The Buddha describes the diversity of elements that shapes one’s experience.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Dhātunānattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“I will teach you the diversity of elements, bhikkhus. Listen to this and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:
“Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhātunānattaṁ?
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements?
Cakkhudhātu rūpadhātu cakkhuviññāṇadhātu,
sotadhātu saddadhātu sotaviññāṇadhātu,
ghānadhātu gandhadhātu ghānaviññāṇadhātu,
jivhādhātu rasadhātu jivhāviññāṇadhātu,
kāyadhātu phoṭṭhabbadhātu kāyaviññāṇadhātu,
manodhātu dhammadhātu manoviññāṇadhātu.
The |eye element::faculty of vision [cakkhudhātu]|, the |form element::objects of vision, materials, including the realm and objects of subtle materiality [rūpadhātu]|, and the |eye-consciousness element::visual awareness [cakkhuviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |ear element::hearing faculty [sotadhātu]|, the |sound element::auditory element, sounds, noises, voices [saddadhātu]|, and the |ear-consciousness element::auditory awareness [sotaviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |nose element::faculty of perceiving odors [ghānadhātu]|, the |odor element::smells, scents, aroma, fragrances [gandhadhātu]|, and the |nose-consciousness element::awareness of smells [ghānaviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |tongue element::faculty of perceiving taste [jivhādhātu]|, the |taste element::tastes, flavors [rasadhātu]|, and the |tongue-consciousness element::awareness of tastes [jivhāviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |body element::faculty of perceiving tactile sensations [kāyadhātu]|, the |tangible object element::the elemental basis for touch sensation—such as hardness, softness, warmth, coolness, pressure, movement, or contact with textures and bodies—anything that, when contacted by the body, can give rise to tactile experience and potentially become an object of desire, arousal, comfort, or emotional attachment [phoṭṭhabbadhātu]|, and the |body-consciousness element::awareness of physical felt experiences [kāyaviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |mind element::mentality [manodhātu]|, the |mental object element::the elemental basis for mental phenomena—such as thoughts, emotions, perceptions, volitions, conceptual constructs, and internal representations—that arise within the mind and form the condition for knowing, imagining, interpreting, or craving [dhammadhātu]|, and the |mind-consciousness element::knowing, mental awareness [manoviññāṇadhātu]|.
Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhātunānattan”ti.
This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements.”
At Sāvatthi.
“I will teach you the diversity of elements, bhikkhus. Listen to this and pay close attention, I will speak.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements?
The |eye element::faculty of vision [cakkhudhātu]|, the |form element::objects of vision, materials, including the realm and objects of subtle materiality [rūpadhātu]|, and the |eye-consciousness element::visual awareness [cakkhuviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |ear element::hearing faculty [sotadhātu]|, the |sound element::auditory element, sounds, noises, voices [saddadhātu]|, and the |ear-consciousness element::auditory awareness [sotaviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |nose element::faculty of perceiving odors [ghānadhātu]|, the |odor element::smells, scents, aroma, fragrances [gandhadhātu]|, and the |nose-consciousness element::awareness of smells [ghānaviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |tongue element::faculty of perceiving taste [jivhādhātu]|, the |taste element::tastes, flavors [rasadhātu]|, and the |tongue-consciousness element::awareness of tastes [jivhāviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |body element::faculty of perceiving tactile sensations [kāyadhātu]|, the |tangible object element::the elemental basis for touch sensation—such as hardness, softness, warmth, coolness, pressure, movement, or contact with textures and bodies—anything that, when contacted by the body, can give rise to tactile experience and potentially become an object of desire, arousal, comfort, or emotional attachment [phoṭṭhabbadhātu]|, and the |body-consciousness element::awareness of physical felt experiences [kāyaviññāṇadhātu]|;
the |mind element::mentality [manodhātu]|, the |mental object element::the elemental basis for mental phenomena—such as thoughts, emotions, perceptions, volitions, conceptual constructs, and internal representations—that arise within the mind and form the condition for knowing, imagining, interpreting, or craving [dhammadhātu]|, and the |mind-consciousness element::knowing, mental awareness [manoviññāṇadhātu]|.
This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements.”
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Dhātunānattaṁ vo, bhikkhave, desessāmi. Taṁ suṇātha, sādhukaṁ manasi karotha, bhāsissāmī”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:
“Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhātunānattaṁ?
Cakkhudhātu rūpadhātu cakkhuviññāṇadhātu,
sotadhātu saddadhātu sotaviññāṇadhātu,
ghānadhātu gandhadhātu ghānaviññāṇadhātu,
jivhādhātu rasadhātu jivhāviññāṇadhātu,
kāyadhātu phoṭṭhabbadhātu kāyaviññāṇadhātu,
manodhātu dhammadhātu manoviññāṇadhātu.
Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhātunānattan”ti.