PERCEPTION, CONCEPTUALIZATION    ['du shes]
What is the absolutely specific characteristic of conceptualization? It is to know by association. It is to see, hear, specify, and to know by way of taking up the defining characteristics and distinguishing them.
-Abhidarmasamuccaya
It is an awareness that deals with the specific characteristics of an object when the object, sensory capacity, and cognitive act have joined.
What is conceptualization? It is taking hold of the defining characteristic of an object.
-Pancaskandhaprakarana
Conceptualization is twofold:
1. Dealing with defining characteristic
2. Dealing with specific characteristic
The former deals with the specific characteristic of an apparent object in a conceptless perception and the latter deals with the specific characteristic of an apparent object in a judgemental perception. The bases for the operation of these two forms of conceptualization are seeing, hearing, specification (differentiation), and full cognition. Their meanings are:

To see is to make a proposition about what has been seen in immediate perception.
To hear is to make a proposition on the bais of trustworthy information.
Differentiation means to make a porposition about an object which is ascertained as this or that object in view of its characteristics.
Full cognition is to make a proposition by way of concept about this object as it is, in the certainty of immediate perception.

The Abhidharmakosa explains the two aspects of conceptualization as the defining characteristic and as propositions. That is to say, the former is to distinguish the individual color design such as blue, yellow etc., and the other is to distinguish the individual propositional form in making such statements as, "This is a man" and "This is a a woman."

Conceptualization is sixfold in view of its reference.

1. Conceptualization which has defining characteristics
2. Conceptualization which does not have defining characteristics
3. Conceptualization which is limited
4. Conceptualization which is broader
5. Conceptualization which is infinite
6. Conceptualization which is nothing whatsoever
The first is threefold:
1. One in which one knows the coherence between names and things
2. One which refers to the fact that everything composite is transitory
3. One which clarifies this reference
The second is also threefold in view of the fact that it is opposite to the previous ones.

'Limited conceptualization' refers to the ideas of those who are concerned only with the pleasures of this world and to all those idea of the ordinary people who are in the world of desire and who have not yet reached the subject matter of meditation.

The 'broader viewpoint' refers to those ideas found in those who are on the level of aesthetic world perception and to the concepts referring to the aesthetic world perception.

The 'infinite viewpoint' refers to those ideas that deal with an experience that is wide and open like the infinite sky and the experience of the unlimitedness of the cognitive capacity.

The sixth is the idea of an experience which one would objectify as nothing.