➥ paṭhavī , āpo, tejo, and vāyo.

• for paṭhavī:
  • earth
  • solidness
  • land
  • subcontinent
• for paṭhavīdhātu:
  • the Solidness Phenomenon
• for āpodhātu:
  • the Liquidness Phenomenon
• for tejodhātu:
  • the Warmth Phenomenon
• for vāyodhātu:
  • the Gaseousness Phenomenon

Elements: definitions

The four material phenomena are paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū (MN i 57). They are defined like this:

• The Solidness Phenomenon: whatever is hard or rough

paṭhavīdhātu: yaṁ… kakkhalaṁ kharigataṁ. (MN i 185)

• The Liquidness Phenomenon: whatever is liquid or watery

āpodhātu: yaṁ… āpo āpogataṁ. (MN i 187)

• The Warmth Phenomenon: whatever is warmth or heat

tejodhātu: yaṁ… tejo tejogataṁ. (MN i 188)

• The Gaseousness Phenomenon: whatever is gaseous or windy

vāyodhātu: yaṁ… vāyo vāyogataṁ. (MN i 188)

We render the -gata suffix according to PED’s definition, namely ‘being in a state or condition, or having come into a state or condition.’

Instruction on the Log: the nature of the elements

Venerable Sāriputta pointed to a large wooden log and said:

• ‘A bhikkhu with psychic power and mental mastery could, if he wished, focus on the solidness (paṭhavī) of that wooden log. How is that? There is the Solidness Phenomenon (paṭhavīdhātu) in that log of wood, by reason of which a bhikkhu with psychic power and mental mastery could focus on its solidness (paṭhavī).’

Ākaṅkhamāno āvuso bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ paṭhavītveva adhimucceyya. Taṁ kissa hetu? Atthi āvuso amumhi dārukkhandhe paṭhavīdhātu yaṁ nissāya bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṁ dārukkhandhaṁ paṭhavītveva adhimucceyya. (AN iii 340-1)

• the Liquidness Phenomenon in that log of wood… could focus on its liquidness (āpo).

āpodhātu… āpotveva adhimucceyya

• the Warmth Phenomenon in that log of wood… could focus on its warmth (tejo).

tejodhātu… tejotveva adhimucceyya

• the Gaseousness Phenomenon in that log of wood… could focus on its gaseousness (vāyo).

vāyodhātu… vāyotveva adhimucceyya

• the phenomenon of loveliness in that log of wood… could focus on its loveliness (subha).

subhadhātu… subhantveva adhimucceyya

• the phenomenon of unloveliness in that log of wood… could focus on its unloveliness (asubha).

asubhadhātu… asubhantveva adhimucceyyā ti. (AN iii 340-1)

Definition: Solidness Phenomenon

The four great material phenomena are defined in full as follows:

• What is the internal Solidness Phenomenon?

Katamā cāvuso ajjhattikā paṭhavīdhātu?

… Whatever is internal that is hard or rough, part of an individual, and taken personally

Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ kakkhalaṁ kharigataṁ upādinnaṁ

… namely, head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, bowels, mesentery, stomach contents, faeces, and whatever else is internal that is hard or rough, part of an individual, and taken personally, this is called the internal Solidness Phenomenon.

seyyathīdaṁ kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṁsaṁ nahāru aṭṭhi aṭṭhimiñjaṁ vakkaṁ hadayaṁ yakanaṁ kilomakaṁ pihakaṁ papphāsaṁ antaṁ antaguṇaṁ udariyaṁ karīsaṁ yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ kakkhalaṁ kharigataṁ upādinnaṁ. (MN i 185)

Definition: Liquidness Phenomenon

What is the internal Liquidness Phenomenon?

ajjhattikā āpodhātu?

Whatever is internal that is liquid or watery, part of an individual, and taken personally: bile, gastric mucus, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-grease, spittle, snot, synovial fluid, urine, and whatever else is internal that is liquid or watery, part of an individual, and taken personally, this is called the internal Liquidness Phenomenon.

Yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ āpo āpogataṁ upādinnaṁ seyyathīdaṁ pittaṁ semhaṁ pubbo lohitaṁ sedo medo assu vasā khelo siṅghāṇikā lasikā muttaṁ yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ āpo āpogataṁ upādinnaṁ ayaṁ vuccatāvuso ajjhattikā āpodhātu. (MN i 185)

Definition: Warmth Phenomenon

What is the internal Warmth Phenomenon?

Katamā ca bhikkhu ajjhattikā tejodhātu

Whatever is internal that is warm or hot, part of an individual, and taken personally

yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ tejo tejogataṁ upādinnaṁ

Namely, that by which one is heated, that by which one is hurt, that by which one is burnt, that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed and savored gets digested, and whatever else is internal that is warm or hot, part of an individual, and taken personally, this is called the internal Warmth Phenomenon.

yena ca santappati yena ca jīrīyati yena ca pariḍayhati yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṁ sammā pariṇāmaṁ gacchati yaṁ vā panaññampi kiñci ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ tejo tejogataṁ upādinnaṁ ayaṁ vuccatāvuso ajjhattikā tejodhātu. (MN iii 241)

Definition: Gaseousness Phenomenon

What is the internal Gaseousness Phenomenon

ajjhattikā vāyodhātu

Whatever is internal that is gaseous or windy, part of an individual, and taken personally

yaṁ ajjhattaṁ paccattaṁ vāyo vāyogataṁ upādinnaṁ

• up-going winds

uddhaṅgamā vātā

• down-going winds

adhogamā vātā

• wind in the stomach

kucchisayā vātā

• wind in the intestines

koṭṭhāsayā vātā

• bodily energies that course through the limbs

aṅgamaṅgānusārino vātā

• in-breathing and out-breathing

assāso passāso iti

• and whatever else is internal that is gaseous or windy, part of an individual, and taken personally, this is called the internal Gaseousness Phenomenon

ayaṁ vuccatāvuso ajjhattikā vāyodhātu. (MN i 188)

Similes: the butchered cow

The contemplation of the four great material phenomena is described like this:

• The bhikkhu contemplates this very body however placed or disposed in terms of material phenomena.

imameva kāyaṁ yathāṭhitaṁ yathāpaṇihitaṁ dhātuso paccavekkhati

… In this [wretched human] body there is the Solidness Phenomenon, the Liquidness Phenomenon, the Warmth Phenomenon, and the Gaseousness Phenomenon.

Atthi imasmiṁ kāye paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū ti

… Just as a butcher or his apprentice having killed a cow and cut it into pieces were seated with it at a crossroads, the bhikkhu contemplates this very body however placed or disposed in terms of material phenomena. (MN i 57)

The butchered cow simile suggests that one who meditates on the four great material phenomena will see just material qualities, and will realise that, in that respect, living bodies are indistinguishable from dead ones.

Kasiṇas

The four great material phenomena are subjects of kasiṇa practices, as follows:

• One individual perceives the kasiṇa of earth extending above, below, and across from himself, with no subject/object duality and without limitation

paṭhavīkasiṇameko sañjānāti uddhaṁ adho tiriyaṁ advayaṁ appamāṇaṁ. (DN iii 268)

The other kasiṇas are: water, fire, wind, blue, yellow, red, white, space, and consciousness

The kasiṇas apparently involve imagining the Elements in their concrete sense extending in all directions.

➥ paṭhaviyā: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: paṭhaviyā, earth

Suppose the seed of a nimb or creeper or bitter gourd be planted in moist earth.

allāya paṭhaviyā nikkhittaṁ

Whatever of the earth-nutriment or water-nutriment it absorbs

yañceva paṭhavirasaṁ upādiyati yañca āporasaṁ upādiyati

all that leads to its bitterness, its acridity, its displeasing taste

sabbaṁ taṁ tittakattāya kaṭukattāya asātattāya saṁvattanti. (AN v 212)

Illustration: paṭhaviyā, earth

Bhikkhus, to whatever extent I wish I dive in and out of earth as though it were water

paṭhaviyā pi ummujjanimujjaṁ karomi seyyathā pi udake. (SN ii 212)

Illustration: paṭhaviyā, earth

They throw what is clean or foul onto earth.

paṭhaviyā sucimpi nikkhipanti asucimpi nikkhipanti. (MN i 423)

Illustration: paṭhaviyā, earth

If, with a razor-rimmed wheel, one were to make the living beings of this earth into one mass of flesh, into one heap of flesh

Khurapariyantena cepi cakkena yo imissā paṭhaviyā pāṇe ekaṁ maṁsakhalaṁ ekaṁ maṁsapuñjaṁ kareyya. (MN i 516)

➥ paṭhavyā: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: paṭhavyā, earth

The oldest bhikkhu on earth

paṭhavyā saṅghatthero. (Vin.2.303)

➥ paṭhaviṁ: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: paṭhaviṁ, solidness

A bhikkhu who is a disciple in training (sekho)

… fully understands solidness to be solidness

sopi paṭhaviṁ paṭhavito abhijānāti

… Fully understanding solidness to be solidness

paṭhaviṁ paṭhavito abhiññāya

… may he not think of solidness in personal terms

paṭhaviṁ mā maññi

… may he not think ‘I am part of solidness’

paṭhaviyā mā maññi

… may he not think ‘I am separate from solidness’

paṭhavito mā maññi

… may he not think that solidness is “[in reality] mine”

paṭhaviṁ me ti mā maññi

… may he not take delight in solidness

paṭhaviṁ mābhinandi

… For what reason? So that he may profoundly understand it, I declare

Pariññeyyaṁ tassā ti vadāmi. (MN i 4)

➥ paṭhaviyā: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: paṭhaviyā, Earth; paṭhavattena, solidness

The mind with no attribute, boundless, altogether free of defilement: that is not reached by the solidness of earth, the liquidness of water, the warmth of fire, the gaseousness of wind… the totality of everything

Viññāṇaṁ anidassanaṁ anantaṁ sabbato pabhaṁ taṁ paṭhaviyā paṭhavattena ananubhūtaṁ āpassa āpattena ananubhūtaṁ tejassa tejattena ananubhūtaṁ vāyassa vāyattena ananubhūtaṁ… sabbassa sabbattena ananubhūtaṁ. (MN i 329)

Illustration: paṭhavi, earth

Then who, pray, on this wide earth knows about heads and headsplitting?

Atha ko carahi jānāti asmiṁ paṭhavimaṇḍale
Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca. (Snp 990)

Illustration: paṭhavi, land

Having conquered a great area of land.

mahantaṁ paṭhavimaṇḍalaṁ abhivijiya. (SN i 100)

Illustration: paṭhavi, land

For the khattiya, land is his relentless attachment

paṭhavibhinivesā. (AN iii 363)

➥ paṭhaviṁ: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: paṭhaviṁ, subcontinent

He abides having conquered this sea-girt subcontinent

so imaṁ paṭhaviṁ sāgarapariyantaṁ… abhivijīya ajjhāvasati. (DN iii 142)

➥ āpaṁ: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: āpaṁ, liquidness

A bhikkhu who is a disciple in training (sekho)

fully understands liquidness to be liquidness

āpaṁ āpato abhijānāti

Fully understanding liquidness to be liquidness

āpaṁ āpato abhiññāya

may he not think of liquidness in personal terms

āpaṁ mā maññi

may he not think ‘I am part of liquidness’

āpasmiṁ mā maññi

may he not think ‘I am separate from liquidness’

āpato mā maññi

may he not think that liquidness is “[in reality] mine”

āpaṁ me ti mā maññi

may he not take delight in liquidness

āpaṁ mābhinandi

For what reason? So that he may profoundly understand it, I declare

Pariññeyyaṁ tassā ti vadāmi. (MN i 4)

➥ apo: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: apo, liquidness

Now there comes a time, friends, when the external Liquidness Phenomenon is agitated

bāhirā āpodhātu pakuppati

It washes away village, town, city, district, and country.

Sā gāmampi vahati nigamampi vahati nagarampi vahati janapadampi vahati janapadapadesampi vahati. (MN i 187)

Illustration: apo, liquidness

There comes a time when the water in the great ocean is not even the depth of the first joint of a finger. So when even in the external Liquidness Phenomenon with all its vastness, unlastingness is discernable, destruction is discernable, disappearance is discernable, changeableness is discernable, then what to say of this short-lasting body evolved from craving? .

Hoti kho so āvuso samayo yaṁ mahāsamudde aṅgulipabbatemanamattampi udakaṁ na hoti. Tassā hi nāma āvuso bāhirāya āpodhātuyā tāva mahallikāya aniccatā paññāyissati khayadhammatā paññāyissati vayadhammatā paññāyissati vipariṇāmadhammatā paññāyissati. Kiṁ panimassa mattaṭṭhakassa kāyassa taṇhūpādinnassa. (MN i 185-9)

➥ āpo: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: āpo, water

People wash what is clean or foul in water―faeces, urine, spit, pus, and blood―and the water is not revolted, appalled, or disgusted by it.

āpasmiṁ sucimpi dhovanti asucimpi dhovanti gūthagatampi dhovanti muttagatampi dhovanti kheḷagatampi dhovanti pubbagatampi dhovanti lohitagatampi dhovanti na ca tena āpo aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā. (MN i 423)

➥ tejaṁ: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: tejaṁ, warmth

A bhikkhu who is a disciple in training (sekho)

knows warmth as warmth

tejaṁ tejato abhijānāti

Knowing warmth as warmth

tejaṁ tejato abhiññāya

may he not think of warmth in personal terms

tejaṁ mā maññi

may he not think ‘I am part of warmth’

tejasmiṁ mā maññi

may he not think ‘I am separate from warmth’

tejato mā maññi

may he not think that warmth is “[in reality] mine”

tejaṁ me ti mā maññi

may he not take delight in warmth

tejaṁ mābhinandi

For what reason? So that he may profoundly understand it, I declare

Pariññeyyaṁ tassā ti vadāmi. (MN i 4)

➥ tejo: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: tejo, fire

Fire burns what is clean or foul―faeces, urine, spit, pus, and blood―and the fire is not revolted, appalled, or disgusted by it.

tejo sucimpi ḍahati asucimpi ḍahati gūthagatampi ḍahati muttagatampi ḍahati kheḷagatampi ḍahati pubbagatampi ḍahati lohitagatampi ḍahati na ca tena tejo aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā. (MN i 424)

➥ vāyaṁ: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: vāyaṁ, gaseousness

A bhikkhu who is a disciple in training (sekho)

fully understands gaseousness to be gaseousness

vāyaṁ vāyato abhijānāti

Fully understanding gaseousness to be gaseousness

vāyaṁ vāyato abhiññāya

may he not think of gaseousness in personal terms

vāyaṁ mā maññi

may he not think ‘I am part of gaseousness’

vāyasmiṁ mā maññi

may he not think ‘I am separate from gaseousness’

vāyato mā maññi

may he not think that gaseousness is “[in reality] mine”

vāyaṁ me ti mā maññi

may he not take delight in gaseousness

vāyaṁ mābhinandi

For what reason? So that he may profoundly understand it, I declare

Pariññeyyaṁ tassā ti vadāmi. (MN i 4)

➥ vāyo: (main article see: paṭhavī)

Illustration: vāyo, wind

Wind blows on what is clean or foul―faeces, urine, spit, pus, and blood―and the wind is not revolted, appalled, or disgusted by it.

vāyo sucimpi upavāyati asucimpi upavāyati gūthagatampi upavāyati muttagatampi upavāyati kheḷagatampi upavāyati pubbagatampi upavāyati lohitagatampi upavāyati na ca tena vāyo aṭṭīyati vā harāyati vā jigucchati vā. (MN i 424)

Illustration: vāyo, Gaseousness

Now there comes a time, friends, when the external Gaseousness Phenomenon is agitated

bāhirā vāyodhātu pakuppati

It blows away village, town, city, district, and country.

sā gāmampi vahati nigamampi vahati nagarampi vahati janapadampi vahati janapadapadesampi vahati. (MN i 188)