Thus have I heard:

At one time the Lord was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. There the venerable Sāriputta addressed the monks, saying:

“Reverend monks.”

“Your reverence,” these monks answered the venerable Sāriputta in assent.

The venerable Sāriputta spoke thus:

“As, your reverences, among all creatures that can walk all pedal qualities are combined in an elephant's foot, and as the elephant's foot is chief among these in point of size, so, your reverences, all skilled states of mind are included among the four ariyan truths. Among what four? Among the ariyan truth of anguish, among the ariyan truth of the uprising of anguish, among the ariyan truth of the stopping of anguish, among the ariyan truth of the course leading to the stopping of anguish.

And what, your reverences, is the ariyan truth of anguish? Birth is anguish and ageing is anguish and dying is anguish; and grief, lamentation, sorrow, tribulation and despair are anguish, and not getting what one wants, that too is anguish. In brief the five groups of grasping are anguish.

And what, your reverences, are the five groups of grasping? Just these; the group of grasping after material shape, the group of grasping after feeling, the group of grasping after perception, the group of grasping after the habitual tendencies, the group of grasping after consciousness.

And what, your reverences, is the group of grasping after material shapes? The four great elements, and the material shape that is derived from the four great elements.

And what, your reverences, are the four great elements? The element of extension, the liquid element, the element of heat, the element of motion.

The Element of Extension

And what, your reverences, is the element of extension? The element of extension may be internal, it may be external.

And what, your reverences, is the internal element of extension? Whatever is hard, solid, is internal, referable to an individual and derived therefrom, that is to say: the hair of the head, the hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow of the bones, kidney, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach, excrement, or whatever other thing is hard, solid, is internal, referable to an individual or derived therefrom—this, your reverences, is called the internal element of extension. Whatever is an internal element of extension and whatever is an external element of extension, just these are the element of extension.

By means of perfect intuitive wisdom it should be seen of this as it really is, thus: This is not mine, this am I not, this is not my self. Having seen this thus as it really is by means of perfect intuitive wisdom, he disregards the element of extension, he cleanses his mind of the element of extension.

There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the element of extension that is external is agitated; at that time the external element of extension disappears. The impermanence of this ancient external element of extension can be shown, your reverences, its liability to destruction can be shown, its liability to decay can be shown, its liability to change can be shown. So what of this short-lived body derived from craving? There is not anything here for saying, ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am.’

Your reverences, if others abuse, revile, annoy, vex this monk, he comprehends: ‘This painful feeling that has arisen in me is born of sensory impingement on the ear, it has a cause, not no cause. What is the cause? Sensory impingement is the cause.’ He sees that sensory impingement is impermanent, he sees that feeling is impermanent, he sees that perception is impermanent, he sees that the habitual tendencies are impermanent, he sees that consciousness is impermanent. His mind rejoices, is pleased, composed and is set on the objects of the element.

If, your reverences, others comport themselves in undesirable, disagreeable, unpleasant ways towards that monk, and he receives blows from their hands and from clods of earth and from sticks and weapons, he comprehends thus: ‘This body is such that blows from hands affect it and blows from clods of earth affect it and blows from sticks affect it and blows from weapons affect it. But this was said by the Lord in the Parable of the Saw: “If, monks, low-down thieves should carve you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, whoever sets his heart at enmity, he, for this reason, is not a doer of my teaching.” Unsluggish energy shall come to be stirred up by me, unmuddled mindfulness set up, the body tranquillised, impassible, the mind composed and one-pointed. Now, willingly, let blows from hands affect this body, let blows from clods of earth this body, let blows from sticks this body, let blows from weapons affect it, for this teaching of the Awakened Ones is being done.’

If, your reverences, this monk recollects the Awakened One thus, if he recollects Dhamma thus, if he recollects the Order thus, but there is not established (in him) the equanimity that depends on skill; he is strongly moved because of this, he comes to a strongly moved condition, and thinks: ‘It is unprofitable for me, it is not profitable for me, it is ill gotten by me, it is not well gotten by me that, although I recollect the Awakened One thus, although I recollect Dhamma thus, although I recollect the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in me).’

Your reverences, as a daughter-in-law, having seen her father-in-law, is strongly moved and comes to a strongly moved condition, so, your reverences, if while this monk is recollecting the Awakened One, if while this monk is recollecting the dhamma, if while this monk is recollecting the Order, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in him); he is strongly moved because of this, he comes to a strongly moved condition, and thinks: ‘It is unprofitable for me, it is not profitable for me, it is ill gotten by me, it is not well gotten by me that, although I recollect the Awakened One thus, although I recollect dhamma thus, although I recollect the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in me).’ But if, your reverences, while this monk is recollecting the Awakened One thus while this monk is recollecting the dhamma thus while this monk is recollecting the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is established (in him), he, because of this is pleased.

Up to this point, your reverences, much has been done by the monk.

The Liquid Element

And what, your reverences, is the liquid element? The liquid element may be internal, it may be external.

And what, your reverences, is the internal liquid element? Whatever is liquid, fluid, is internal, referable to an individual or derived therefrom, that is to say: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, serum, saliva, mucus, synovial fluid, urine or whatever other thing is liquid, fluid, is internal, referable to an individual or derived therefrom—this, your reverences, is called the internal liquid element. Whatever is an internal liquid element and whatever is an external liquid element, just these are the liquid element.

By means of perfect intuitive wisdom it should be seen of this as it really is, thus: This is not mine, this am I not, this is not my self. Having seen this thus as it really is by means of perfect intuitive wisdom, he disregards the liquid element, he cleanses his mind of the liquid element.

There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the liquid element that is external is agitated; it carries away villages and it carries away little towns and it carries away towns and it carries away districts and it carries away districts and regions. There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the waters in the great ocean go down a hundred yojanas, and when they go down two hundred yojanas, and when they go down three hundred yojanas, and when they go down four hundred yojanas, and when they go down five hundred yojanas, and when they go down six hundred yojanas and when they go down seven hundred yojanas. There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the height of) seven palm trees (in depth), when the water stands at (the height of) six palm trees (in depth), when the water stands at (the height of) five palm trees (in depth), when the water stands at (the height of) four palm trees (in depth), when the water stands at (the height of) three palm trees (in depth), when the water stands at (the height of) two palm trees (in depth) and when the water stands at (the height of) one palm tree (in depth). There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) seven men's stature, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) six men's stature, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) five men's stature, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) four men's stature, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) three men's stature, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) two men's stature and when the water stands at (the depth of) merely one man's stature. There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the water in the great ocean stands at (the depth of) half a man's stature, and when the water stands merely up to his hip, and when the water stands merely up to his knee, and when the water stands merely up to his ankle. There comes to be a time, your reverences, when the water in the great ocean does not wet even a toe-joint. The impermanence of this ancient liquid element that is external can be shown, your reverences, its liability to destruction can be shown, its liability to decay can be shown, its liability to change can be shown. So what of this short-lived body derived from craving? There is not anything here for saying, ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am.’

Your reverences, if others abuse, revile, annoy, vex this monk, he comprehends: ‘This painful feeling that has arisen in me is born of sensory impingement on the ear, it has a cause, not no cause. What is the cause? Sensory impingement is the cause.’ He sees that sensory impingement is impermanent, he sees that feeling is impermanent, he sees that perception is impermanent, he sees that the habitual tendencies are impermanent, he sees that consciousness is impermanent. His mind rejoices, is pleased, composed and is set on the objects of the element.

If, your reverences, others comport themselves in undesirable, disagreeable, unpleasant ways towards that monk, and he receives blows from their hands and from clods of earth and from sticks and weapons, he comprehends thus: ‘This body is such that blows from hands affect it and blows from clods of earth affect it and blows from sticks affect it and blows from weapons affect it. But this was said by the Lord in the Parable of the Saw: “If, monks, low-down thieves should carve you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, whoever sets his heart at enmity, he, for this reason, is not a doer of my teaching.” Unsluggish energy shall come to be stirred up by me, unmuddled mindfulness set up, the body tranquillised, impassible, the mind composed and one-pointed. Now, willingly, let blows from hands affect this body, let blows from clods of earth this body, let blows from sticks this body, let blows from weapons affect it, for this teaching of the Awakened Ones is being done.’

If, your reverences, this monk recollects the Awakened One thus, if he recollects dhamma thus, if he recollects the Order thus, but there is not established (in him) the equanimity that depends on skill; he is strongly moved because of this, he comes to a strongly moved condition, and thinks: ‘It is unprofitable for me, it is not profitable for me, it is ill gotten by me, it is not well gotten by me that, although I recollect the Awakened One thus, although I recollect dhamma thus, although I recollect the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in me).’

Your reverences, as a daughter-in-law, having seen her father-in-law, is strongly moved and comes to a strongly moved condition, so, your reverences, if while this monk is recollecting the Awakened One, if while this monk is recollecting the dhamma, if while this monk is recollecting the Order, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in him); he is strongly moved because of this, he comes to a strongly moved condition, and thinks: ‘It is unprofitable for me, it is not profitable for me, it is ill gotten by me, it is not well gotten by me that, although I recollect the Awakened One thus, although I recollect dhamma thus, although I recollect the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in me).’ But if, your reverences, while this monk is recollecting the Awakened One thus while this monk is recollecting the dhamma thus while this monk is recollecting the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is established (in him), he, because of this is pleased.

Up to this point, your reverences, much has been done by the monk.

Your reverences, if others abuse, revile, annoy, vex this monk, he comprehends: ‘This painful feeling that has arisen in me is born of sensory impingement on the ear, it has a cause, not no cause. What is the cause? Sensory impingement is the cause.’ He sees that sensory impingement is impermanent, he sees that feeling is impermanent, he sees that perception is impermanent, he sees that the habitual tendencies are impermanent, he sees that consciousness is impermanent. His mind rejoices, is pleased, composed and is set on the objects of the element.

If, your reverences, others comport themselves in undesirable, disagreeable, unpleasant ways towards that monk, and he receives blows from their hands and from clods of earth and from sticks and weapons, he comprehends thus: ‘This body is such that blows from hands affect it and blows from clods of earth affect it and blows from sticks affect it and blows from weapons affect it. But this was said by the Lord in the Parable of the Saw: “If, monks, low-down thieves should carve you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, whoever sets his heart at enmity, he, for this reason, is not a doer of my teaching.” Unsluggish energy shall come to be stirred up by me, unmuddled mindfulness set up, the body tranquillised, impassible, the mind composed and one-pointed. Now, willingly, let blows from hands affect this body, let blows from clods of earth this body, let blows from sticks this body, let blows from weapons affect it, for this teaching of the Awakened Ones is being done.’

If, your reverences, this monk recollects the Awakened One thus, if he recollects dhamma thus, if he recollects the Order thus, but there is not established (in him) the equanimity that depends on skill; he is strongly moved because of this, he comes to a strongly moved condition, and thinks: ‘It is unprofitable for me, it is not profitable for me, it is ill gotten by me, it is not well gotten by me that, although I recollect the Awakened One thus, although I recollect dhamma thus, although I recollect the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in me).’

Your reverences, as a daughter-in-law, having seen her father-in-law, is strongly moved and comes to a strongly moved condition, so, your reverences, if while this monk is recollecting the Awakened One, if while this monk is recollecting the dhamma, if while this monk is recollecting the Order, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in him); he is strongly moved because of this, he comes to a strongly moved condition, and thinks: ‘It is unprofitable for me, it is not profitable for me, it is ill gotten by me, it is not well gotten by me that, although I recollect the Awakened One thus, although I recollect dhamma thus, although I recollect the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is not established (in me).’ But if, your reverences, while this monk is recollecting the Awakened One thus while this monk is recollecting the dhamma thus while this monk is recollecting the Order thus, the equanimity that depends on skill is established (in him), he, because of this is pleased.

Up to this point, your reverences, much has been done by the monk.

The Element of Heat

And what, your reverences, is the element of heat? The heat element may be internal, it may be external.

And what, your reverences, is the internal heat element? Whatever is heat, warmth, is internal, referable to an individual and derived therefrom, such as by whatever one is vitalised, by whatever one is consumed, by whatever one is burnt up, and by whatever one has munched, drunk, eaten and tasted that is properly transmuted (in digestion), or whatever other thing is heat, warmth, is internal, referable to an individual or derived therefrom—this, your reverences, is called the internal heat element.Whatever is an internal element of heat and whatever is an external element of heat, just these are the element of heat.

By means of perfect intuitive wisdom it should be seen of this as it really is, thus: This is not mine, this am I not, this is not myself. Having seen this thus as it really is by means of perfect intuitive wisdom, he disregards the heat element, he cleanses his mind of the heat element.

There comes a time, your reverences, when the element of heat that is external is agitated, and it burns up villages and it burns up little towns and it burns up towns and it burns up districts and it burns up districts and regions. When it has come to the end of the crops or to the end of a highway or to the end of a mountain or to the end of water or to a lovely stretch of level ground, it is extinguished through lack of fuel. There comes to be a time, your reverences, when people seek to light a fire with a cock's feather or with snippets of gristle. The impermanence of this ancient external element of heat can be shown, your reverences, its liability to destruction can be shown, its liability to decay can be shown, its liability to change can be shown. So what of this short-lived body derived from craving? There is not anything here for saying, ‘I’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am.’