2.5 The Section about Reflecting on the Elements1 - Dhātumanasikārapabbaṃ
2.5.1 Reflecting on the elements
Puna ca paraṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imam-eva kāyaṃ,
Mendicants, at another time the meditator reflects in this way on this body,
yathāṭhitaṃ yathāpaṇihitaṃ dhātuso paccavekkhati:
in whatever posture, in whatever position, they reflect on the elements of the body:
“Atthi imasmiṃ kāye,
“There exists in this body,
paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū” ti.
the element of solidity (earth,) the element of cohesion (water,) the element of heat (fire,) the element of movement (wind.)” 2
2.5.2 Simile
Seyyathā pi, bhikkhave, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā,
Mendicants, just as a clever butcher, or their apprentice,
gāviṃ vadhitvā cātummahāpathe bilaso vibhajitvā nisinno assa;
having killed a cow were to sit down at a cross-road and divide it up into portions;
2.5.3 Refrain
evam-eva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imam-eva kāyaṃ,
Mendicants, indeed it is a meditator who reflects in this way on the body,
yathāṭhitaṃ yathāpaṇihitaṃ dhātuso paccavekkhati:
in whatever posture, in whatever position, I reflect on the elements of the body:
“Atthi imasmiṃ kāye,
“There exists in this body,
paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū” ti.
the element of solidity (earth,) the element of cohesion (water,) the element of heat (fire,) the element of movement (wind.)”3
2.5.4 Insight Refrain
Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
You should also abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) or
bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding others (externally,4) or
ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) and others (externally,) or
samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination regarding the body, or
vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of cessation regarding the body, or
samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination, and cessation regarding the body,
“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness is that “there is a body,” is present
yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya patissatimattāya,
For the purpose of fully developing knowledge and mindfulness,
anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
abide not dependent on or grasping for something in the world.
Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
Mendicants, it is a meditator who abides contemplating the body as a collection of parts just so.
2.5.1 Reflecting on the elements
Puna ca paraṃ, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imam-eva kāyaṃ,
Mendicants, at another time the meditator reflects in this way on this body,
yathāṭhitaṃ yathāpaṇihitaṃ dhātuso paccavekkhati:
in whatever posture, in whatever position, they reflect on the elements of the body:
“Atthi imasmiṃ kāye,
“There exists in this body,
paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū” ti.
the element of solidity (earth,) the element of cohesion (water,) the element of heat (fire,) the element of movement (wind.)” 2
2.5.2 Simile
Seyyathā pi, bhikkhave, dakkho goghātako vā goghātakantevāsī vā,
Mendicants, just as a clever butcher, or their apprentice,
gāviṃ vadhitvā cātummahāpathe bilaso vibhajitvā nisinno assa;
having killed a cow were to sit down at a cross-road and divide it up into portions;
2.5.3 Refrain
evam-eva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu imam-eva kāyaṃ,
Mendicants, indeed it is a meditator who reflects in this way on the body,
yathāṭhitaṃ yathāpaṇihitaṃ dhātuso paccavekkhati:
in whatever posture, in whatever position, I reflect on the elements of the body:
“Atthi imasmiṃ kāye,
“There exists in this body,
paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū” ti.
the element of solidity (earth,) the element of cohesion (water,) the element of heat (fire,) the element of movement (wind.)”3
2.5.4 Insight Refrain
Iti ajjhattaṃ vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
You should also abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) or
bahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding others (externally,4) or
ajjhattabahiddhā vā kāye kāyānupassī viharati,
abide contemplating the body as a collection of parts regarding yourselves (internally,) and others (externally,) or
samudayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination regarding the body, or
vayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of cessation regarding the body, or
samudayavayadhammānupassī vā kāyasmiṃ viharati,
abide contemplating qualities of origination, and cessation regarding the body,
“atthi kāyo” ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti
or else mindfulness is that “there is a body,” is present
yāvad-eva ñāṇamattāya patissatimattāya,
For the purpose of fully developing knowledge and mindfulness,
anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
abide not dependent on or grasping for something in the world.
Evam-pi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati.
Mendicants, it is a meditator who abides contemplating the body as a collection of parts just so.
Dhātumanasikārapabbaṃ Niṭṭhitaṃ
The end of the Section about Reflecting on the Elements
The end of the Section about Reflecting on the Elements
Notes
1
This section maybe related to the fourth stages of ānāpānasati practice, that of calming the fabrications of the body.
2
See also the Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta MN140, where the space element mentioned in this sutta is described as having an internal aspect, “Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's space, spatial, & grasping: the orifice of the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the [passage] where what is eaten, drank, consumed, & tasted gets swallowed, where it accumulates, and whereby it departs from below.” The Madhya Āgama version of the Satipatthana Sutta also includes orifices, which appear to be the same as this element so possibly also beneficial to use this for contemplation here. Also included is consciousness as part of the elements, which is found in the Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta, however, this particular element would be part of the feelings tetrad in the scheme of this version of the sutta.
3
See also Mahārāhulovāda Sutta MN62; & Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta MN28.
4
Externally may also refer to others bodies, or the external elements & the characteristics these elements represent. It is in many ways more obviously both externally meaning other people and anything else external, from ourselves.
This section maybe related to the fourth stages of ānāpānasati practice, that of calming the fabrications of the body.
2
See also the Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta MN140, where the space element mentioned in this sutta is described as having an internal aspect, “Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's space, spatial, & grasping: the orifice of the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the [passage] where what is eaten, drank, consumed, & tasted gets swallowed, where it accumulates, and whereby it departs from below.” The Madhya Āgama version of the Satipatthana Sutta also includes orifices, which appear to be the same as this element so possibly also beneficial to use this for contemplation here. Also included is consciousness as part of the elements, which is found in the Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta, however, this particular element would be part of the feelings tetrad in the scheme of this version of the sutta.
3
See also Mahārāhulovāda Sutta MN62; & Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta MN28.
4
Externally may also refer to others bodies, or the external elements & the characteristics these elements represent. It is in many ways more obviously both externally meaning other people and anything else external, from ourselves.
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