Hridaya

Stress comes from the three forms of craving, so we should kill off craving for sensuality, craving for becoming, and craving for no becoming. These things are fabricated in our own heart, and we have to know them with our own mindfulness and discernment.

Once we’ve contemplated them until we see, we’ll know: ‘This sort of mental state is craving for sensuality; this sort is craving for becoming; and this sort, craving for no becoming.’

People with discernment will see that these things exist in the heart in subtle, intermediate, and blatant stages, just as a person has three stages in a lifetime: youth, middle age, and old age.

‘Youth’ is craving for sensuality. Once this thirst arises in the heart, it wavers and moves—this is craving for becoming—and then takes shape as craving for no further becoming—a sambhavesin with its neck stretched out looking for its object, causing itself stress and pain.

In other words, we take a liking to various sights, sounds, smells, flavors, etc., and so fix on them, which brings us stress. So we shouldn’t preoccupy ourselves with sights, sounds, etc., that provoke greed, anger, or delusion (craving for sensuality), causing the mind to waver and whisk out with concepts (this is craving for becoming; when the mind sticks with its wavering, won’t stop repeating its motions, that’s craving for no further becoming).

When we gain discernment, we should destroy these forms of craving with anulomika-ñāṇa, knowledge in accordance with the four noble truths, knowing exactly how much ease and pleasure the mind has when cravings for sensuality, becoming, and no becoming all disappear. This is called knowing the reality of disbanding.

As for the cause of stress and the path to the disbanding of stress, we’ll know them as well.

Ignorant people will go ride in the shadow of a car—and they’ll end up with their heads bashed in. People who don’t realize what the shadows of virtue are, will end up riding only the shadows.

Words and deeds are the shadows of virtue. Actual virtue is in the heart. The heart at normalcy is the substance of virtue.

The substance of concentration is the mind firmly centered in a single preoccupation without any interference from concepts or mental labels.

The bodily side to concentration—when our mouth, eyes, ears, nose, and tongue are quiet—is just the shadow, as when the body sits still, its mouth closed and not speaking with anyone, its nose not interested in any smells, its eyes closed and not interested in any objects, etc. If the mind is firmly centered to the level of fixed pe*******on, then whether we sit, stand, walk, or lie down, the mind doesn’t waver.

Once the mind is trained to the level of fixed pe*******on, discernment will arise without our having to search for it, just like an imperial sword: When it’s drawn for use, it’s sharp and flashing. When it’s no longer needed, it goes back in the scabbard. This is why we are taught,

mano-pubbaṅgamā dhammā mano-seṭṭhā mano-mayā:

The mind is the most extraordinary thing there is.

The mind is the source of the Dhamma.

This is what it means to know stress, its cause, its disbanding, and the path to its disbanding. This is the substance of virtue, concentration, and discernment. Whoever can do this will reach release: nibbāna. Whoever can give rise to the Dhamma of study and practice within themselves will meet with the Dhamma of attainment without a doubt.

This is why it’s said to be sandiṭṭhiko, visible in the present; akāliko, bearing fruit no matter what the time or season. Keep working at it always.

~~~~~~~

From Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo. Translated by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.

III. Inner Release | Inner Strength & Parting Gifts | ebook on dhammatalks.org Inner Strength & Parting Gifts: Talks by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

Vipassana Meditation, Mindfulness of the four material elements
The four primary elements (catudhatu)

The four primary elements (catudhatu) can be described as the natural or basic qualities of physical matter or form (rupa). In the Buddhist scriptures, they are also known as the four great elements (cattaro mahabhuta) and as the four base elements. Physical matter, whether they exist within living beings as the constituents of the physical body or in the outside world as inanimate objects, all of them with no exception are constituted by these four primary elements in varying degrees of strength.

Earth element (pathavi dhatu)

Water element (apo dhatu)

Fire element (tejo dhatu)

Air element (vayo dhatu)

The primary elements should not be considered as matter but, as primary qualities of matter as follows;

Earth element as solidity

Water element as fluidity

Fire element as heat

Air element as motion

In Buddhist teaching, form or matter (rupa) is described as such because it is liable to be deformed, disturbed or broken (ruppati) by elements such as cold, heat, hunger, thirst, flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun and snakes etc. The four primary elements are interdependent on each other and none of them is able to exist on their own without the presence of the other three elements. For example, when the earth element is present in a certain matter, the other three elements of water, fire and air are also present. They are present in equal quantities in all material phenomena, the prominence of one particular element being due to its greater intensity compared to the other three elements rather than its quantity. If the quality of solidity is predominant it is referred to as earth element, while if the quality of fluidity is predominant it is referred to as water element and so on.

According to Abhidhamma (Buddha’s Higher Teaching), there are twenty four derivatives of the above four primary elements which are described as secondary physical phenomena including the five sense organs of the body. They are called secondary elements as they arise based upon the four base elements. They are: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, visible objects, sound, smell, taste, femininity, masculinity, heart-base, life faculty, bodily intimation, verbal intimation, space, bodily lightness, malleability, wieldiness, integration, continuity, decay, impermanence and nutriment.

Earth element (pathavi dhatu)

The earth element does not represent the earth in it’s solid form but, it’s quality of solidity. It represents the quality of solidity, resistance and the form of any particular material object. Any matter with solidity will ultimately transform into soil and hence they are called Pathavi dhatu. The earth element also possess the quality of extension and it is due to the presence of the earth element that the matter can occupy any space. The main characteristics of the earth element are hardness and softness which are relative terms in describing the earth element. When a particular object is described as hard compared to an object with lesser solidity, the same object may be described as soft when compared to another object with more solidity. There are in fact six characteristics of the earth element including hardness and softness. The other four qualities are: roughness, smoothness, heaviness and lightness. The earth element is present in all matter including water, heat and air but, with lesser intensity compared to the other three elements. Soil, stones and rocks are obvious external material substances in which the earth element is prominent in it’s intensity.

Water element (apo dhatu)

The water element does not refer to water as such, but to the qualities of the water element which can be described as fluidity and cohesion. Solubility and viscosity may also be described as qualities of the water element. Through the quality of cohesion, the water element binds particles together. For example, particles such as sand, soil or flour which appear to exist separately, will stick together when a liquid is added to them. Similarly, in all material substances, the internal particles are bound and kept together by the cohesive quality of the water element. The water element is the predominant element in liquids such as water but, it is present in all matter including earth, heat and air in lesser intensities. While the other three elements can be felt physically, the qualities of the water element are intangible and cannot be felt or sensed physically.

Fire element (tejo dhatu)

The fire quality does not imply fire, but the quality of heat or energy of the material substances. Heat and cold are the two specific characteristics of the fire element. Though the fire element appears to be the most prominent quality of fire, fire consists of all the four primary elements and likewise, the element of fire is present in earth, water and air matter as well to a lesser intensity compared to the other three elements.

Air element (vayo dhatu)

Air element has the qualities of expansion, vibration, motion, pushing and supporting. Though it is the predominant quality of the matter such as air, the other three elements are also present in lesser intensities. Similarly, the air element is present in a lesser intensity in all the matter such as earth, water and fire. During the process of breathing in and out and other movements such as bending and stretching limbs, standing, sitting or moving about, the air element is the predominant element in action.

Five and six primary elements

It should be noted that in certain discourses, the Buddha has described five primary elements as well as six elements. For example, in the Maha Rahulovada sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, while giving meditation instructions to his former son, Venerable Rahula, to contemplate on the primary elements, the Buddha described five primary elements adding the element of space (akasa dhatu) to the four primary elements.

“There are these five elements, Rahula. Which five? The earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element, and the space element”

Similarly, in the Dhatu-Vibhanga sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, while giving a sermon to an ascetic named Pukkusati, the Buddha described six elements adding consciousness (vinnana dhatu) to the above five elements.

“These are the six elements. The earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element, the space element, the consciousness element”

In the Dhatu sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has stated the impermanent and changing nature of the six primary elements.

“Monks, the earth element is inconstant, changeable and alterable. The water element is inconstant, changeable and alterable. The fire element is inconstant, changeable and alterable. The air element is inconstant, changeable and alterable. The space element is inconstant, changeable and alterable. The consciousness element is inconstant, changeable and alterable”

In the Anathapindikovada sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, while giving a sermon to Anathapindika, the chief benefactor of the Buddha, on his death bed, Arahant Sariputta has instructed him to train himself not to cling to the six primary elements.

“Then, here, householder, you should train yourself thus, I will not cling to the earth element, and my consciousness will not be dependent on the earth element”. Similar instructions were given in relation to water element, fire element, air element, space element and consciousness element.

In the Maha Satipatthana sutta, in which the Buddha described the reflection on primary elements as a means to establish mindfulness of the body, the four primary elements of earth (pathavi), water (apo), fire (tejo) and air (vayo) were mentioned, which will now be explored in relation to the human body.

Earth element (pathavi dhatu) in the human body

The Buddha has described the following twenty body parts representing the earth element in the body, from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin as anything that is hard and solid that is;

Head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach, faeces and the brain.

Water element (apo dhatu) in the human body

The internal water element in the body has been described as anything water and watery. There are twelve such body parts: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, oil, saliva, mucus, oil of the joints and urine.

Fire element (tejo dhatu) in the human body

The internal fire element in the body has been described as anything that is fire and fiery. Four types of fire element have been described within the human body.

1.Fire element that keeps the body warm
2.Fire element which causes ageing of the body
3.Fire element that causes fever
4.Fire element that digests what is eaten and drunk
5.Air element (vayo dhatu) in the human body

The internal wind element in the body has been described as anything that is wind and windy.

1.Winds moving upwards
2.Winds moving downwards
3.Winds outside the bowels
4.Winds inside the bowels
5.Winds that course through the limbs
In-and-out breathing

Reflection on the four primary elements (dhatumanasikara)

In the Maha Satipatthana sutta, while giving instructions to contemplate the body in the body (kayanupassana), the Buddha described reflection on the four primary elements as the fifth of the six meditation techniques to be practised in relation to the body. The Buddha’s instruction is that in whatever posture the body is placed, standing, sitting, lying down or walking, the meditator reflects that there are only the earth element (pathavi dhatu), water element (apo dhatu), fire element (tejo dhatu) and air element (vayo dhatu) in the body.

The Buddha presented a simile to describe how the meditator should reflect on the four primary elements in the body. A skilled butcher or his assistant, having slaughtered a cow and cut it’s carcass into different portions such as flesh, bones, intestines, liver etc. sits at the junction of four roads to sell the meat. The butcher may have had the perception of a cow while he was feeding it beforehand, while taking it to the slaughter house, while killing it in the slaughter house and while looking at the dead carcass of the cow. However, after cutting the carcass into different portions, the butcher now has no perception of the cow, but the perception of meat in different forms and portions. For the butcher, he is not selling a cow, but just meat, and similarly his customers are not buying a cow, but just the meat in different forms and portions.

In this simile, the butcher represents the meditator while the perception of the cow is similar to the perception of a permanent self in the meditator’s body. The junction of the four roads represent the four postures of standing, sitting, lying down and walking. The cutting up of the carcass and sitting with the portions of meat represent the meditator separating the body into the primary elements and contemplating on them.

As reflection on the primary elements is a strong technique of meditation, it is advisable at least in the beginning to have an experienced meditator or a teacher as a mentor to provide guidance and support. It can be practised either individually or in a group. As with any other technique of Buddhist meditation, it is important to develop a strong base of moral discipline which will help to avoid any remorse or appearance of mental hindrances during meditation. For a lay meditator, the minimum moral discipline to be observed has been described as the five precepts (panchasila).

1.Abstinence from killing any living being
2.Abstinence from stealing
3.Abstinence from sexual misconduct
4.Abstinence from false speech
5.Abstinence from alcohol and intoxicating drugs
The meditator needs to find a good environment that is conducive to practising meditation. Though reflecting on primary elements can be practised in any of the four postures; sitting, standing, walking or lying down, one should preferably sit on the floor in a comfortable position with the back kept straight and upright and shoulders relaxed. If sitting on the floor is too uncomfortable, a cushion can be helpful or else one could sit on a stool or a chair. Once seated, one should bring the mind to the present moment by taking a few deep breaths to relax and develop an awareness of the body in the current sitting posture.

It is advisable to reflect on the four primary elements in the order as advised by the Buddha that is, earth element first followed by water element, fire element and air element in that order. The reflection should be done at an even pace, not too fast or not too slow. The meditator should take care not to let the mind wander off to any object other than the four primary elements. Bringing up each component of the body representing the four primary elements to attention one by one, the meditator should reflect and identify the basic characteristic of each element such as hardness, fluidity, heat and expansion rather than the body component itself. When reflection on the four primary elements is successfully accomplished, the meditator will realise that the earth element, water element, fire element and air element within one’s physical body are the same as those outside the body and that they come from outside and will eventually return back to the outside.

In the Maha Hatthipadopama sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, while describing the aggregate of form (rupakkhanda) of the five aggregates of clinging (panchaupadankkhanda), Arahant Sariputta has stated that form consists of the four primary elements of earth, water, fire, air and their derivatives. The instructions to reflect on the four primary elements given by Arahant Sariputta are very similar to the instructions given by the Buddha in the Maha Rahulovada sutta discussed below.

Reflection on five primary elements

In the Maha Rahulovada sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha has instructed Venerable Rahula, to reflect on five primary elements including the space element (akasa dhatu), comparing them with the primary elements that exist outside of one’s body. The space element within the body can be located in the holes of the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the passage in which the consumed food and drink pass through and where they are held, and space through which they are excreted from below, or any other space within the body.

“The internal earth element and the external earth element are simply the earth element. That reality should be seen with wisdom and consider “This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself” When one sees it as it really is with right wisdom, one is disenchanted with the earth element and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the earth element”

“The internal water element and the external water element are simply the water element. That reality should be seen with wisdom and consider “This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself” When one sees it as it really is with right wisdom, one is disenchanted with the water element and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the water element”

“The internal fire element and the external fire element are simply the fire element. That reality should be seen with wisdom and consider “This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself” When one sees it as it really is with right wisdom, one is disenchanted with the fire element and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the fire element”

“The internal air element and the external air element are simply the air element. That reality should be seen with wisdom and consider “This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself” When one sees it as it really is with right wisdom, one is disenchanted with the air element and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the air element”

“The internal space element and the external space element are simply the space element. That reality should be seen with wisdom and consider “This is not mine, this is not me, this is not myself” When one sees it as it really is with right wisdom, one is disenchanted with the space element and the mind becomes dispassionate towards the space element”

Reflection on six primary elements

In the Dhatu Vibhanga sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, while giving a sermon to ascetic Pukkusati, the Buddha advised him to reflect on six primary elements consisting of the above five elements with the consciousness element (vinnana dhatu) added as the sixth element. The practical advice on reflecting on the first five primary elements are identical to the instructions given in the Maha Rahulovada sutta.

With regard to the element of consciousness, the Buddha explains that with purified and cleansed consciousness, one is aware when it is a pleasant sensation, an unpleasant sensation or a neither unpleasant nor pleasant (neutral) sensation. When there is a pleasant sensation due to a contact (phassa) that is felt as pleasant, one is aware, one feels a pleasant sensation, and with the cessation of that contact, one is aware, the pleasant sensation caused by that contact ceases. Similar reflection is done in relation to the unpleasant and neutral feeling.

In the Buddhist literature, reflection on four primary elements is one of the forty meditation objects suitable for concentration meditation (samatha bhavana) and hence it can be practised by a meditator who wishes to develop unification of the mind. However, it is said that by meditating on the four primary elements, the meditator can attain only up to the level of access or neighbourhood concentration (upacara samadhi) of the mind and will not be able to attain fixed concentration (arpana samadhi) or deep mental absorptions (Jhana).

As described above, reflection on primary elements can also be practised in insight meditation (vipassana bhavana). As stated by the Buddha in the Satipatthana sutta, reflecting on four primary elements is one of the six techniques to develop mindfulness of the body. It will lead to insight by contemplating on the true nature of one’s physical body internally and externally as well as contemplating on their arising and ceasing nature with no attachment or identification. In the Satipatthana sutta, the Buddha has stated that when practised with ardency (atapi), clear comprehension (sampajano) and well developed mindfulness (satima), it can lead to the development of the factors of enlightenment and final liberation from suffering.