Five Elements
Five principal substances in Chinese thought, which are
- 1. Wood
- 2. Fire
- 3. Earth
- 4. Metal
- 5. Water
The five elements ('byung ba lnga) Earth, water, fire, air and space. (sa chu me rlung nam mkha') [RY]
khams drug ldan pa'i rdo rje'i lus - Vajra body endowed with the six elements. The six outer elements are the five elements and the element of mental objects (chos khams).
The six inner elements are flesh, blood, warmth, breath, vacuities and the all-ground consciousness.
The six secret elements are the nadis as the stable earth element, the syllable HANG at the crown of the head as the liquid water element, the A-stroke at the navel center as the warm fire element, the life-prana (srog gi rlung) as the moving wind element, the avadhuti as the void space element, and the all-ground wisdom as the cognizant wisdom element. This last category is the uncommon explanation. (RY)
khams lnga'i yon tan - the properties of the five elements [such as texture, taste, sound, form or smell] [RY]
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