Dhātuvibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 140

The Analysis of the Elements · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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‘Caturādhiṭṭhāno ayaṁ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?
Paññādhiṭṭhāno, saccādhiṭṭhāno, cāgādhiṭṭhāno, upasamādhiṭṭhāno.
‘Caturādhiṭṭhāno ayaṁ, bhikkhu, puriso’ti—
iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

‘This person has four foundations.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it? The foundations of wisdom, truth, generosity, and peace. ‘This person has four foundations.’ That’s what I said, and this is why I said it.

‘Paññaṁ nappamajjeyya, saccamanurakkheyya, cāgamanubrūheyya, santimeva so sikkheyyā’ti—
iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ?

‘Do not neglect wisdom; preserve truth; foster generosity; and train only for peace.’ That’s what I said, but why did I say it?

Kathañca, bhikkhu, paññaṁ nappamajjati?
Chayimā, bhikkhu, dhātuyo—
pathavīdhātu, āpodhātu, tejodhātu, vāyodhātu, ākāsadhātu, viññāṇadhātu.

And how does one not neglect wisdom? There are these six elements: the elements of earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness.

Katamā ca, bhikkhu, pathavīdhātu?
Pathavīdhātu siyā ajjhattikā siyā bāhirā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ kakkhaḷaṁ kharigataṁ upādinnaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṁsaṁ nhāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ, yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ kakkhaḷaṁ kharigataṁ upādinnaṁ—
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu yā ca bāhirā pathavīdhātu pathavīdhāturevesā.
‘Taṁ netaṁ mama nesohamasmi na meso attā’ti—evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā pathavīdhātuyā nibbindati, pathavīdhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.

And what is the earth element? The earth element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior earth element? Anything internal, personal, that’s hard, solid, and appropriated. This includes: head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, feces, or anything else internal, personal, that’s hard, solid, and appropriated. This is called the interior earth element. The interior earth element and the exterior earth element are just the earth element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the earth element, detaching the mind from the earth element.

Katamā ca, bhikkhu, āpodhātu?
Āpodhātu siyā ajjhattikā siyā bāhirā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā āpodhātu?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ āpo āpogataṁ upādinnaṁ seyyathidaṁ—
pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo assu vasā kheḷo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttaṁ, yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ āpo āpogataṁ upādinnaṁ—
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā āpodhātu.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā āpodhātu yā ca bāhirā āpodhātu āpodhāturevesā.
‘Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti—evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā āpodhātuyā nibbindati, āpodhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.

And what is the water element? The water element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior water element? Anything internal, personal, that’s water, watery, and appropriated. This includes: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, snot, synovial fluid, urine, or anything else internal, personal, that’s water, watery, and appropriated. This is called the interior water element. The interior water element and the exterior water element are just the water element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the water element, detaching the mind from the water element.

Katamā ca, bhikkhu, tejodhātu?
Tejodhātu siyā ajjhattikā siyā bāhirā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā tejodhātu?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ tejo tejogataṁ upādinnaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
yena ca santappati, yena ca jīrīyati, yena ca pariḍayhati, yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ sammā pariṇāmaṁ gacchati, yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ tejo tejogataṁ upādinnaṁ—
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā tejodhātu.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā tejodhātu yā ca bāhirā tejodhātu tejodhāturevesā.
‘Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti—evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā tejodhātuyā nibbindati, tejodhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.

And what is the fire element? The fire element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior fire element? Anything internal, personal, that’s fire, fiery, and appropriated. This includes: that which warms, that which ages, that which heats you up when feverish, that which properly digests food and drink; or anything else internal, personal, that’s fire, fiery, and appropriated. This is called the interior fire element. The interior fire element and the exterior fire element are just the fire element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the fire element, detaching the mind from the fire element.

Katamā ca, bhikkhu, vāyodhātu?
Vāyodhātu siyā ajjhattikā siyā bāhirā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā vāyodhātu?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ vāyo vāyogataṁ upādinnaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
uddhaṅgamā vātā adhogamā vātā kucchisayā vātā koṭṭhāsayā vātā aṅgamaṅgānusārino vātā assāso passāso iti, yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ vāyo vāyogataṁ upādinnaṁ—
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā vāyodhātu.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā vāyodhātu yā ca bāhirā vāyodhātu vāyodhāturevesā.
‘Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti—evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā vāyodhātuyā nibbindati, vāyodhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.

And what is the air element? The air element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior air element? Anything internal, personal, that’s air, airy, and appropriated. This includes: winds that go up or down, winds in the belly or the bowels, winds that flow through the limbs, in-breaths and out-breaths; or anything else internal, personal, that’s air, airy, and appropriated. This is called the interior air element. The interior air element and the exterior air element are just the air element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the air element, detaching the mind from the air element.

Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ākāsadhātu?
Ākāsadhātu siyā ajjhattikā siyā bāhirā.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā ākāsadhātu?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ ākāsaṁ ākāsagataṁ upādinnaṁ, seyyathidaṁ—
kaṇṇacchiddaṁ nāsacchiddaṁ mukhadvāraṁ yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ ajjhoharati, yattha ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ santiṭṭhati, yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ adhobhāgaṁ nikkhamati, yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ ākāsaṁ ākāsagataṁ aghaṁ aghagataṁ vivaraṁ vivaragataṁ asamphuṭṭhaṁ maṁsalohitehi upādinnaṁ—
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā ākāsadhātu.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā ākāsadhātu yā ca bāhirā ākāsadhātu ākāsadhāturevesā.
‘Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti—evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
Evametaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā ākāsadhātuyā nibbindati, ākāsadhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.

And what is the space element? The space element may be interior or exterior. And what is the interior space element? Anything internal, personal, that’s space, spacious, and appropriated. This includes: the ear canals, nostrils, and mouth; and the space for swallowing what is eaten and drunk, the space where it stays, and the space for excreting it from the nether regions; or anything else internal, personal, that’s space, spacious, and appropriated. This is called the interior space element. The interior space element and the exterior space element are just the space element. This should be truly seen with right understanding like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’ When you truly see with right understanding, you grow disillusioned with the space element, detaching the mind from the space element.

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