How to develop Four-Elements Meditation
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| Full of practical info, not theory |
In the Pali language texts, there are two ways for developing the 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
Maha Satipatthana Sutta (the “Greater Discourse on Setting Up the Four Foundations of Mindfulness”): A meditator reviews this very body however it is positioned
or placed as consisting of just elements: “There are in this
body just the earth-element, the water-element, the fire-element,
and the air-element” (
The Path of Purification,
Visuddhimagga, Ch.XI, para. 41–43) explains further:
First, one of quick understanding who wishes to develop
this meditation should go to a solitary place. Then one should
advert [turn attention towards] one's entire material body and discern the elements in
brief in this way:
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| Western (British) Sayalay now Beth Upton |
“In this body
- what is hard or rough is [to be regarded as] 'earth
element,'
- what is flowing or cohesive is 'water-element,'
- what
is maturing (ripening) or heat [temperature] is 'fire-element,'
- what is pushing
or supporting is 'air-element.'”
One should advert and give
attention to it and review it again and again as [simply] “earth-element,
water-element, fire-element, air-element,” that is to say, as mere
elements [components, qualities, characteristics], not as a being but as selfless.
As one applies attention in this way, in no long time, concentration [stillness] arises, which is reinforced by understanding that illuminates the classification [labelling] of the
elements.
This is only
access-concentration* and does not reach
absorption [a fully absorbed or concentrated condition] because it has states with individual essences as its object.
- [*“Neighborhood or access-concentration” (upacÄra-samÄdhi) is the degree of concentration (stillness, centeredness, mental-settling, focus) just before entering the absorptions or jhÄnas.]
Alternatively, there are these four [bodily] parts mentioned by
Ven. Sariputta for the purpose of showing the absence of any self in the Four (great primary) Elements:
“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 each of these, separating them out by the
hand of knowledge, then discern in the way already stated (above): “In these what is hardness…as its objects.”
- 1. Earth-element: hardness, roughness, heaviness,
softness, smoothness, lightness.
- 2. Water-element: flowing, cohesion.
- 3. Fire-element: heat, coldness.
- 4. Air-element: supporting, pushing [for a total of 12 characteristics lumped into four categories called the Four Elements, the dhatu or maha-bhuta].
To learn this meditation, one must 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 first be taught the characteristics that are easier [more obvious] to discern then the more difficult [subtle] ones later. The “Four” Elements are therefore usually taught in this order:
- pushing,
- hardness,
- roughness,
- heaviness,
- supporting,
- softness,
- smoothness,
- lightness,
- heat,
- coldness,
- flowing,
- cohesion.
Each characteristic must be discerned first in one place in the body then one must try discerning that same characteristic throughout the body.
1. To discern “pushing”...
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I don't get it. Help!
Fortunately for us in the United States, Americans have gone to Burma, practiced under Pa Auk Sayadaw, succeeded in attaining the absorptions and insight and on occasion written books about it. They are in America. They teach. We can recommend these seven:
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