English
For the other, reflecting thus, darkness... is not manifest. To one who attends to it in detail, through hair and so on, it becomes clear. Therefore, one who wishes to develop this meditation subject, being sharp in wisdom, should first, having retired to a secluded place, reflect upon his entire physical body. Whatever in this body is stiffness or hardness, this is the earth element. Whatever is binding or fluidity, this is the water element. Whatever is ripening or heat, this is the fire element. Whatever is distension or movement, this is the air element. Thus, having briefly comprehended the elements, again and again, "earth element, water element," he should attend, mindfully consider, and review them as mere elements, without a being, without a soul. As he thus strives, before long, a proximate concentration arises, grasped by wisdom that illuminates the distinctions of the elements, and whose object is the intrinsic nature of phenomena, though it has not yet reached absorption. Or else, those four parts which were spoken of by the Dhamma General to show the soulless nature of the four great elements: "Dependent on bone, dependent on sinew, dependent on flesh, dependent on skin, space is encompassed; it is reckoned as mere form." Among these, by the hand of knowledge, penetrating and separating each one in turn, whatever in these is stiffness or hardness, "this is the earth element," he should comprehend the elements in the same way as before. Again and again, "earth element, water element," he should attend, mindfully consider, and review them as mere elements, without a being, without a soul. As he thus strives, before long, a proximate concentration arises, grasped by wisdom that illuminates the distinctions of the elements, and whose object is the intrinsic nature of phenomena, though it has not yet reached absorption. This is the method of development for the analysis of the four elements when approached briefly. 309. When approached in detail, it should be understood thus: Indeed, a yogi who is not extremely sharp in wisdom, wishing to develop this meditation subject, should learn the detailed method of the forty-two aspects from a teacher. Having taken up these elements, dwelling in a monastery as described, having done all that needs to be done, gone into solitude, withdrawn, the meditation subject should be developed in four ways: briefly as to its constituents, in detail as to its constituents, briefly as to its characteristics, in detail as to its characteristics. How does one develop it briefly as to its constituents? Here, a bhikkhu determines the earth element as the solid aspect among the twenty parts. He determines the water element as the binding aspect, called juice, among the twelve parts. He determines the fire element as the ripening heat among the four parts. He determines the air element as the distending aspect among the six parts. As he thus determines, the elements become manifest to him. As he repeatedly reflects upon them and attends to them in the manner described, access concentration arises. 310. But if, for one who thus develops the meditation subject, it does not succeed, then it should be developed in detail as to its constituents. How? Then that bhikkhu should do all that was said in the exposition of the meditation subject of mindfulness of the body, namely, the skill in apprehension in seven ways and the skill in attention in ten ways. He should not omit anything of the thirty-two parts, starting with the verbal recitation of the hair, skin, and so on, in forward and reverse order, and all the procedures described therein. This is the only difference: there, after attending to the hair, etc., by way of color, shape, direction, space, and delimitation, the mind should be established in repulsiveness; here, by way of elements. Therefore, after attending to the hair, etc., in five ways each, by way of color, etc., at the end, attention should be directed thus: 311. These hairs are born on the skin that covers the skull. Just as on the top of an anthill, when thorny grasses grow, the top of the anthill does not know, "Thorny grasses have grown on me," nor do the thorny grasses know, "We have grown on the top of an anthill," even so, the skin covering the skull does not know, "Hairs have grown on me," nor do the hairs know, "We are the skull..." born on the skin itself. These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, hair in this body is a distinct part, unconscious, indeterminate, empty, soulless, rigid, the earth element. 312.Body hairs are born on the skin that wraps the body. Just as in a deserted village, when dabba grass grows, the deserted village does not know "dabba grass has grown on me," nor does the dabba grass know "we have grown in the deserted village," even so, the body-wrapping skin does not know "body hairs have grown on me," nor do the body hairs know "we have grown on the body-wrapping skin." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, body hairs in this body are a distinct part, unconscious, indeterminate, empty, soulless, rigid, the earth element. 313.Nails are born on the tips of the fingers. Just as when boys play, piercing honey-sticks with sticks, the sticks do not know "honey-sticks are placed on us," nor do the honey-sticks know "we are placed on the sticks," even so, the fingers do not know "nails have grown on our tips," nor do the nails know "we have grown on the tips of the fingers." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, nails in this body are a distinct part, unconscious, indeterminate, empty, soulless, rigid, the earth element. 314.Teeth are born in the jawbones. Just as when carpenters place pillars, bound by some adhesive substance, in stone mortars, the mortars do not know "pillars stand in us," nor do the pillars know "we stand in the mortars," even so, the jawbones do not know "teeth have grown in us," nor do the teeth know "we have grown in the jawbones." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, teeth in this body are a distinct part, unconscious, indeterminate, empty, soulless, rigid, the earth element. 315.Skin, the whole body The body is enveloped by skin. Just as a great lute enveloped by wet leather, the great lute does not know, "I am enveloped by wet leather." Nor does the wet leather know, "The great lute is enveloped by me." Even so, the body does not know, "I am enveloped by skin." Nor does the skin know, "The body is enveloped by me." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, skin in this body is a separate part, unconscious, undeclared, empty, without essence, rigid, the earth element. 316. Flesh remains plastered to the bone framework. Just as a wall plastered with great clay, the wall does not know, "I am plastered with great clay." Nor does the great clay know, "The wall is plastered by me." Even so, the bone framework does not know, "I am plastered with flesh of a hundred new pieces." Nor does the flesh know, "The bone framework is plastered by me." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, flesh in this body is a separate part, unconscious, undeclared, empty, without essence, rigid, the earth element. 317. Sinews remain binding the bones within the body. Just as wooden beams bound with creepers, the wooden beams do not know, "We are bound by creepers." Nor do the creepers know, "The wooden beams are bound by us." Even so, the bones do not know, "We are bound by sinews." Nor do the sinews know, "The bones are bound by us." These phenomena are devoid of mutual awareness and reflection. Thus, sinews in this body are a separate part, unconscious, undeclared, empty, without essence, rigid, the earth element. 318. Among the bones, the heel bone supports the ankle bone. The ankle bone supports the shin bone. The shin bone supports the thigh bone. The thigh bone supports the hip bone. The hip bone supports the spine, the spine supports the neck bone. It stands supporting. The neck bone stands supporting the head bone. The head bone is established on the neck bone. The neck bone is established on the spine. The spine is established on the hip bone. The hip bone is established on the thigh bone. The thigh bone is established on the shin bone. The shin bone is established on the ankle bone. The ankle bone is established on the heel bone. Just as in piles of bricks, wood, cow dung, and so forth, the lower ones do not know, "We stand supporting the upper ones." Nor do the upper ones know, "We are established on the lower ones." Even so, the heel bone does not know, "I stand supporting the ankle bone." The ankle bone does not know, "I stand supporting the shin bone." The shin bone does not know, "I stand supporting the thigh bone." The thigh bone does not know, "I stand supporting the hip bone." The spine does not know, "I stand supporting the neck bone." The neck bone does not know, "I stand supporting the head bone." The head bone does not know, "I am established on the neck bone." The neck bone does not know, "I am established on the spine." The spine does not know, "I am established on the hip bone." The hip bone does not know, "I am established on the thigh bone." The thigh bone does not know, "I am established on the shin bone." The shin bone does not know, "I am established on the ankle bone." The ankle bone does not know, "I am established on the heel bone." These phenomena are devoid of mutual intention or reflection. Thus, bone in this body is a distinct part, unconscious, indeterminate, empty, without a living essence, rigid, an earth element. 319. Bone marrow is situated within those bones. Just as, within bamboo joints and the like, where cut bamboo tips and so forth are placed, the bamboo joints and the like do not know, "Bamboo tips are in us..." are placed within. Just as bamboo shoots, etc., do not know, "We are standing