On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park….
“Bhikkhus, there are these four elements. What four? The earth element, the water element, the heat element, the air element. These are the four elements.”
31 (2) Before My Enlightenment
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet perfectly enlightened, it occurred to me: ‘What is the gratification, what is the danger, what is the escape in the case of the earth element? What is the gratification, what is the danger, what is the escape in the case of the water element … the heat element … the air element?’
“Then, Bhikkhus, it occurred to me: ‘The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on the earth element: this is the gratification in the earth element. That the earth element is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in the earth element. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for the earth element: this is the escape from the earth element.
“‘The pleasure and joy that arise in dependence on the water element … the heat element … the air element: this is the gratification in the air element. That the air element is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change: this is the danger in the air element. The removal and abandonment of desire and lust for the air element: this is the escape from the air element.’
“So long, Bhikkhus, as I did not directly know as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements, I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans. But when I directly knew all this as it really is, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with … its devas and humans. “The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is my liberation of mind; this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence.’”
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the gratification in the earth element. Whatever gratification there is in the earth element — that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom just how far the gratification in the earth element extends.
“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the danger in the earth element. Whatever danger there is in the earth element — that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom just how far the danger in the earth element extends.
“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the escape from the earth element. Whatever escape there is from the earth element — that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom just how far the escape from the earth element extends.
“Bhikkhus, I set out seeking the gratification in … the danger in … the escape from the water element … the heat element … the air element. Whatever escape there is from the air element — that I discovered. I have clearly seen with wisdom just how far the escape from the earth element extends.
“So long, Bhikkhus, as I did not directly know as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements … (as above) … devas and humans.
“The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is my liberation of mind; this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence.’”
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, if there were no gratification in the earth element, beings would not become enamoured with it; but because there is gratification in the earth element, beings become enamoured with it. If there were no danger in the earth element, beings would not experience revulsion towards it; but because there is danger in the earth element, beings experience revulsion towards it. If there were no escape from the earth element, beings would not escape from it; but because there is an escape from the earth element, beings escape from it.
“Bhikkhus, if there were no gratification in the water element … in the heat element … in the air element, beings would not become enamoured with it … … but because there is an escape from the air element, beings escape from it.
“So long, Bhikkhus, as beings have not directly known as they really are the gratification as gratification, the danger as danger, and the escape as escape in the case of these four elements, they have not escaped from this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, from this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans; they have not become detached from it, released from it, nor do they dwell with a mind rid of barriers. But when beings have directly known all this as it really is, then they have escaped from this world with its devas and humans … they have become detached from it, released from it, and they dwell with a mind rid of barriers.”
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, if this earth element were exclusively suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, and if it were not [also] steeped in pleasure, beings would not become enamoured with it. But because the earth element is pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, and is not steeped [only] in suffering, beings become enamoured with it.
“Bhikkhus, if this water element were exclusively suffering … if this heat element were exclusively suffering … if this air element were exclusively suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, and if it was not [also] steeped in pleasure, beings would not become enamoured with it. But because the air element is pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, and is not steeped [only] in suffering, beings become enamoured with it.
“Bhikkhus, if this earth element were exclusively pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, and if it were not [also] steeped in suffering, beings would not experience revulsion towards it. But because the earth element is suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, and is not steeped [only] in pleasure, beings experience revulsion towards it.
“Bhikkhus, if this water element were exclusively pleasurable … if this heat element were exclusively pleasurable … if this air element were exclusively pleasurable, immersed in pleasure, steeped in pleasure, and if it were not [also] steeped in suffering, beings would not experience revulsion towards it. But because the air element is suffering, immersed in suffering, steeped in suffering, and is not steeped [only] in pleasure, beings experience revulsion towards it.”
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, one who seeks delight in the earth element seeks delight in suffering. One who seeks delight in suffering, I say, is not freed from suffering. One who seeks delight in the water element … in the heat element … in the air element seeks delight in suffering. One who seeks delight in suffering, I say, is not freed from suffering.
“One who does not seek delight in the earth element … in the air element does not seek delight in suffering. One who does not seek delight in suffering, I say, is freed from suffering.”
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, the arising, continuation, production, and manifestation of the earth element is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-anddeath. The arising, continuation, production, and manifestation of the water element … the heat element … the air element is the arising of suffering, the continuation of disease, the manifestation of aging-and-death.
“The cessation, subsiding, and passing away of the earth element … the air element is the cessation of suffering, the subsiding of disease, the passing away of aging-and-death.”
37 (8) Ascetics and Brahmins (1)
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, there are these four elements. What four? The earth element, the water element, the heat element, the air element.
“Those ascetics or brahmins, Bhikkhus, who do not understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics or brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones do not, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism or the goal of brahminhood.
“But, Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand as they really are the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
38 (9) Ascetics and Brahmins (2)
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, there are these four elements. What four?
The earth element, the water element, the heat element, the air element.
“Those ascetics or brahmins, Bhikkhus, who do not understand as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics….
“But, Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in the case of these four elements: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”
39 (10) Ascetics and Brahmins (3)
At Sāvatthi. “Bhikkhus, those ascetics or brahmins who do not understand the earth element, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation; who do not understand the water element … the heat element … the air element, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation: these I do not consider to be ascetics among ascetics….
“But, Bhikkhus, those ascetics and brahmins who understand these things: these I consider to be ascetics among ascetics and brahmins among brahmins, and these venerable ones, by realizing it for themselves with direct knowledge, in this very life enter and dwell in the goal of asceticism and the goal of brahminhood.”