Four Elements meditation

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
Babadhari
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Four Elements meditation

Post by Babadhari »

As taught at Pa-Auk Meditation Centre, discern in the whole body:
1. Earth-element: hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, lightness.
2. Water-element: flowing, cohesion.
3. Fire-element: heat, coldness.
4. Air-element: supporting, pushing.
from 'Mindfulness of Breathing and Four Elements Meditation' by Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw.

i would like to know if anyone here has experience with this type of meditation with Pa Auk Sayadaw or any other tradition?

i was under the impression that this was a Vipassana meditation but from reading it appears to be a concentration exercise :shrug:
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

According to the Visuddhimagga, the contemplation of the four elements brings only Access Concentration and not full absorption, so it would be the wrong choice if you wanted to gain full absorption, though it is also a concentration exercise.
Vism.111 wrote:2 As to which bring access only and which absorption: the eight recollections — excepting mindfulness occupied with the body and mindfulness of breathing — the perception of repulsiveness in nutriment, and the defining of the four elements, are ten meditation subjects that bring access only. The others bring absorption. This is “as to which bring access only and which absorption.”
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Babadhari
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Babadhari »

thanks,

i have aversion to 'hot', so would this practice be benificial in developing equanimity to heat, by being aware of coolness. or is equanimity only possible through observing the impermenance of the sensation of heat?
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
Sanjay PS
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Sanjay PS »

kitztack wrote:thanks,

i have aversion to 'hot', so would this practice be benificial in developing equanimity to heat, by being aware of coolness. or is equanimity only possible through observing the impermenance of the sensation of heat?
To my knowledge and understanding its a choiceless observation Kitztack. One gradually builds up on this .

sanjay
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mikenz66
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by mikenz66 »

Here's a link to the text mentioned in the OP: www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/fourelements.pdf‎

:anjali:
Mike
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Babadhari »

this is from The Role of the Elements in Vipassana Meditation by Sopako Bodhi Bhikkhu
The four elements are the path of concentration only. .....................................
the Abhidhamma [Buddhist metaphysics] talks about eighteen elements, not just four..........
The eighteen elements include the six sense organs: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind, and the sense-impressions: color, sound, smell, touch, flavor, and mental objects.
the eighteen elements can be the path of insight.
With the eighteen elements we can have nama [mind] to see the object [i.e., we can be aware of the mind as it knows the object]
http://www.vipassanadhura.com/elements.html

this is dealt with in detail in 'Knowing and Seeing ' by Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-A ... d-2010.pdf

i find it to be beyond the full scope of my limited intellect at the moment

i am interested as to whether anyone here has any experience of this form of Insight Meditation .

:namaste:
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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Mkoll
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Mkoll »

Hi kitztack,

I have no experience with this meditation but from a canonical perspective we have this advice from Buddha to Rāhula his son.
"Rahula, {any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.' There are these five properties, Rahula. Which five? The earth property, the water property, the fire property, the wind property, & the space property.

"And what is the earth property? The earth property can be either internal or external. What is the internal earth property?}[3] Anything internal, within oneself, that's hard, solid, & sustained [by craving]: 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, feces, or anything else internal, within oneself, that's hard, solid, and sustained: This is called the internal earth property. Now both the internal earth property & the external earth property are simply earth property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the earth property and makes the earth property fade from the mind.

"And what is the water property? The water property may be either internal or external. What is the internal water property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's water, watery, & sustained: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, oil, saliva, mucus, oil-of-the-joints, urine, or anything else internal, within oneself, that's water, watery, & sustained: This is called the internal water property. Now both the internal water property & the external water property are simply water property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the water property and makes the water property fade from the mind.

"And what is the fire property? The fire property may be either internal or external. What is the internal fire property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's fire, fiery, & sustained: that by which [the body] is warmed, aged, & consumed with fever; and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, & savored gets properly digested; or anything else internal, within oneself, that's fire, fiery, & sustained: This is called the internal fire property. Now both the internal fire property & the external fire property are simply fire property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the fire property and makes the fire property fade from the mind.

"And what is the wind property? The wind property may be either internal or external. What is the internal wind property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's wind, windy, & sustained: up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the stomach, winds in the intestines, winds that course through the body, in-and-out breathing, or anything else internal, within oneself, that's wind, windy, & sustained: This is called the internal wind property. Now both the internal wind property & the external wind property are simply wind property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the wind property and makes the wind property fade from the mind.

"And what is the space property? The space property may be either internal or external. What is the internal space property? Anything internal, belonging to oneself, that's space, spatial, & sustained: the holes of the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the [passage] whereby what is eaten, drunk, consumed, & tasted gets swallowed, and where it collects, and whereby it is excreted from below, or anything else internal, within oneself, that's space, spatial, & sustained: This is called the internal space property. Now both the internal space property & the external space property are simply space property. And that should be seen as it actually is present with right discernment: 'This is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self.' When one sees it thus as it actually is present with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the space property and makes the space property fade from the mind.
-MN 62
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Babadhari
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Babadhari »

thanks Mkoll

the insight aspect with the four elements seems to be Vishuddimagga based from what i can gather. i guess its not meant to be intellectually understood, rather understood as its experienced through meditation with a teacher.

im curious as to whether its only bhikku's in certain traditions practice this. is it too in-depth and difficult for lay practitioners to give the required time and effort to ? :shrug:
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

kitztack wrote:I'm curious as to whether its only bhikku's in certain traditions practice this. is it too in-depth and difficult for lay practitioners to give the required time and effort to ? :shrug:
Not only bhikkhus, but millions of lay people have practised this method in one or another of over 300 Mahāsi meditation centres in Burma. The retreat centres are set up for intensive practice — the usual retreat period is for six weeks, but many lay people also attend for practice during the Burmese New Year period, for just a week or two, or for a few days in the case of the children.

A Tour of the Mahāsi Meditation Centre (the main centre in Rangoon).

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binocular
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by binocular »

kitztack wrote: i have aversion to 'hot', so would this practice be benificial in developing equanimity to heat, by being aware of coolness. or is equanimity only possible through observing the impermenance of the sensation of heat?
I too have an aversion to "hot." As in "hot weather," and then the problem of working in hot weather.
My solution has been to rethink my attitude to work, and to try to make that more wholesome. With that, "hot" and "cold" have become less of a problem.
Hic Rhodus, hic salta!
Babadhari
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Babadhari »

Bhikkhu Pesala wrote:
kitztack wrote:I'm curious as to whether its only bhikku's in certain traditions practice this. is it too in-depth and difficult for lay practitioners to give the required time and effort to ? :shrug:
Not only bhikkhus, but millions of lay people have practised this method in one or another of over 300 Mahāsi meditation centres in Burma. The retreat centres are set up for intensive practice — the usual retreat period is for six weeks, but many lay people also attend for practice during the Burmese New Year period, for just a week or two, or for a few days in the case of the children.
thank you Bhante,
i have recently applied to Pa Auk Monastery for a sponsorship letter to practice Samatha there, which is why i'm inquiring about the insight meditation techniques practiced. the intention is to stay as long as is possible.
binocular wrote:
kitztack wrote: i have aversion to 'hot', so would this practice be benificial in developing equanimity to heat, by being aware of coolness. or is equanimity only possible through observing the impermenance of the sensation of heat?
I too have an aversion to "hot." As in "hot weather," and then the problem of working in hot weather.
My solution has been to rethink my attitude to work, and to try to make that more wholesome. With that, "hot" and "cold" have become less of a problem.
i shall have plenty of experience with 'hot' in Burma from March onwards, it will be a learning experience

:namaste:
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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mettafuture
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by mettafuture »

This dhamma talk by Shaila Catherine may be of interest.
Four Elements Meditation—Instructional Talk and Guided Meditation
Babadhari
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by Babadhari »

hi mettafuture

thanks for that, it was interesting especially as she's studied with the venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw. the guided meditation was definitely easier to follow and comprehend than recalling the written format.

in practice it feels very similar to the Goenke technique of body scanning which may or may not be helpful for me as i may be liable to confuse the techniques. anyway, i'll stick with anapanasati for now .

metta :smile:
:namaste:

kitzt
Aflame with the fire of passion, the fire of aversion, the fire of delusion.
Aflame, with birth, aging & death, with sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs ......

Seeing thus, the disciple of the Noble One grows disenchanted. SN 35.28
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mettafuture
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by mettafuture »

You're welcome, kitzt. It's really unfortunately more resources on elements meditation aren't available in the West. It's a very powerful technique, especially for developing intuition in regards to anatta and dependent origination.
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mikenz66
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Re: Four Elements meditation

Post by mikenz66 »

Patrick Kearney (who teaches in a Mahasi-based style) gives nice introductions to the elements in his retreat talks. They are an important part of the Mahasi approach...

Recordings of Patrick's retreat talks are available at:
http://www.dharmasalon.net/Audio/audio.html
the older ones drop off from time to time, but they are generally similar.

I've just been listening to the particular recording here:
http://www.dharmasalon.net/Audio/bmimc_ ... r2013.html
03 (AM) Tracking elements
We tend to relate to our concept of our body rather than the actual direct experience of body. This morning we look at how the Buddha conceptualised our experience of the body as the four great appearances (mahābhūta) of the elements of earth (pathavī dhātu), air (vayo dhātu), fire (tejo dhātu) and water (āpo dhātu).
This consists of some guided meditation and some discussion with the retreat participants. It covers similar ground to Shaila Catherine's talk referenced above.

Most teachers talk about elements somewhat. Here are some talks by Joseph Goldstein: http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/?search=elements
and here are a number of talks that mention them:
http://dharmaseed.org/talks/?search=fou ... e_items=10
http://audiodharma.org/talks/?search=four+elements

:anjali:
Mike
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