Explanation of the Subtle Five Elements

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Digital Blackboard – March 18, 2008

 

Make the mind subtle and understand the explanation of the Subtle Five Elements

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Dasbodh

Chapter: 8

Sub-Chapter: 4

Explanation of the Subtle Five Elements

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Shri Ram

1. The basis of the doubt which was raised earlier will now be made clear. Please keep the attention of your mind clear and focused now.

2. The Primal Illusion (Moola Maya) appeared in Brahman. And that Illusion gave birth to the disturbance of attributes (Gunas). Therefore it is also given the name of the producer, or the disturber of attributes (Gunakshobini).

3. From within that disturbance arose the "Three Gunas," the attributes of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, and then the five elements were formed from the Tamas attribute (ignorance).

4. Once the elements were formed, they continued on to proliferate everywhere. Thus, the five elements came to exist from the quality of Ignorance (Tamas).

5. The listeners have previously raised the doubt, that if the Primal Illusion is without attributes, how can the elements be formed there?

6. In addition to that, I will now make clear how all of the five elements are contained within each element.

7. With minute observation, the marvel of how the Primal Illusion contains the five elements can be seen. The listeners must utilize the power of pure discrimination in order to understand.

8. First come to know and understand the elements. Recognize their forms, and then seek into their nature with minute observation.

9. So long as one does not have an inner understanding of them, how can one recognize them? Therefore, one should wisely listen to the explanation of the recognition of the elements.

10. All that which is gross and hard is indicative of the element of earth. That which is soft and having wetness is indicative of the water element.

11. Wherever there is heat and light, understand that as being the Light or Fire element (Teja). Now, I will explain the wind element (Vayu) with ease.

12. Know that Life-Energy (Chaitanya) and movement is itself the wind element, and understand that Space, or the Sky element (Akasha) is by nature still and empty.

13. In this way, the five elements can be recognized by their particular conditions. Now, listen attentively to how all of the five elements are in each element.

14. To understand that which is beyond the three attributes, one should listen very attentively giving subtle consideration to what is heard.

15. How Earth is present in the subtle Sky must first be explained. Listeners, focus your concentration attentively here.

16. The "Sky" means Space that is empty, or void. Void means that there is Ignorance. Understand that Ignorance is inertia or heaviness which is itself Earth.

17. Sky is itself soft which is the presence of Water in it. Now, the element of Light in Sky will also be explained.

18. Because of Ignorance, visible appearances appear. This is itself the shining of Light. Now I shall tell the nature of Wind, in relaxed manner.

19. There is no difference between Wind and Sky. The Sky is still, nevertheless, the quality of resistance that is experienced in the Sky is Wind.

20. Sky, or Space, is infused with the Sky element, this much is not required to be explained. Thus, in this way, I have explained the presence of five elements in Sky.

21. Listen attentively now and I will explain in sequence how the five elements are present in the wind.

22. Just as a flower is delicate but still it has some weight, similarly, Wind is soft, yet still has density and heaviness that can even break down trees with great force.

23. Without weight or heaviness, a tree cannot be broken. That weight which is a part of Wind is the element of Earth.

24. ***Here the listener expresses a doubt. "How can you speak of broken trees if the trees are not there in the Primal Illusion?" The answer to this is that hardness is inherent in the energy of Wind.

25. Just as heat is contained in a small spark of fire, similarly there is heaviness contained in the subtle form of Wind.

26. The softness in Wind is in the element of Water, the appearance of Light is itself the form of Light in Wind, and the restlessness that is naturally found in the Wind is the Wind element itself.

27. The Sky element encompasses everything, so naturally the element of Sky is present in Wind. Thus, I have explained the how the five elements are present in Wind.

28. Now, as for the element of Light (Fire), the appearance itself of Light is the hardness which is the element of Earth in Light.

29. The feeling of softness that is felt in the warmth of Light is the presence of Water in the fire. Light itself is obviously present in Light, this is not even required to be told.

30. The restlessness or motion of Light is the element of Wind, and of course the immovable, all-encompassing Sky is present in Light. Now, the presence of all of the Five Elements in Light have been told.

31. Now, the explanation of Water. Water has a natural softness to it, yet there is a quality of hardness in Water that is the Earth element.

32. The Water element naturally is present in Water, this is easily seen. The appearance, or visibility of Water is the element of Light. The motion that appears on the stillness of Water is the Wind element with softness within it.

33. The Sky element is not required to be told as it by its nature pervades Water. Now, I have explained in a subtle way the presence of the Five Elements in Water.

34. Now, I will explain the Earth element. The the main quality of the Earth element is hardness itself, yet in that hardness, sometimes there is a quality of softness which is the Water element.

35. The appearance of Earth, that it is visible, is the quality of the Light element. The quality of resistance in the hardness of Earth is the Wind element.

36. The Sky pervades everything. This can be easily discriminated. The very appearance of the Earth in the Space, is itself the presence of the Sky element.

37. Space cannot be broken or split, and one cannot go beyond Space.

38. Now, let this explanation be enough. The qualities of the Five Elements and how all of the Five Elements are present in each element have been shown.

39. However, this cannot be understood by superficially looking, as confusion will only become stronger and opinions go on increasing.

40. When looking with subtle observation, all is seen to be principally of the nature of Wind, and with minute observation of the Wind, the Five Elements are found.

41. Thus, understand that it is the Wind, which contains the Five Elements and is itself the Primal Illusion. This Illusion is also the subtle "Three Qualities" (Gunas; Rajas, Tamas, Sattva), together with the Five Elements.

42. The Elements added together with the Gunas is called the "Eight-fold Manifestation (Prakriti). Understand that the Eight-fold Manifestation is itself the five elements.

43. To search without finding out and to hold on to doubt is foolishness. Look with minute observation and identify what is true.

44. The subtle elements have come out of the Gunas, and by becoming visible and gross, they became the manifest elements.

45. The explanation of the manifest elements and their arrangement of the gross body and the subtle body of the universe will be given later so that it will be made clear to the listeners.

46. The intermingling of the Elements has been revealed by subtle indications. This happened before the sphere of universe was created.

47. Understand with subtle vision that the Primal Illusion existed before the creation of the things in this universe.

48. This enormous seven-sheathed creation¹ as well as the activities of Illusion and Ignorance were created afterwards.

49. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva (the creative, protective, and destructive forces of creation), as well as the earth, mountains and seven seas were created afterwards.

50. Many people, many places, the moon, the sun, the galaxies, seven continents, and fourteen universes were created afterwards.

51. The serpent Shesha, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the tortoise form, the seven hells, the twenty-one heavens, the eight sentinels of eight directions, and thirty three kinds of gods, were all created afterwards.

52. The twelve suns, the eleven forms of Shiva, the nine serpents, the seven great sages, and many incarnations of gods were all created afterwards.

53. The clouds, the ancestors, the ancient emperors, and the multitude of living beings were all created afterwards. Now, this is enough! How much should be told about the expanse of creation?

54. The origin of the expanse of the universe is the Primal Illusion alone. It has already been explained how everything in creation is is made up of the Five Elements.

55. It has also been explained how the subtle elements, appeared and became manifest afterwards. This will be explained further in the next sub–chapter.

56. The analysis of the Five Elements will be described in detail. The listeners are respectfully asked to listen attentively an recognize what is being said.

57. This universe is made up of the Five Elements. One who understands this clearly will attain the Reality by giving up what is visible.

58. Just as one must cross the main door of the temple, to get the view of the god within, similarly, one must give up the visible world with understanding.

59. The visible world is the full with the Five Elements intermingling together visibly.

60. The visible world is made up of only the Five Elements. The listeners are requested to be at ease an listen to the explanation of how the universe was created.

iti shree daasabodhe guru shishya sauvaade

sukshmapanchabhootenirupana naama samaasa chaturtha

Thus in Shri Dasbodh, a dialogue between the Guru and disciple, SubChapter 4 of Chapter 8, named "Explanation of the Subtle Five Elements" ends.

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1The Five Elements, the Self (Atman), and Supreme Being (Brahman) is sometimes referred to as the seven sheathed creation.

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