**오문전향의 마음**은 특히 상좌부의 교학과 아비담마에서 사용하는 용어로, 감각기관(5근)이 감각적 대상(5경)과 만났을 때 일어나는 인식과정에서, 대상과 만난 후의 바로 다음 첫 단계에서 일어나는 마음으로, 이후의 마음의 흐름이 그 감각적 대상을 향해 흐르도록 하는 역할을 하는 마음이다.

달리 말해, 5문(五門) 즉 감각적 대상이 들어오는 다섯 가지 문 즉 안근(눈)이근(귀)비근(코)설근(혀)신근(몸)의 5근과 접촉한 대상에 대해 이후의 인식작용이 그 대상으로 향하도록 전향시키는 역할을 하는 마음이다. 예를 들어, 색경에 속한 어떤 사물, 즉, 색깔 또는 모양과 안근(눈)이 접촉한 경우, 오문전향의 마음은 안식(시각적 지각)이식(청각적 지각)비식(후각적 지각)설식(미각적 지각)신식(촉각적 지각)의 전5식(前五識) 중 안식이 그 대상으로 향하게 한다. 말하자면, 우리가 감각적 대상을 만날 때, 즉, 5근이 감각적 대상과 접촉할 때 '정신 근육(의근)'이 그 대상에 적합한 '감각 지각(전5식)'으로 하여금 그 대상을 인식하도록 유도하는 것이다.

아비담마에 따르면, 오문전향의 마음은 의근 즉 '18계 중 의계(mind element)'에 속한 유형의 마음이다. 의근은, 18계(十八界)에서의 분류상, 마음인 6식에 속하는 것이 아니라 감각기관 또는 인식기관인 6근에 속하는 것이지만, 다른 한편으로는 7심계(七心界)에 속한다. 즉, 의근은 6근 중 나머지 5근이 신체적 기관인 것과는 달리 정신적 기관이기 때문에, 크게 보아 마음에 속한다. 따라서, 인식과정의 특정 단계에서 마음이 **오문전향**(五門轉向)의 역할을 할 때 그 마음을 오문전향의 마음이라 이름 붙인 것이라고 할 수 있다.

오문전향의 마음은 다음의 분류 또는 체계에 속한다.

## 인식과정과 오문전향의 마음
감각적 대상의 인식과정, 즉, 전5식의 대상 즉 색경성경미경향경촉경이 해당하는 근 즉 안근이근비근설근신근 앞에 나타날 때의 인식과정 중 초기 6단계는 아비담마에 따르면 다음과 같다. 초기 6단계를 통해 그 감각적 대상을 대략적으로 인식하며, 그 감각적 대상을 세부적으로 명확히 인식하기까지에는 이후 여러 단계가 더 진행된다.Bhikkhu Bodhi & Allan R. Bomhard (2007). A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma. Charleston Buddhist Fellowship. p.37~38.
 When an
external sense object impinges on one of the five physical sense organs, before the
appropriate sense consciousness can arise — for example, eye-consciousness seeing a
form —, another consciousness must have arisen first. This consciousness is the fivesense-
door adverting consciousness (), which has the function of
adverting ( to whatever object is presenting itself at one of the five sense doors
(). This consciousness does not see, hear, smell, taste, or touch the object. It
simply turns to the object, thereby enabling the sense consciousness to arise in immediate
succession.
 This is the turning of the mind towards an object. Āvajjana forms the first stage in the process of
consciousness. When an object of the five physical senses is involved, it is called “five-sense-door
adverting consciousness” (); in the case of a mental object, “mind-door adverting
consciousness” ( (fourth revised edition [1980]), pp. 30—31.
 A single unit of sense perception , being conditioned through a sense
organ and its corresponding object, forms in reality an extremely complex process, in which all the single
phases of consciousness follow one another in rapid succession, performing their respective functions, for
example:
“As soon as a visible object has entered the range of vision, it acts on the sensitive eye-organ
() takes
place.
“As soon, however, as subconsciousness is broken off, the functional mind element, grasping the
object and breaking through the subconscious stream, performs the function of ‘adverting’ () the
mind towards the object.
“Immediately thereupon, there arises at the eye-door, and based upon the sensitive eye-organ, the
eye-consciousness, while performing the function of ‘seeing’ ()…
“Immediately thereafter, there arises the mind-element, performing the function of ‘receiving’
() the object of that consciousness…
“Immediately thereafter, there arises…the mind-consciousness element, while ‘investigating’
() the object received by the mind-element…
“Immediately thereafter, there arises the functional, rootless mind-consciousness-element,
accompanied by indifference, while performing the function of ‘determining’ () the object…
“Now, if the object is large, then immediately afterwards there flash forth six or seven ‘impulsive
moments’ () or twelve unwholesome
() classes of consciousness.
“Now, if, at the end of the impulsive moments, the object at the five-sense doors is very large and
at the mind-door clear, then there arises, once or twice, one of the eight root-accompanied -resultant
classes of consciousness of the sense-sphere, or one of the three rootless -resultant mindconsciousness-
elements… Because this consciousness, after the vanishing of the impulsive moments,
possesses the faculty continuing with the object of the subconsciousness, taking the object of the
subconsciousness as its own object, thereby, it is called ‘registering’ .” 
), or
of “determining” (); if very weak, only an excitation of the subconsciousness takes place.

The process of the inner, or mind, consciousness, that is, without participation of the five physical
senses, is as follows: in the case that the mind-object entering the mind-door is distinct, then it passes
through the stages of “adverting at the mind-door” (), “the impulsive stage,” and “the
registering stage,” before finally sinking into the subconscious stream. Cf, Nyanatiloka,  (fourth revised edition [1980]), pp. 227—228.
Mehm Tin Mon (2015). The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma. Third edition. Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Mya Mon Yadanar Literature. pp.37~38.

 are given the following symbols and
names.

1 Upekkhā-sahagataṁ cakkhuviññāṇaṁ
eye-consciousness accompanied by neutral feeling.
2 Upekkhā-sahagataṁ sotaviññāṇaṁ
ear-consciousness accompanied by neutral feeling.
3 Upekkhā-sahagataṁ ghānaviññāṇaṁ
nose-consciousness accompanied by neutral feeling.
4 Upekkhā-sahagataṁ jivhāviññāṇaṁ
tongue-consciousness accompanied by neutral feeling.
5 Dukkha-sahagataṁ kāyaviññāṇaṁ
body-consciousness accompanied by painful feeling.
6 Upekkhā-sahagataṁ sampaṭicchana-cittaṁ
receiving consciousness accompanied by neutral feeling.
7 Upekkhā-sahagataṁ santīraṇa-cittaṁ
investigating-consciousness accompanied by indifference.

Of the seven cittas mentioned above, the first five are known as
 that are conscious of the five senses.
The last two, i.e., , represent
two connecting stages in the process of cognition (awareness of
an object).
For example, when a visible object appears in the eye, a series of
consciousness has to arise and perish in order to see the object. First
 (five-door directing consciousness) directs the consciousness
stream towards the object. Then  (eye consciousness)
sees the object and transmits it to the next consciousness.
 (receiving consciousness) receives the sense
object. Then  (investigating consciousness) investigates the
sense object. Then  (mind-door directing consciousness)
determines the sense object whether it is good or bad. We are
aware of the sense object roughly at this stage.
Similarly, when an audible voice strikes the eardrum, a series of
consciousness, i.e., ,
, etc., has to arise and perish before we
can hear the voice.
 are essential for cognition
of the senses at the five sense-doors .