Four Elements Meditation w/ Pa Auk Sayadaw

(Dhamma Raingsey, Dec. 4, 2020) "Four Elements Meditation" by Pa Auk Sayadaw at Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts, May 27, 2006.

Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw knows-and-sees.

What would an enlightened teacher say? Here's one thing:

"When you are practicing samatha [serenity meditation], there are 40 samatha meditation subjects. But when you are practicing vipassana [insight meditation], there are only two meditation subjects" -- discerning ultimate materiality [rupa-kammatthana] and discerning ultimate mentality [nama-kammatthana].

There are two ways to do the first, Four Elements Meditation in brief or in wider way, according to the Commentary to the Mahasatipatthana Sutta.

Four Elements Meditation (BuddhaNet.net)

These words are so profound, it's as if I've never heard them. When this teacher speaks, English being his second language, he does not lay emphasis on what's important. It comes out a monotone, all being an important or none of it being too important but just basic. It's so far from basic.

You never hear this level of sophistication to normal lay meditators. But on intensive retreat, when making quick progress, one hears what only monastics might otherwise hear if their meditation starts going well.

This is so simple, so practical (not theoretical, not ontological).

How to Develop Four Elements Meditation

Just do it; just know it. There's no debating, thinking, doubting, or wondering during meditation.

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In the Pali language Buddhist texts, there are two ways of developing four elements meditation, in brief and in detail.

The brief method explained here is meant for those of quick understanding. The detailed method is meant for those who have difficulty with the brief method.

The Buddha taught the brief method in the Mahasatipatthana Sutta:

“A meditator reviews this very body however it is positioned or placed as consisting of just [four] elements thus:

1. ‘There are in this body just the earth element,
2. the water element,
3. the fire element, and
4. the air element.'

The Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga, Ch.XI, paragraphs 41–43) explains further: ‘Firstly, one of quick understanding who wants to develop this meditation should go into solitary retreat. Then advert to this entire material body and discern the elements in brief in this way:

‘“In this body, what is hard or rough is the earth element. What is flowing or cohesive is the water element. What is maturing (ripening) or hot is the fire element. What is pushing or supporting is the air element,”

“And one should advert [turn] and give attention to it and review it again and again as 'earth element, water element, fire element, air element,” that is to say, as mere elements [or qualities of materiality], not a being buts selfless.

“As one makes effort in this way, it is not long before concentration arises in one, which is reinforced by understanding that illuminates the classification of the elements -- which is only access concentration and does not yet reach absorption (jhana) because it has states with individual essences as its object.

“Alternatively, there are these four [bodily] parts mentioned by Ven. Sariputta for the purpose of showing the absence of any living being in the four great primary elements thus:

“When a space is enclosed with bones, sinews, flesh, and skin, there comes to be the term material form (rupa)” (M. I. p. 190). And one should resolve [bring into clear resolution] each of these, separating them out by the hand of knowledge, and then discern in the way already stated thus (above):

“In these what is hardness… as its objects.”’

As taught at Pa-Auk Meditation Centers, 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.

To learn this meditation, begin by learning how to discern each of the 12 qualities or characteristics of the four elements one at a time.

Usually, the beginner must be taught the easier to discern characteristics first, and the more difficult ones later.

They are usually taught in this order:

1. pushing,
2. hardness,
3. roughness,
4. heaviness,
5. supporting,
6. softness,
7. smoothness,
8. lightness,
9. heat,
10. coldness,
11. flowing,
12. cohesion.

Each characteristic must be discerned first in one place in the body then one must discern it throughout the body.

1. To discern pushing... More