Material Form Is Composed of the Seeds of the Four Great Elements

Every material form (rūpa) is composed of the seeds of the four great elements. Even the earth is formed from the seeds of the four great elements; water is formed from the seeds of the four great elements; fire is formed from the seeds of the four great elements; and wind is also formed from the seeds of the four great elements. Therefore, material form has multiple functions, not merely one. Water not only has the property of wetness and the property of submerging, but also has force, temperature, and the property of motion. Wind not only has the property of drifting and floating, but also has force and temperature, as well as hardness—when it blows against the body, one feels pain. Fire not only has temperature and the property of burning, but also has force, the property of fluctuation, and even the property of wetness. Earth not only has hardness, but also has wetness and temperature, and also has the property of motion.