Dhamma Topics and their Analysis
Dhamma Topics
5. Cha Dhātuyo
5. The Six Elements
from MN 140, Dhātuvibhaṅgasuttaṁ
Chayimā, bhikkhu, dhātuyo:
There are, monastic, these six elements:
Pathavīdhātu siyā ajjhattikā, siyā bāhirā.
The earth element may be internal or may be external.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu?
And what, monastic, is the internal earth element?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
Whatever is inside, in oneself,
kakkhaḷaṁ, kharigataṁ, upādinnaṁ, seyyathīdaṁ:
that is hard or has become solid, and is attached to, like this:
yaṁ vā panaññam-pi kiñci ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself,
kakkhaḷaṁ, kharigataṁ, upādinnaṁ,
that is hard or has become solid, and is attached to,
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu.
this, monastic, is said to be the internal earth element.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu,
Now, that which is the internal earth element,
yā ca bāhirā pathavīdhātu pathavīdhātur-evesā:
and that which is the external earth element, is only the earth element:
Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesoham-asmi, na meso attā ti,
This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,
evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom.
Evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā,
Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom,
pathavīdhātuyā nibbindati, pathavīdhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.
one loses interest in the earth element, one detaches the mind from the earth element.
Āpodhātu siyā ajjhattikā, siyā bāhirā.
The water element may be internal or may be external.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā āpodhātu?
And what, monastic, is the internal water element?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
Whatever is inside, in oneself,
āpo, āpogataṁ, upādinnaṁ, seyyathīdaṁ:
that is water, or has become watery, and is attached to, like this:
yaṁ vā panaññam-pi kiñci ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself,
āpo, āpogataṁ, upādinnaṁ,
that is water, or has become watery, and is attached to,
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā āpodhātu.
that, monastic, is said to be the internal water element.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā āpodhātu,
Now, that which is the internal water element,
yā ca bāhirā āpodhātu āpodhātu-r-evesā:
and that which is the external water element, is only the water element:
Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesoham-asmi, na meso attā ti,
This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,
evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom.
Evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā,
Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom,
āpodhātuyā nibbindati, āpodhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.
one loses interest in the water element, one detaches the mind from the water element.
Tejodhātu siyā ajjhattikā, siyā bāhirā.
The fire element may be internal or may be external.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā tejodhātu?
And what, monastic, is the internal fire element?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
Whatever is inside, in oneself,
tejo, tejogataṁ, upādinnaṁ, seyyathīdaṁ:
that is fire, or has become fiery, and is attached to, like this:
Yena ca santappati, yena ca jīrīyati, yena ca pariḍayhati,
That by which one is heated, by which one grows old, by which one is burned up,
yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ sammā pariṇāmaṁ gacchati,
by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted, gets completely digested,
yaṁ vā panaññam-pi kiñci ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself,
tejo, tejogataṁ, upādinnaṁ,
that is fire, or has become fiery, and is attached to,
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā tejodhātu.
that, monastic, is said to be the internal fire element.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā tejodhātu,
Now, that which is the internal fire element,
yā ca bāhirā tejodhātu tejodhātur-evesā:
and that which is the external fire element, is only the fire element:
Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesoham-asmi, na meso attā ti,
This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,
evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom.
Evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā,
Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom,
tejodhātuyā nibbindati, tejodhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.
one loses interest in the fire element, one detaches the mind from the fire element.
Vāyodhātu siyā ajjhattikā, siyā bāhirā.
The wind element may be internal or may be external.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā vāyodhātu?
And what, monastic, is the internal wind element?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ, vāyo, vāyogataṁ, upādinnaṁ, seyyathīdaṁ:
Whatever is inside, in oneself, that is wind, or has become windy, and is attached to, like this:
Uddhaṅgamā vātā, adhogamā vātā, kucchisayā vātā,
Winds that go up, winds that go down, winds in the bowels,
koṭṭhāsayā vātā, aṅgamaṅgānusārino vātā, assāso, passāso iti,
winds in the belly, winds that go through the limbs, in-breath, out-breath,
yaṁ vā panaññam-pi kiñci ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself,
vāyo, vāyogataṁ, upādinnaṁ,
that is wind, or has become windy, and is attached to,
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā vāyodhātu.
this, monastic, is said to be the internal wind element.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā vāyodhātu,
Now, that which is the internal wind element,
yā ca bāhirā vāyodhātu vāyodhātur-evesā:
and that which is the external wind element, is only the wind element:
Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesoham-asmi, na meso attā ti,
This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,
evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom.
Evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā,
Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom,
vāyodhātuyā nibbindati, vāyodhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.
one loses interest in the wind element, one detaches the mind from the wind element.
Ākāsadhātu siyā ajjhattikā, siyā bāhirā.
The space element may be internal or may be external.
Katamā ca, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā ākāsadhātu?
And what, monastic, is the internal space element?
Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ, ākāsaṁ, ākāsagataṁ, upādinnaṁ, seyyathīdaṁ:
Whatever is inside that is space, or has become spacy, and is attached to, like this:
Kaṇṇacchiddaṁ nāsacchiddaṁ mukhadvāraṁ,
Ear-holes, nose-holes, the door of the mouth,
yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ ajjhoharati,
and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is swallowed,
yattha ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ santiṭṭhati,
that place where what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted settles,
yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ adhobhāgaṁ nikkhamati,
and the lower part by which that which is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted goes out,
yaṁ vā panaññam-pi kiñci ajjhattaṁ, paccattaṁ,
or whatever else there is that is inside, in oneself,
ākāsaṁ, ākāsagataṁ, aghaṁ, aghagataṁ,
that is space, or has become spacy, airy, or has become airy,
vivaraṁ, vivaragataṁ, asamphuṭṭhaṁ maṁsalohitehi, upādinnaṁ,
open, or has become open, untouched by flesh and blood, and is attached to,
ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhu, ajjhattikā ākāsadhātu.
that, monastic, is said to be the internal space element.
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā ākāsadhātu,
Now, that which is the internal space element,
yā ca bāhirā ākāsadhātu ākāsadhātur-evesā:
and that which is the external space element, is only the space element:
Taṁ netaṁ mama, nesoham-asmi, na meso attā ti:
This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self,
evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṁ.
like this it ought to be seen, as it really is, with right wisdom.
Evam-etaṁ yathābhūtaṁ sammappaññāya disvā,
Having seen it like this, as it really is, with right wisdom,
ākāsadhātuyā nibbindati, ākāsadhātuyā cittaṁ virājeti.
one loses interest in the space element, one detaches the mind from the space element.
Tena ca viññāṇena kiṁ vijānāti?
What does one cognise with that consciousness?
paṭicca uppajjati sukhā vedanā.
arises conditioned by pleasant feeling.
So sukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno:
Experiencing a pleasant feeling one knows:
Sukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī ti pajānāti.
I am experiencing a pleasant feeling.
Tasseva sukhavedanīyassa phassassa nirodhā,
With the cessation of the contact experienced as pleasant,
yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedanīyaṁ,
whatever feeling arising from that, that is to be experienced as pleasant,
phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā,
the contact arising conditioned by pleasant feeling,
sā nirujjhati, sā vūpasammatī ti, pajānāti.
that ceases, that is allayed, that he knows.
paṭicca uppajjati dukkhā vedanā.
arises conditioned by painful feeling.
So dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno:
Experiencing a painful feeling one knows:
Dukkhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī ti pajānāti.
I am experiencing a painful feeling.
Tasseva dukkhavedanīyassa phassassa nirodhā,
With the cessation of the contact experienced as painful,
yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ dukkhavedanīyaṁ
whatever feeling arising from that, that is to be experienced as painful,
phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā,
the contact arising conditioned by painful feeling,
sā nirujjhati, sā vūpasammatī ti, pajānāti.
that ceases, that is allayed, that he knows.
paṭicca uppajjati adukkham-asukhā vedanā.
arises conditioned by neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
So adukkham-asukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayamāno:
Experiencing a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling one knows:
Adukkham-asukhaṁ vedanaṁ vedayāmī ti pajānāti.
I am experiencing a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.
Tasseva adukkham-asukhavedanīyassa phassassa nirodhā,
With the cessation of the contact experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant,
yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ adukkham-asukhavedanīyaṁ
whatever feeling arising from that, that is to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling,
phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā adukkham-asukhā vedanā,
the contact arising conditioned by neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling,
sā nirujjhati, sā vūpasammatī ti, pajānāti.
that ceases, that is allayed, that he knows.