The Buddha teaches Rāhula to contemplate the earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness elements as impermanent, suffering, and not-self—not fit to be regarded as “mine, I am this, my self”—until disenchantment, fading of desire, and liberation arise.
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula, pathavīdhātu niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“āpodhātu …pe… tejodhātu … vāyodhātu … ākāsadhātu … viññāṇadhātu niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako pathavīdhātuyāpi nibbindati …pe… āpodhātuyāpi nibbindati … tejodhātuyāpi nibbindati … vāyodhātuyāpi nibbindati … ākāsadhātuyāpi nibbindati … viññāṇadhātuyāpi nibbindati …pe… pajānātī”ti.
Navamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthī.
“Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, rāhula,
“What do you think, Rāhula?
pathavīdhātu niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is the earth element permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“āpodhātu …pe…
“… the water element …
tejodhātu …
the fire element …
vāyodhātu …
the air element …
ākāsadhātu …
the space element …
viññāṇadhātu niccā vā aniccā vā”ti?
Is the consciousness element permanent or impermanent?”
“Aniccā, bhante” …
“Impermanent, sir.” …
“evaṁ passaṁ, rāhula, sutavā ariyasāvako pathavīdhātuyāpi nibbindati …pe… āpodhātuyāpi nibbindati … tejodhātuyāpi nibbindati … vāyodhātuyāpi nibbindati … ākāsadhātuyāpi nibbindati … viññāṇadhātuyāpi nibbindati …pe…
“Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with the earth element, water element, fire element, air element, space element, and consciousness element …”
pajānātī”ti.
Navamaṁ.
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Last updated on July 27, 2026