Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.
At Sāvatthi.
“Pathavīdhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantadukkhā abhavissa dukkhānupatitā dukkhāvakkantā anavakkantā sukhena, nayidaṁ sattā pathavīdhātuyā sārajjeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, pathavīdhātu sukhā sukhānupatitā sukhāvakkantā anavakkantā dukkhena, tasmā sattā pathavīdhātuyā sārajjanti.
“Bhikkhus, if the |earth element::whatever internal or external that is solid, hard, resistant, appears stable and supporting, which can be considered as belonging to oneself, and can be clung to [pathavīdhātu]| were exclusively unpleasant, beset by |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|, filled with suffering, and if it were also not associated with |happiness::contentment, ease, pleasant abiding [sukha]|, beings would not be |infatuated::enamoured, attracted [sārajjati]| with the earth element. But because, bhikkhus, the earth element is not exclusively unpleasant, not beset by suffering, not filled with suffering, and is also associated with happiness, beings are infatuated with the earth element.
Āpodhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantadukkhā abhavissa, dukkhānupatitā, dukkhāvakkantā, anavakkantā sukhena, nayidaṁ sattā āpodhātuyā sārajjeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, āpodhātu sukhā, sukhānupatitā, sukhāvakkantā, anavakkantā dukkhena, tasmā sattā āpodhātuyā sārajjanti.
If the |water element::whatever internal or external, that is liquid, cohesive, flowing, binding, moist, which can be considered as belonging to oneself, and can be clung to [āpodhātu]| were exclusively unpleasant, beset by suffering, filled with suffering, and if it were also not associated with happiness, beings would not be infatuated with the water element. But because, bhikkhus, the water element is not exclusively unpleasant, not beset by suffering, not filled with suffering, and is also associated with happiness, beings are infatuated with the water element.
Tejodhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantadukkhā abhavissa, dukkhānupatitā, dukkhāvakkantā, anavakkantā sukhena, nayidaṁ sattā tejodhātuyā sārajjeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, tejodhātu sukhā, sukhānupatitā, sukhāvakkantā, anavakkantā dukkhena, tasmā sattā tejodhātuyā sārajjanti.
If the |fire element::whatever internal or external that is hot, fiery, transformative, warming, cooling, which can be considered as belonging to oneself and can be clung to [tejodhātu]| were exclusively unpleasant, beset by suffering, filled with suffering, and if it were also not associated with happiness, beings would not be infatuated with the fire element. But because, bhikkhus, the fire element is not exclusively unpleasant, not beset by suffering, not filled with suffering, and is also associated with happiness, beings are infatuated with the fire element.
Vāyodhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantadukkhā abhavissa dukkhānupatitā dukkhāvakkantā anavakkantā sukhena, nayidaṁ sattā vāyodhātuyā sārajjeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, vāyodhātu sukhā sukhānupatitā sukhāvakkantā anavakkantā dukkhena, tasmā sattā vāyodhātuyā sārajjanti.
If the |wind element::whatever internal or external that is airy, gaseous, moving, vibrating, wind-like, which can be considered as belonging to oneself and can be clung to [vāyodhātu]| were exclusively unpleasant, beset by suffering, filled with suffering, and if it were also not associated with happiness, beings would not be infatuated with the wind element. But because, bhikkhus, the wind element is not exclusively unpleasant, not beset by suffering, not filled with suffering, and is also associated with happiness, beings are infatuated with the wind element.
Pathavīdhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantasukhā abhavissa sukhānupatitā sukhāvakkantā anavakkantā dukkhena, nayidaṁ sattā pathavīdhātuyā nibbindeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, pathavīdhātu dukkhā dukkhānupatitā dukkhāvakkantā anavakkantā sukhena, tasmā sattā pathavīdhātuyā nibbindanti.
Bhikkhus, if the earth element were |exclusively pleasurable::completely comfortable, totally happy, perfectly at happiness [ekantasukha]|, steeped in pleasure, filled with comfort, and also not associated with suffering, beings would not become |disenchanted with::disillusioned with [nibbindati]| the earth element. But because the earth element is not exclusively pleasurable, not steeped in pleasure, not filled with comfort, and is also associated with suffering, beings become disenchanted with the earth element.
Āpodhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantasukhā abhavissa, sukhānupatitā, sukhāvakkantā, anavakkantā dukkhena, nayidaṁ sattā āpodhātuyā nibbindeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, āpodhātu dukkhā, dukkhānupatitā, dukkhāvakkantā, anavakkantā sukhena, tasmā sattā āpodhātuyā nibbindanti.
If the water element were exclusively pleasurable, steeped in pleasure, filled with comfort, and also not associated with suffering, beings would not become disenchanted with the water element. But because the water element is not exclusively pleasurable, not steeped in pleasure, not filled with comfort, and is also associated with suffering, beings become disenchanted with the water element.
Tejodhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantasukhā abhavissa, sukhānupatitā, sukhāvakkantā, anavakkantā dukkhena, nayidaṁ sattā tejodhātuyā nibbindeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, tejodhātu dukkhā, dukkhānupatitā, dukkhāvakkantā, anavakkantā sukhena, tasmā sattā tejodhātuyā nibbindanti.
If the fire element were exclusively pleasurable, steeped in pleasure, filled with comfort, and also not associated with suffering, beings would not become disenchanted with the fire element. But because the fire element is not exclusively pleasurable, not steeped in pleasure, not filled with comfort, and is also associated with suffering, beings become disenchanted with the fire element.
Vāyodhātu ce hidaṁ, bhikkhave, ekantasukhā abhavissa sukhānupatitā sukhāvakkantā anavakkantā dukkhena, nayidaṁ sattā vāyodhātuyā nibbindeyyuṁ. Yasmā ca kho, bhikkhave, vāyodhātu dukkhā dukkhānupatitā dukkhāvakkantā anavakkantā sukhena, tasmā sattā vāyodhātuyā nibbindantī”ti.
If the wind element were exclusively pleasurable, steeped in pleasure, filled with comfort, and also not associated with suffering, beings would not become disenchanted with the wind element. But because the wind element is not exclusively pleasurable, not steeped in pleasure, not filled with comfort, and is also associated with suffering, beings become disenchanted with the wind element.”