Dhātuvibhaṅgasutta

Majjhima Nikāya 140

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

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having four foundations‘Caturādhiṭṭhāno thisayaṁ, monkbhikkhu, person, it is saidpuriso’ti—
thusiti indeedkho now thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ. why thisKiñcetaṁ because ofpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ?
foundation of wisdomPaññādhiṭṭhāno, foundation of truthsaccādhiṭṭhāno, foundation of generositycāgādhiṭṭhāno, foundation of peaceupasamādhiṭṭhāno.
having four foundations‘Caturādhiṭṭhāno thisayaṁ, monkbhikkhu, person, it is saidpuriso’ti—
thusiti whichyaṁ thattaṁ was saidvuttaṁ this is thisidametaṁ because ofpaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ.

‘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.

wisdom‘Paññaṁ should not neglectnappamajjeyya, should preserve truthsaccamanurakkheyya, should foster generositycāgamanubrūheyya, only for peacesantimeva heso should trainsikkheyyā’ti—
thusiti indeedkho thispanetaṁ was saidvuttaṁ. but why was thisKiñcetaṁ with reference topaṭicca was saidvuttaṁ?

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

and howKathañca, monkbhikkhu, wisdompaññaṁ does not neglectnappamajjati?
these sixChayimā, monkbhikkhu, elementsdhātuyo—
earth elementpathavīdhātu, water elementāpodhātu, fire elementtejodhātu, air elementvāyodhātu, space elementākāsadhātu, consciousness elementviññāṇadhātu.

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

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.

whichKatamā andca, monkbhikkhu, water elementāpodhātu?
water elementĀpodhātu may besiyā interiorajjhattikā may besiyā exteriorbāhirā.
whichKatamā andca, monkbhikkhu, interiorajjhattikā water elementāpodhātu?
whateverYaṁ internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ waterāpo wateryāpogataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ that is to sayseyyathidaṁ—
bilepittaṁ phlegmsemhaṁ puspubbo bloodlohitaṁ sweatsedo fatmedo tearsassu greasevasā salivakheḷo snotsiṅghāṇikā synovial fluidlasikā urinemuttaṁ, whateveryaṁ orvā and whatever elsepanaññampi anythingkiñci internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ waterāpo wateryāpogataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ—
thisayaṁ is calledvuccati, monkbhikkhu, interiorajjhattikā water elementāpodhātu.
whichYā andceva indeedkho andpana interiorajjhattikā water elementāpodhātu whichyā andca exteriorbāhirā water elementāpodhātu are just the water elementāpodhāturevesā.
this‘Taṁ this is notnetaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this is mymeso self; thus thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
thus thisEvametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya having seendisvā with the water elementāpodhātuyā grows disillusionednibbindati, with the water elementāpodhātuyā mindcittaṁ detachesvirājeti.

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.

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.

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.

whatKatamā andca, monkbhikkhu, space elementākāsadhātu?
space elementĀkāsadhātu may besiyā interiorajjhattikā may besiyā exteriorbāhirā.
whatKatamā andca, monkbhikkhu, interiorajjhattikā space elementākāsadhātu?
whichYaṁ internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ spaceākāsaṁ spaciousākāsagataṁ appropriatedupādinnaṁ, that isseyyathidaṁ—
ear canalkaṇṇacchiddaṁ nostrilnāsacchiddaṁ mouthmukhadvāraṁ through whichyena andca what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tastedasitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ swallowsajjhoharati, whereyattha andca what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tastedasitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ stayssantiṭṭhati, through whichyena andca what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tastedasitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ downwardadhobhāgaṁ goes outnikkhamati, whichyaṁ orvā and then furtherpanaññampi anykiñci internalajjhattaṁ personalpaccattaṁ spaceākāsaṁ spaciousākāsagataṁ hollowaghaṁ hollowaghagataṁ openingvivaraṁ openedvivaragataṁ untouchedasamphuṭṭhaṁ by flesh and bloodmaṁsalohitehi appropriatedupādinnaṁ—
thisayaṁ is calledvuccati, monkbhikkhu, interiorajjhattikā space elementākāsadhātu.
whichYā andceva indeedkho and thenpana interiorajjhattikā space elementākāsadhātu whichyā andca exteriorbāhirā space elementākāsadhātu just the space elementākāsadhāturevesā.
this‘Taṁ this is notnetaṁ minemama, I am not thisnesohamasmi, notna this is mymeso self—thus thisattā’ti—evametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya should be seendaṭṭhabbaṁ.
thus thisEvametaṁ as it really isyathābhūtaṁ with right understandingsammappaññāya having seendisvā with the space elementākāsadhātuyā grow disillusionednibbindati, with the space elementākāsadhātuyā mindcittaṁ detachesvirājeti.

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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