 Consciousness. The fifth and last collection contains the  aggregates of consciousness (vijñāna-skandha). In  contrast to apperception, consciousness is defined as the impression  (vijñapti) of each object or as the bare apprehension  of each object. Glossing on this definition, later Abhidharma  commentators treat consciousness (vijñāna) as  referring to an awareness of the object alone  (vastumātra) (see Yaśomitra's  Vyākhyā ad AK I, 16). Unlike sensation  and apperception, which apprehend the specific characteristics of  objects, consciousness acts as an integrating and discerning factor  of experience.