The Buddha describes the three elements - 1) form element, 2) formless element, and 3) element of cessation.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:
“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, dhātuyo. Katamā tisso? Rūpadhātu, arūpadhātu, nirodhadhātu—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso dhātuyo”ti.
“There are these three elements, bhikkhus. The |form element::objects of vision, materials, including the realm and objects of subtle materiality [rūpadhātu]|, the |formless element::states not rooted in materiality, including mental realms and meditative attainments beyond physical form [arūpadhātu]| and the |element of cessation::the complete ending of conditioned phenomena, including the cessation of perception and what is felt, leading to Nibbāna [nirodhadhātu]|. These, bhikkhus, are the three elements.”
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“Rūpadhātuṁ pariññāya,
āruppesu asaṇṭhitā;
Nirodhe ye vimuccanti,
te janā maccuhāyino.
“|Completely comprehending::fully understanding [pariññāya]| the element of form,
And |not caught in::not fixed in, not attached to [asaṇṭhita]| the formless element;
Those who are freed through cessation,
Are the ones |who have gone beyond death::who have transcended mortality [maccuhāyino]|.
Kāyena amataṁ dhātuṁ,
phusayitvā nirūpadhiṁ;
Upadhippaṭinissaggaṁ,
sacchikatvā anāsavo;
Deseti sammāsambuddho,
asokaṁ virajaṁ padan”ti.
Contacting the |deathless::deathless state, epithet of Nibbāna [amata]| with the body,
having reached the state |free from attachment::free from grasping, not taking as mine, not appropriating [nirūpadhi]|;
Through |relinquishing of acquisitions::abandoning of identification [upadhippaṭinissagga]|,
free from the taints, they |personally experience::realize for oneself [sacchikatvā]| [the truth];
The |perfectly Awakened One::fully awakened being, fully enlightened being [sammāsambuddha]| teaches,
the sorrow-free, |unblemished::pure, stainless [viraja]| path.”
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, as I have heard:
“There are these three elements, bhikkhus. The |form element::objects of vision, materials, including the realm and objects of subtle materiality [rūpadhātu]|, the |formless element::states not rooted in materiality, including mental realms and meditative attainments beyond physical form [arūpadhātu]| and the |element of cessation::the complete ending of conditioned phenomena, including the cessation of perception and what is felt, leading to Nibbāna [nirodhadhātu]|. These, bhikkhus, are the three elements.”
The Blessed One spoke on this matter. In this regard, it is said:
“|Completely comprehending::fully understanding [pariññāya]| the element of form,
And |not caught in::not fixed in, not attached to [asaṇṭhita]| the formless element;
Those who are freed through cessation,
Are the ones |who have gone beyond death::who have transcended mortality [maccuhāyino]|.
Contacting the |deathless::deathless state, epithet of Nibbāna [amata]| with the body,
having reached the state |free from attachment::free from grasping, not taking as mine, not appropriating [nirūpadhi]|;
Through |relinquishing of acquisitions::abandoning of identification [upadhippaṭinissagga]|,
free from the taints, they |personally experience::realize for oneself [sacchikatvā]| [the truth];
The |perfectly Awakened One::fully awakened being, fully enlightened being [sammāsambuddha]| teaches,
the sorrow-free, |unblemished::pure, stainless [viraja]| path.”
This matter too was spoken by the Blessed One, as I have heard.
Vuttañhetaṁ bhagavatā vuttamarahatāti me sutaṁ:
“Tisso imā, bhikkhave, dhātuyo. Katamā tisso? Rūpadhātu, arūpadhātu, nirodhadhātu—imā kho, bhikkhave, tisso dhātuyo”ti.
Etamatthaṁ bhagavā avoca. Tatthetaṁ iti vuccati:
“Rūpadhātuṁ pariññāya,
āruppesu asaṇṭhitā;
Nirodhe ye vimuccanti,
te janā maccuhāyino.
Kāyena amataṁ dhātuṁ,
phusayitvā nirūpadhiṁ;
Upadhippaṭinissaggaṁ,
sacchikatvā anāsavo;
Deseti sammāsambuddho,
asokaṁ virajaṁ padan”ti.
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatā, iti me sutanti.