各行其是的現況. 這樣做不但使科學上認知原理的內容更為豐富，也可去除佛學上原本深邃難懂的名詞障礙，以方便現代人瞭解.經過明確的定義後，我們可以發現如要把十八界的定義科學化，其關鍵在意根及法塵的定義上，且須以功能為考量，才能使系統完備.To find the acceptable definitions on the six roots, six dusts and six consciousnesses is the first step to reduce the gaps between Buddhism and scientific philosophy. For Buddhism，the six roots, six dusts and six consciousnesses are the cornerstones for constructing the cognitive model. For the purpose of practicing samadhi，the Buddhists should analyze how their minds interact with their environments. After taking these experiences and going further，they can concentrate their minds and achieve the right concentration (samyak samadhi). On the other hand，the psychologists analyze how our sense organs interact with the environments and the interpretations that our minds have made between those processes, and how we make decisions according to these interpretations. How close and alike these two behaviors are!We analyze the cognitive model of the Buddhism from scientific point of view and try to give it's elements (roots, dusts and consciousnesses) more accurate definitions based on the anatomy and physiology. To complete all the definitions, we proposed a new relational structure among the six roots according to the anatomic and physiological structures between the sense organs and the brain.Once the definitions were given，we applied the Buddhistic cognitive model with the new relational structure among the six roots to the analysis of human body-mind structure. We noticed that the elements in Buddhistic cognitive model are more essential than those in the behavioral science. All components in the behavioral science can be decomposed into the six roots, six dusts and six consciousnesses. Thus, by using the acceptable definitions, we can let the behavioral science and the Buddhistic cognitive model to communicate with each other without difficulties.Over all，the discussion on the extension of the six consciousnesses to. the nine consciousnesses is crucial. It reveals the relations between our brains and the twelve links in the chain of interdependent co-arising. It also gives some traces to the understanding of the contents and structures of our higher cortical function.
