English
so too, the one hundred and eighty joints don't know, "Synovial fluid has lubricated us," nor does the synovial fluid know, "I have lubricated the one hundred and eighty joints." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, synovial fluid, in this body, is a separate part, unconscious, undeclared, empty, without essence, of a juicy nature, a binding form, the water element. Urine is situated inside the bladder. Just as in an earthenware pot placed upside down in a pavilion, the earthenware pot doesn't know, "Brine is in me," nor does the brine know, "I am in the earthenware pot," so too, the bladder doesn't know, "Urine is in me," nor does the urine know, "I am in the bladder." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, urine, in this body, is a separate part, unconscious, undeclared, empty, without essence, of a juicy nature, a binding form, the water element. "Or whatever else" is said in reference to the water element in the remaining three parts. In the explanation of the external water element, the sap that arises dependent on the root is root sap. name. The same method applies to the residue of sugar cane. Milk and the like are obvious. However, there is no rule here as in the training rule about medicine. Whatever milk it may be, it is simply milk. The same method applies to the rest. "Bhummāni" means water standing in pits and the like. "Antalikkhāni" means rainwater that has not reached the earth. "Yaṃ vā pana" means water that destroys ice, water that supports the earth, and so on, which have entered the place for drinking here. 175. In the analysis of the fire element, fire is tejo in terms of heat. Because it has become the state of fire, it is tejogataṃ. "Usmā" means the quality of heat. Because it has become the state of heat, it is usmāgataṃ. "Usumanti" means intense heat. Because that itself has become the state of heat, it is usumagataṃ. "Yena ca" means by which heat element, when provoked. "Santappati" means this body is heated, becomes hot due to diseases like fever, etc. "Yena ca jīrīyati" means by which this body decays, attains weakness of the senses, loss of strength, wrinkles, gray hair, etc. "Yena ca pariḍayhatīti" means by which, when provoked, this body burns, and that person, crying 'I am burning, I am burning,' anticipates constant bathing, application of sandalwood paste, and fan-waving. "Yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ sammā pariṇāmaṃ gacchatīti" means by which this eaten food, such as rice, or drunk beverage, or chewed food, such as cakes, or tasted food, such as ripe mangoes, honey, or molasses, properly undergoes transformation, goes to distinctness in the form of taste, etc., is the meaning. Here, the first three fire elements are of four origins, the last is only of karmic origin. This is the word-by-word explanation here. Now, this is the method of reflection: here, a bhikkhu reflects, 'By which it is heated, this particular part in this body, non-conscious, unmanifest, empty, without essence, the function of digestion, is the fire element'; 'By which it decays, by which it burns, by which eaten, drunk, chewed, tasted food properly undergoes transformation, this particular part in this body, non-conscious, unmanifest, empty, without essence, is the fire element.' He considers in his mind, "The element of heat is the agent of digestion." Or whatever natural heat exists in this body, that is included in the element of heat. In the explanation of external heat element, fire caused by wood, with wood as its fuel, is called wood-fire. The same method applies to splinter-fire and so on. Refuse-fire is the fire kindled by gathering rubbish. Lightning-fire is the fire of lightning. Heat-burning is the burning of flames or embers. Sun-burning is the heat of the sun. Heap-of-wood-burning is the burning at the place of a heap of wood. The same method applies to the rest. Or whatever fire, such as the fire of ghosts, the fire of cosmic destruction, the fire of hell, etc., is included in the element of heat. 176. In the explanation of the element of air, air is so called because of its blowing. Because air has attained the state of air, it is air-gone. The state of being supported of form means the state of being supported of inseparable form. Upward-going winds are the upward-moving winds that cause belching and hiccuping. Downward-going winds are the downward-moving winds that cause excretion of feces and urine. Belly-dwelling winds are the external winds of the intestines. Intestine-dwelling winds are the internal winds of the intestines. Winds that follow limb to limb are the winds that, following the network of arteries throughout the entire body, cause contraction and extension. Knife-winds are the winds that act like a knife cutting the joints. Razor-winds are the winds that split the heart as with a razor. Uprooting-winds are the winds that uproot the very flesh of the heart. In-breath is the nasal passage of air entering within. Out-breath is the nasal passage of air exiting without. Here, all the former are of four origins, but in-breath and out-breath are only of mind origin. This is the word explanation here. Now, this is the method of contemplation: here, a bhikkhu, having distinguished the winds into upward-going and so on, and having grasped them as upward-going and so on, considers in his mind, "The upward-going winds in this body are a distinct part, non-conscious, undeclared, empty, without essence, of the nature of supporting, the element of air." The same method applies to the rest. Or whatever These winds, driven by air currents, enter the place of drinking. In the description of the external air element, "eastern winds" are winds coming from the eastern direction. The same method applies to the west, north, and south. "Dusty winds" are winds with dust, "dustless winds" are winds without dust, pure and called dustless. "Cold" refers to winds arising from the cold season, originating in the cold cloud region. "Hot" refers to winds arising from the hot season, originating in the hot cloud region. "Slight" means gentle, thin winds. "Excessive" means strong winds. "Black" refers to winds originating in the black cloud region, which darken the skin like a bruise. Some say this is a designation for them. "Verambha winds" are winds blowing above a league. "Wing winds" are winds caused by the movement of wings, even of a fly. "Supanna winds" are Garuda winds. Although these are also wing winds, they are separately mentioned due to their intensity. "Fan winds" are winds created by palm leaves or anything else in a circular shape. "Winnowing winds" are winds created by a winnowing fan. These fan and winnowing winds create wind even when there is none, and redirect wind when it exists. "Or whatever else" means that, except for what is mentioned in the text, the remaining winds enter the place of drinking. 177. In the description of the space element, "space" does not cling, in the sense of non-resistance. "Space-gone" means having attained the state of space, being in space. "Non-obstructing" means without obstruction. "Non-obstruction-gone" means having attained the state of non-obstruction. "Opening" means interval. "Opening-gone" means having attained the state of opening. "Unconnected with flesh and blood" means separate from flesh and blood. The examples beginning with "ear-hole" show its divisions. Here, "ear-hole" means the hole in the ear, an opening, a space unconnected with flesh and blood. The same method applies to the rest. "By which" means by which opening one ingests, brings inside, what is to be ingested, such as food. "Where" means in which space, known as the inner abdominal lining, one ingests these four kinds of ingestibles. It stands. Whereby, by which opening, all this digested, having reached a state of impurity, exits, that opening, from the lining of the stomach to the end of the excrement, a span and four fingers' breadth, unconnected with flesh and blood, detached, should be understood as the element of space. Or whatever else, here, the inner skin, the inner flesh, the inner sinews, the inner bones, the inner hairs, all this is entered into the place of elimination. In the definition of the external space element, "unconnected with the four great elements" means detached from the four great elements, like a hole in a wall, a hole in a door, and so on, should be understood. By this, that space in which, while practicing, the fourth and fifth jhānas arise is spoken of. 178. In the definition of the consciousness element, the element reckoned as eye-consciousness is the eye-consciousness element. The same method applies to the rest. Thus, when these six elements are grasped, the eighteen elements are already grasped. How? By grasping the earth, fire, and air elements, the tangible element is already grasped; by grasping the water and space elements, the dhamma element; by grasping the consciousness element, the mind element is already grasped, because it precedes and follows it. The eye-consciousness element and the others are already mentioned in the sutta. The remaining nine should be brought and shown. For by grasping the eye-consciousness element, both the eye element, which is its basis, and the form element, which is its object, are already grasped. Thus, by grasping the ear-consciousness element and the others, the ear element and the others, all eighteen are already grasped. Among them, the grasping of form is spoken of by ten elements. The grasping of the formless is by seven. By the dhamma element, there may be a grasping of form, there may be a grasping of the formless. Thus, the grasping of form is by eleven and a half elements, the grasping of the formless is by seven and a half elements, thus the grasping of form and formless is spoken of. Form and formless are the five aggregates. That is the truth of suffering.