English
by way of diversity and unity, by way of separability and inseparability, by way of similarity and dissimilarity, by way of internal and external distinction, by way of comprehension, by way of condition, by way of non-assimilation, and by way of condition-division— by these modes should the elements be contemplated. 347. There, by one contemplating by way of the meaning of the word: Because of being spread out, it is earth. It pervades, it is pervaded, or it causes to pervade, thus it is water. It heats, thus it is fire. It moves, thus it is wind. But generally, because of bearing its own characteristic, because of being taken as suffering, and because of being a receptacle of suffering, it is an element. Thus, by way of specific and general meaning of the word, it should be contemplated. 348. By way of aggregates: That which is the earth element, described in twenty ways, such as hair, body-hair, etc., and the water element, described in twelve ways, such as bile, phlegm, etc. There, because – Color, smell, taste, nutriment, and also the four elements; By the combination of eight things, hair is a designation; When these are separated, there is no hair, so is the designation. Therefore, hair is merely an aggregate of eight things. Likewise for body-hair, etc. And that part which originates from kamma, that, together with the life faculty and the sex-state, is also an aggregate of ten things. But by way of prominence, it is designated as the earth element and the water element. Thus, by way of aggregates, it should be contemplated. 349. By way of powder: Indeed, in this body, if the earth element, reduced to fine dust by the breaking down of ultimate particles, were to be measured by a medium measure, it would be about a doṇa. That, held together by the water element, which is half its measure, sustained by the fire element, and propped up by the wind element, does not scatter and does not disintegrate. Not scattering and not disintegrating, it takes on various forms such as the state of male and female gender, etc., and manifests states such as subtle, gross, long, short, firm, hard, etc. Here, the water element, having become juice-like and acting as a binder, established on the earth element, sustained by fire, and propped up by wind, does not flow out and does not trickle away. Not flowing out and not trickling away, it shows the state of being nourished and plump. That which digests what is eaten, drunk, etc. And here, the element of fire, whose characteristic is heat, being like a heat-giver, supported by earth, held by water, sustained by wind, ripens this body, and brings it beauty of complexion. And ripened by it, this body does not show decay. And here, the element of wind, pervading limb by limb, whose characteristic is impelling and sustaining, supported by earth, held by water, maintained by fire, sustains this body. And sustained by it, this body does not fall apart, it stands upright. Struck by another element of wind, it shows movement in the postures of walking, standing, sitting, sleeping; it contracts, it extends, it moves its hands and feet. Thus this machine of elements, like an illusory form, deceiving the foolish with its male and female forms, operates. Thus should it be considered in detail. 350. From the aspect of characteristics, etc.: What is the characteristic of the earth element? What is its function? What is its manifestation? Thus, reflecting on all four elements: The earth element has hardness as its characteristic, supporting as its function, and receiving as its manifestation. The water element has flowing as its characteristic, promoting growth as its function, and cohesion as its manifestation. The fire element has heat as its characteristic, ripening as its function, and softening as its manifestation. The wind element has sustaining as its characteristic, impelling as its function, and carrying as its manifestation. Thus should it be considered from the aspect of characteristics, etc. 351. From the aspect of origin: Those forty-two parts, such as hair, etc., which were shown in detail as belonging to the earth element, etc. Among them, these four parts: stomach contents, feces, pus, urine, are originated solely by season. These four: tears, sweat, saliva, nasal mucus, are originated by season and mind. The fire that ripens food, etc., is originated solely by kamma. In-breaths and out-breaths are originated solely by mind. All the remaining parts are originated by all four. Thus should it be considered from the aspect of origin. 352. From the aspect of diversity and unity: All elements are diverse in their own characteristics, etc. For indeed, the characteristics, functions, and manifestations of the earth element are different. . Other elements like the water element, and so on. Thus, though these form-great-elements-constituents-phenomena are diverse in terms of characteristics and so on, and in terms of arising from kamma and so on, they are one in terms of impermanence and so on, as form-great-elements-constituents-phenomena. For all constituents are forms, not having gone beyond the characteristic of being crushed. They are great elements due to reasons such as their great manifestation. "Due to their great manifestation and so on" means these constituents are called great elements due to these reasons: due to their great manifestation, due to their commonality with great beings, due to their great support, due to their great transformation, and due to their being great and having come into being. Therein, "due to their great manifestation" means these are greatly manifested in both ungrasped continuums and grasped continuums. Regarding their ungrasped continuum— Two hundred thousand, and four myriads; Such is the thickness, of this earth, it is said. – In this way, their great manifestation is already stated in the discourse on the recollection of the Buddha. Even in grasped continuums, they are greatly manifested in the bodies of fish, turtles, devas, dānavas, and so on. For it is said: "Monks, there are beings in the great ocean whose bodies are a hundred yojanas long," and so on. "Due to their commonality with great beings" means just as a magician makes water, which is not a gem, appear as a gem, and makes a clod of earth, which is not gold, appear as gold. And just as one, who is neither a yakkha nor a yakkhinī oneself, shows the state of a yakkha and the state of a yakkhinī, even so, these, though not blue themselves, show blue derivative form, and though not yellow, not red, not white themselves, show white derivative form – thus, they are great elements due to their commonality with the great beings of magicians. And just as for the great beings like yakkhas and so on, what they grasp, neither its inside nor its outside is found as a place, nor do they not exist relying on it, even so, these, not existing inside or outside each other, are found, and they do not not exist relying on each other – thus, they are great elements due to their commonality with great beings like yakkhas and so on, due to their inconceivable nature. And just as the great beings called yakkhinīs, with pleasing colors Concealing their terrifying nature with forms and gestures, they deceive beings. Just so, these too, in the bodies of women and men, etc., with pleasing skin color, with pleasing forms of their limbs and minor limbs, and with pleasing movements of hands, feet, fingers, and eyebrows, conceal their essential characteristics such as their harshness, and deceive foolish people, not allowing their true nature to be seen. Thus, because of their deceptive nature, they are called "great elements" by analogy with ogresses and great spirits. Because of great maintenance: because they must be maintained with great requisites. For these elements, because they must be supplied day by day with great food, clothing, etc., they are sustained, therefore they are "great elements." Or, because they are elements requiring great maintenance, they are "great elements." Because of great change: for these, both ungrasped and grasped, undergo great changes. There, for the ungrasped, the greatness of change becomes evident at the end of a world-cycle. For the grasped, at the time of elemental disturbance. As follows – Rising from the earth, up to Brahma-worlds it spreads; A flame in a fiery world, burning with its own power. One hundred thousand crores of world-systems dissolve; When the world, enraged, is destroyed by water. One hundred thousand crores of world-systems scatter; By the fury of the wind element, when the world is destroyed. The body becomes stiff, as if bitten by a stick-mouth; By the fury of the earth element, it becomes as if by a stick-mouth. The body becomes putrid, as if bitten by a putrid-mouth; By the fury of the water element, it becomes as if by a putrid-mouth. The body becomes inflamed, as if bitten by a fire-mouth; By the fury of the fire element, it becomes as if by a fire-mouth. The body becomes cut off, as if bitten by a knife-mouth; By the fury of the wind element, it becomes as if by a knife-mouth. Thus, because the elements undergo great changes, they are "great elements." And because of their greatness and existence: for these are great, because they must be grasped with great effort, and they exist; therefore, because of their greatness and existence, they are "great elements." Thus, all these elements, by their great manifestation, etc., are... Observe the great elements. And from bearing their own characteristics, and from being taken as suffering, and from being a basis for suffering, because they do not transcend the characteristic of elements, they are elements. And by bearing their own characteristics, and by bearing according to their own moment, they are phenomena. By the meaning of perishing, impermanent. By the meaning of fear, suffering. By the meaning of being without essence, non-self.