T 1670B Nāgasena Bhikṣu Sūtra

Part 2: Dialogues

2.32. The Characteristics of Perception

The king asked Nāgasena, “What is perception?” Nāgasena replied, “Knowing is perception. It is like the storekeeper or the treasurer of the king. When he enters into the storehouse, he sees and knows himself how much there is in the store—coins, gold, silver, gems, silken fabrics, cotton, mixed scents, mixed colors. He also knows where the things are put. This is called perception.”

“Excellent, Nāgasena.”