Tatiyasamaṇabrāhmaṇasutta
Ascetics and Brahmins (3rd)
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
“Ye hi keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā pathavīdhātuṁ nappajānanti, pathavīdhātusamudayaṁ nappajānanti, pathavīdhātunirodhaṁ nappajānanti, pathavīdhātunirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti …pe…
“Mendicants, there are ascetics and brahmins who don’t understand the earth element, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.
āpodhātuṁ nappajānanti …
They don’t understand the water element …
tejodhātuṁ nappajānanti …
fire element …
vāyodhātuṁ nappajānanti, vāyodhātusamudayaṁ nappajānanti, vāyodhātunirodhaṁ nappajānanti, vāyodhātunirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ nappajānanti, na me te, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā samaṇesu vā samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu vā brāhmaṇasammatā;
air element …
na ca pana te āyasmanto sāmaññatthaṁ vā brahmaññatthaṁ vā diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharanti.
Those venerables don’t realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and don’t live having realized it with their own insight.
Ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā pathavīdhātuṁ pajānanti, pathavīdhātusamudayaṁ pajānanti, pathavīdhātunirodhaṁ pajānanti, pathavīdhātunirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti …
There are ascetics and brahmins who do understand the earth element, its origin, its cessation, and the practice that leads to its cessation.
ye ca kho keci, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā …pe… āpodhātuṁ pajānanti …
They do understand the water element …
tejodhātuṁ pajānanti …
the fire element …
vāyodhātuṁ pajānanti, vāyodhātusamudayaṁ pajānanti, vāyodhātunirodhaṁ pajānanti, vāyodhātunirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ pajānanti, te ca kho me, bhikkhave, samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā samaṇesu ceva samaṇasammatā brāhmaṇesu ca brāhmaṇasammatā;
the air element …
te ca panāyasmanto sāmaññatthañca brahmaññatthañca diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharantī”ti.
Those venerables realize the goal of life as an ascetic or brahmin, and live having realized it with their own insight.”
Catasso pubbe acariṁ,
nocedañca dukkhena ca;
Abhinandañca uppādo,
tayo samaṇabrāhmaṇāti.
Dhātusaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.
The Linked Discourses on the elements are complete.
