In the chain of Dependent Origination, the Buddha identifies that craving arises from sensations that result from contact at the six sense bases (see Figure 2 below).
Therefore, to overcome craving and its resultant suffering, one should develop restraint of and insight into the sense bases.
[26] To foster this type of penetrative knowing and seeing and the resultant release from suffering, in the Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) the Buddha instructs monks to meditate on the sense bases and the dependently arising fetters as follows: The Vimuttimagga, the Visuddhimagga, and associated Pali commentaries[28] and subcommentaries all contribute to traditional knowledge about the sense bases.
When the Buddha speaks of "understanding" the eye, ear, nose, tongue and body, what is meant?
Other components of this "soil" include the aggregates, the faculties, the Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination.