Many ancient philosophies used a set of archetypal classical "elements" to explain patterns in nature. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language An archetype ( pronounced: /ˈɑːkɪtaɪp/ (Brit or /ˈɑrkɪtaɪp/ (Amer Nature, in the broadest sense is equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material world or material universe. The word "element" in this context either refers to a state of matter (e. A state of matter (or physical state, or form of matter) has physical properties which are qualitatively different from other states of matter g. solid/earth, liquid/water, gas/air, plasma/fire) or a phase of matter (as in the Chinese Five Phases), rather than the Chemical elements of modern science. In the Physical sciences a phase is a Set of states of a macroscopic physical system that have relatively uniform chemical composition and physical properties In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing ( or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements, A chemical element is a type of Atom that is distinguished by its Atomic number; that is by the number of Protons in its nucleus.

The Greek Classical Elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and sometimes also "Idea") date from pre-Socratic times and persisted throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, deeply influencing European thought and culture. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere The Hindu and Japanese also had essentially the same five elements: the four states-of-matter, plus a fifth element to describe that which was beyond the material world (non-matter). A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The concept is similarly found in India and China, where it forms the basis of both Buddhism and Hinduism, particularly in an esoteric context. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent.

The modern scientific states-of-matter, and, to a lesser extent, also the periodic table of the elements and the concept of combustion (fire) can be considered successors to such early models. The periodic table of the chemical elements is a tabular method of displaying the Chemical elements Although precursors to this table exist its invention is A chemical element is a type of Atom that is distinguished by its Atomic number; that is by the number of Protons in its nucleus. Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of Exothermic chemical reactions between a Fuel and an Oxidant accompanied by the production of

By contrast the Chinese had a somewhat different series of elements, namely Fire, Earth, Water, Metal and Wood, which were understood as different types of energy in a state of constant interaction and flux with one another, rather than the Western notion of different kinds of material.

Hindu, Japanese, and Greek systems

The dominant theory of classical elements, held by the Hindu, Japanese, and Greek systems of thought, is that there are five elements, namely Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and a fifth element known variously as Idea, Void "quintessence" or Aether (the term "quintessence" derives from "quint" meaning "fifth"). In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness' 'principle' 'reality' or 'truth' Definitions In the Pali canon, the most basic elements are usually identified as four in number but on occasion a fifth and to an even lesser extent a sixth element In Hinduism Vayu ( Sanskrit: वायु, IAST: Vāyu Malay: Bayu Thai: Phra Pai is a primary deity the father of Vedic Meaning Akasha (or Akash, Ākāśa, sa आकाश is the Sanskrit word meaning " aether " in both Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun cognate with Latin ignis Prithvi ( Sanskrit: pṛthvī, also pṛthivī) is the Hindu Earth and Mother Goddess. Bhūma Devī or Bhūmi-Devī or Bhū Devī is the divine wife of Lord Varaha, an Avatar of Lord Vishnu. Japan 's concepts of the five elements are heavily influenced by Buddhism. In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition Bön ( is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition Space is the extent within which Matter is physically extended and objects and Events have positions relative to one another Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing ( or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements, Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization In traditional Chinese philosophy, Metal is classified as one of the Wu xing ( or the Five Elements, also translated as five phases Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition In traditional Chinese philosophy, Wood is classified as one of the Wu xing ( or the Five Elements, also translated as five phases Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills In Greek thought the philosopher Aristotle added aether as the quintessence, reasoning that whereas fire, earth, air, and water were earthly and corruptible, since no changes had been perceived in the heavenly regions, the stars cannot be made out of any of the four elements but must be made of a different, unchangeable, heavenly substance. Aristotle (Greek Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC was a Greek philosopher a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills A star is a massive luminous ball of plasma. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the Energy on Earth ^[1]. The Greek Pythagoreans used the initial letters of these five elements to name the outer angles of their pentagram. "Pythagoras of Samos" redirects here For the Samian statuary of the same name see Pythagoras (sculptor. Early history Sumer The first known uses of the pentagram are found in Mesopotamian writings dating to about 3000 BC

The Greek names of the elements are as follows:

• Γαία, gaia earth
• ὕδωρ, hydor, water
• ἀήρ, aer, air
• εἵλη, heile, heat (fire)
• ἰδέα, idea or ἱερόν, hieron "a divine thing"

These five elements are sometimes associated with the five platonic solids. Gaia (ˈgeɪə or /ˈgaɪə/ (" land " or " Earth " from the Ancient Greek Γαîα also Gæa or Gea EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. An idea is a form (such as a Thought) formed by Consciousness (including Mind) through the Process of ideation. In Geometry, a Platonic solid is a convex Regular polyhedron.

The Japanese and Hindu systems use these same five classical elements but use a different name for the fifth element: void in the Japanese system and aether or akasha in the Hindu system. "Idea" is the preferred modern term, and lends itself well to the idea that algorithms, software, or other similar "cyberspace" processes be categorized as belonging to the fifth element. In other words, just as the mind belongs to Idea, even though the brain is a mixture of solid ("Earth") and liquid ("Water"), software also belongs to Idea even though the hardware it runs on, i. e. silicon chips, etc. , is made from solid ("Earth") matter. ^[2]

The fifth Classical Element (Idea) may be further sub-divided into living and non-living. For example, the mind is an example of a living form of Idea whereas computer software is an example of non-living Idea.

Classical elements in Greece

The Greek classical elements are fire (), earth (), air (), and water (). The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition They represent in Greek philosophy, science, and medicine the realms of the cosmos wherein all things exist and whereof all things consist. Ancient Greek philosophy focused on the role of Reason and Inquiry. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the In its most general sense a cosmos is an orderly or harmonious system The ancient Greek word for element (stoicheion) literally meant "letter (of the alphabet)", the basic unit from which a word is formed.

Plato mentions the elements as of pre-Socratic origin, a list created by the Ionian philosopher Empedocles (ca. Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece The Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers were active before Socrates or contemporaneously but expounding knowledge developed earlier Geography Physical Ionia was of small extent not exceeding 90 geographical miles in length from north to south with a breadth varying from 40 to 55 miles but to this Empedocles ( Greek:, ca 490–430 BC was a Greek Pre-Socratic Philosopher and a citizen of Agrigentum, a Greek colony in 450 BC). Empedocles called these the four "roots"; Plato seems to have been the first to use the term "element (stoicheion)" in reference to air, fire, earth, and water. ^[3]

• Air is primarily wet and secondarily hot. In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance
• Fire is primarily hot and secondarily dry. Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization
• Earth is primarily dry and secondarily cold. Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition
• Water is primarily cold and secondarily wet. Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition

One classic diagram (right) has one square inscribed in the other, with the corners of one being the classical elements, and the corners of the other being the properties. In Geometry, an inscribed Planar Shape or solid is one that is enclosed by and "fits snugly" inside another geometric shape or solid The opposite corner is the opposite of the these properties, "hot - cold" and "dry - wet"

According to Galen, these elements were used by Hippocrates in describing the human body with an association with the four humours: yellow bile (fire), black bile (earth), blood (air), and phlegm (water). Galen ( Greek: Γαληνός Galēnos; Latin: Claudius Galenus, Aelius Galenus, Claudius Aelius Galenus, or Hippocrates of Cos II or Hippokrates of Kos ( ca. 460 BC – ca The human body is the entire physical and mental structure of a Human Organism. Humorism, or humoralism, was a theory of the makeup and workings of the human body adopted by Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers Bile or gall is a bitter yellow or green Alkaline fluid secreted by Hepatocytes from the Liver of most Vertebrates In many species Blood is a specialized Bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells ��such as nutrients and oxygen—and transports Waste products Phlegm ( is sticky Fluid secreted by the Mucous membranes of Humans and other Animals.

The concept of the classical elements proved extremely persistent in Europe, lasting through the Middle Ages to the early modern era. Just as the Aristotelian dogma was related to the Greek world view, the idea of classical elements in the Middle Ages composed a large part of the medieval world view. Aristotle (Greek Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC was a Greek philosopher a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek, plural) is the established Belief or A comprehensive world view (or worldview) is a term Calqued from the German word Weltanschauung ( Welt is the German The Roman Catholic Church supported the Aristotelian concept of aether because it supported the Christian view of earthly life as impermanent and heaven as eternal. According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond

In Western astrology the concept of the four classical elements has survived from antiquity up until the present. Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Astrology has used the concept of Classical elements from antiquity up until the present The twelve signs of the zodiac are divided into the four elements: Fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, Air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, and Water signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Astrological signs represent twelve equal segments or divisions of the Zodiac. Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic In astrology, a fire sign refers to any of the three signs Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius. In traditional Western astrology an earth sign is considered to be one of the earth Triplicity, which is Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn In Astrology, the air signs consist of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. In astrology a water sign' refers to any of the signs Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces. Most modern astrologers still view the four classical elements as a critical part of interpreting the astrological chart. An astrologer practices one or more forms of Astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a Horoscope for the time of an event such as a person's birth and interprets In Natal astrology, a natal chart is a Horoscope /astrological chart drawn for the exact time of an individual's birth at a particular place on Earth

In divinatory tarot,the suits of cups, swords, wands (batons) and pentacles (coins) are said to correspond to water, air, fire, and earth respectively. These correspond in the modern deck of playing cards to hearts, spades, clubs, and diamonds. A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper thin card or thin plastic figured with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing Card games

Classical elements in Hinduism

Main article: Tattva

The pancha mahabhuta, or "five great elements", of Hinduism are khsiti or bhumi (earth), ap or jala (water), agni or tejas (fire), marut or pavan (air or wind), and byom or akasha (aether). Tattva is a Sanskrit word meaning 'thatness' 'principle' 'reality' or 'truth' Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun cognate with Latin ignis Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization See Maruts for the group of Vedic deities or Maruti for the wind god see HAL HF-24 Marut for the aircraft In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) Vedic Meaning Akasha (or Akash, Ākāśa, sa आकाश is the Sanskrit word meaning " aether " in both According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills Hindus believe that God used akasha to create the other four traditional elements, and that the knowledge of all human experience is imprinted in the akashic records. The akashic records ( Akasha is a Sanskrit word meaning " Sky " " Space " or " Aether " is a term used in

Classical elements in early Buddhism

Main article: Mahābhūta

In the Pali literature, the mahabhuta ("great elements") or catudhatu ("four elements") are earth, water, fire and air. Definitions In the Pali canon, the most basic elements are usually identified as four in number but on occasion a fifth and to an even lesser extent a sixth element Pali literature is concerned mainly with Theravada Buddhism, of which Pali is the traditional language Definitions In the Pali canon, the most basic elements are usually identified as four in number but on occasion a fifth and to an even lesser extent a sixth element In early Buddhism, the four elements are a basis for understanding suffering and for liberating oneself from suffering.

The Buddha's teaching regarding the four elements is to be understood as the base of all observation of real sensations rather than as a philosophy. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The four properties are cohesion (water), solidity or inertia (earth), expansion or vibration (air) and heat or calorific content (fire). He taught that all mind and matter is ultimately composed of eight types of 'kalapas' of which the four elements are primary and a secondary group of four are color, smell, taste, and nutriment which are derivative from the four primaries. Kalapas constitute a heuristic categorization of phenomena in the discourses of the Buddha.

The Buddha's teaching of the four elements does predate Greek teaching of the same four elements. This is possibly explained by the fact that he sent out 60 arahants to the known world to spread his teaching, however it differs in the fact that the Buddha taught that the 4 elements are false and that form is in fact made up of much smaller particles which are constantly changing. In the sramanic traditions of ancient India (most notably those of Mahavira and Gautama Buddha) arhat ( Sanskrit) or arahant

Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997) renders an extract of Shakyamuni Buddha's (Kayagata-sati Sutta MN 119) from Pali into English thus:

"Furthermore, the monk contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in terms of properties: `In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property. Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff (1949 -) is an American Buddhist monk of the Thai forest Kammatthana tradition Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The Majjhima Nikaya (-nikāya "Collection of Middle-length Discourses" is a Buddhist scripture the second of the five Nikayas or collections in the ' Just as a skilled butcher or his apprentice, having killed a cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up into pieces, the monk contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in terms of properties: `In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property. '^[4]

Classical elements in the Seven Chakras

In the philosophy of the Seven Chakras there are correspondences to the five elements as shared by both Hinduism and Buddhism as well as two other elements:

• Sahasrara (Crown): Thought/Space
• Ajña (Third Eye): Light/Dark
• Vishuddhi (Throat): Ether/Sound
• Anahata (Heart): Air
• Manipura (Navel): Fire
• Svadhisthana (Sacral): Water
• Muladhara (Root): Earth

Classical elements in Japan

Main article: Five elements (Japanese philosophy)

Japanese traditions use a set of elements called the 五大 (go dai, literally "five great"). Chakra ( Pali: chakka Tibetan: khorlo Malay: cakera is a Sanskrit term meaning Circle or Wheel Japan 's concepts of the five elements are heavily influenced by Buddhism. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. These five are earth, water, fire, wind/air, and void. Earth, home and origin of humanity has often been worshipped in its own right with its own unique spiritual tradition Water has been important to all peoples of the earth and it is rich in spiritual tradition Fire has been an important part of many cultures and religions from pre-history to modern day and was vital to the development of civilization In traditional cultures air is often seen as a universal power or pure substance According to ancient and medieval science, aether (Greek grc αἰθήρ aithēr) also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills These came from Buddhist beliefs; the classical Chinese elements (五行, go gyô) are also prominent in Japanese culture, especially to the influential Neo-Confucianists during the Edo period. The, also referred to as the Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa-jidai) is a division of Japanese history running from 1603 to 1868

• Earth represented things that were solid.
• Water represented things that were liquid.
• Fire represented things that destroyed.
• Wind/Air represented things that moved.
• Void represented things not of our everyday life.

Classical elements in Bön

In Bön or ancient Tibetan philosophy , the five elemental processes of: earth, water, fire, air and space are the essential stuff of all existent phenomena or aggregates (ref. Bön ( is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five Space is the extent within which Matter is physically extended and objects and Events have positions relative to one another A phenomenon (from Greek φαινόμενoν, pl φαινόμενα - phenomena) is any observable occurrence In Buddhist phenomenology and Soteriology, the five skandhas ( Sanskrit) or khandhas ( Pāli) are five "aggregates" Skandha). In Buddhist phenomenology and Soteriology, the five skandhas ( Sanskrit) or khandhas ( Pāli) are five "aggregates" The elemental processes form the basis of the calendar, astrology, medicine, psychology and are the foundation of the spiritual traditions of shamanism, tantra and Dzogchen. The word Calendar consist of two words 1 Cal ( in Pashto means Year in Hindi and Persian is Sal- also means Year Astrology (from Greek grc ἄστρον astron, "constellation star" and grc -λογία -logia) is a group of Systems Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric According to some schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Dzogchen is the natural primordial state or natural condition of every sentient Being

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche^[5] comprehensively states:

". Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche ( Tib o thog bstan 'dzin dbang rgyal is a teacher ( Lama) of the Bön Tibetan religious tradition . . physical properties are assigned to the elements: earth is solidity; water is cohesion; fire is temperature; air is motion; and space is the spatial dimension that accommodates the other four active elements. In addition, the elements are correlated to different emotions, temperaments, directions, colors, tastes, body types, illnesses, thinking styles, and character. From the five elements arise the five senses and the five fields of sensual experience; the five negative emotions and the five wisdoms; and the five extensions of the body. They are the five primary pranas or vital energies. They are the constituents of every physical, sensual, mental, and spiritual phenomenon. "

The names of the elements are analogous to categorised experiential sensations of the natural world. The names are symbolic and key to their inherent qualities and/or modes of action by analogy. A name ( Etymology: from OE nama akin to OHG namo, Latin Nomen, and Greek όνομα ( The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece Analogy is both the cognitive process of transferring Information from a particular subject (the analogue or source to another particular subject (the target and In Bön the elemental processes are fundamental metaphors for working with external, internal and secret energetic forces. Bön ( is the oldest spiritual tradition of Tibet. Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth Dalai Lama, has recognized the Bön tradition as the fifth principal spiritual Metaphor (from the Greek: μεταφορά - metaphora, meaning "transfer" is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects All five elemental processes in their essential purity are inherent in the mindstream and link the trikaya and are aspects of primordial energy. Mindstream is a compound Lexical item composed of Mind and Stream used to translate a term from Buddhist philosophy. The Trikaya doctrine ( Sanskrit, literally "Three bodies or personalities" 三身 Chinese: Sānshén, Japanese: sanjin) In Physics and other Sciences energy (from the Greek grc ἐνέργεια - Energeia, "activity operation" from grc ἐνεργός As Herbert V. Günther^[6] rather unfathomably states:

"Thus, bearing in mind that thought struggles incessantly against the treachery of language and that what we observe and describe is the observer himself [sic. Herbert V Günther Was born March 17, 1917, and died March 11 2006 at Saskatoon Saskatchewan ], we may nonetheless proceed to investigate the successive phases in our becoming human beings. Throughout these phases, the experience (das Erlebnis) of ourselves as an intensity (imaged and felt as a "god", lha) setting up its own spatiality (imaged and felt as a "house" khang) is present in various intensities of illumination that occur within ourselves as a "temple. " A corollary of this Erlebnis is its light character manifesting itself in various "frequencies" or colors. This is to say, since we are beings of light we display this light in a multiplicity of nuances. "^[7]

In the above block quote the trikaya is encoded as: dharmakaya "god"; sambhogakaya "temple" and nirmanakaya "house". The Trikaya doctrine ( Sanskrit, literally "Three bodies or personalities" 三身 Chinese: Sānshén, Japanese: sanjin) The Dharmakāya (lit Truth Body or Reality Body is a central concept in Mahayana Buddhism forming part of the Trikaya doctrine that was first expounded in the The Sambhogakāya ( Sanskrit: "body of enjoyment" Tib longs The Trikaya doctrine ( Sanskrit, literally "Three bodies or personalities" 三身 Chinese: Sānshén, Japanese: sanjin)

Classical elements in China

Main article: Wu Xing

In Taoism there is a similar system of elements, which includes metal and wood, but excludes air, which is replaced with qi, which is a force or energy rather than an element. In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing ( or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements, Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions In traditional Chinese philosophy, Metal is classified as one of the Wu xing ( or the Five Elements, also translated as five phases In traditional Chinese philosophy, Wood is classified as one of the Wu xing ( or the Five Elements, also translated as five phases In traditional Chinese culture, qi (zh [[wikt氣 氣]] Pinyin qì, Wade-Giles ch'i Jyutping In Chinese philosophy the universe consists of heaven and earth, heaven being made of qi and earth being made of the five elements (in the Chinese view, the attributes and properties of the Wastern and Indian Air element are equivalent to that of Wood, where the element of Ether is often seen as a correspondent to Metal). The five major planets are associated with and named after the elements: Venus is gold, Jupiter is wood, Mercury is Water, Mars is Fire, and Saturn is Earth. A planet, as defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU is a celestial body Orbiting a Star or stellar remnant that is The VENUS ( V ictoria E xperimental N etwork U nder the S ea project is a cabled sea floor observatory operated by the University Additionally, the Moon represents Yin, and the Sun represents Yang. In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang ( is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are bound together intertwined and interdependent in the The Sun (Sol is the Star at the center of the Solar System. In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang ( is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are bound together intertwined and interdependent in the Yin, Yang, and the five elements are recurring themes in the I Ching, the oldest of Chinese classical texts which describes an ancient system of cosmology and philosophy. The I Ching ( Wade-Giles) or “Yì Jīng” ( Pinyin) also called “Classic of Changes” or “Book of Changes” is one of the oldest of the Cosmology (from Greek grc κοσμολογία - grc κόσμος kosmos, "universe" and grc -λογία -logia) is study Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language The five elements also play an important part in Chinese astrology and the Chinese form of geomancy known as Feng shui

The doctrine of five phases describes two cycles of balance, a generating or creation (生, shēng) cycle and an overcoming or destruction (克/剋, kè) cycle of interactions between the phases. The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle Each year of the 12 year cycle is named after one of the original 12 animals Feng shui ( ˈfəŋˌʃueɪ fehng-shway in English is an ancient Chinese system of Aesthetics believed to utilize the Laws of both heaven (astronomy and earth (geography

Generating

• Wood feeds fire;
• Fire creates earth (ash);
• Earth bears metal;
• Metal collects water;
• Water nourishes wood.

Overcoming

• Wood parts earth;
• Earth absorbs water;
• Water quenches fire;
• Fire melts metal;
• Metal chops wood.

There are also two cycles of imbalance, an overacting cycle (cheng) and an insulting cycle (wu).

Modern Western approaches

The five classical elements continue to be important as a way of explaining the world in modern Western thought, even if they have been discarded by modern science. Some of the different systems that continue to use the five elements are esoteric movements such as neo-paganism, astrology and tarot, and movements in music and popular culture generally. Others have drawn similarities between the classical elements and innovations within modern science.

Neo-Paganism

In Neo-Paganism, it is believed that all living things are a part of nature. Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an Umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements particularly those influenced by historical Not only do some Neo-Pagans, [Pagans] and Wiccans believe that the all things are made of and follow the Four Elements, but some use the Classical Greek elements in Celtic, Egyptian, and Mediterranean rituals to summon the power of the divine forces in nature. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now

Below is a chart showing a belief in the Elements in nature.

*Inclusion of lightning varying on the belief, or sometimes just varying in name like Aether or Spirit

Classical elements in sound and music

Physics-based musical instrument classification is based on the state of matter (classical element) in which the instrument produces the initial sound

Physical organology is a musical instrument classification scheme in which the top-level taxon is the state-of-matter in which sound is initially produced. In common historic and modern usage a hearth (Har-th is a Brick - or stone -lined Fireplace or Oven used for Cooking and/or Heating Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to A gemstone or gem, also called a precious or semi-precious stone, is a piece of attractive Mineral, which &mdash when cut and polished &mdash A LAND attack is a DoS (Denial of Service attack that consists of sending a special poison spoofed packet to a computer causing it to lock up An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer Temperature and layers The temperature of the Earth's atmosphere varies with altitude the mathematical relationship between temperature and altitude varies among five In Meteorology, a cyclone refers to an area of closed circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. Bioelectromagnetism (sometimes equated with bioelectricity) refers to the electrical magnetic or Electromagnetic fields produced by living cells tissues At various times and in various different cultures various schemes of Musical instrument classification have been used ^{[2][8][9][10]}

Quintessence/idea is used to describe instruments that make sound from non-matter, i. e. electrically (analog or digital), algorithmically, computationally, or in cyberspace.

An acoustic transducer converts between sound that occurs in one of the four elements, and the fifth element, e. A transducer is a device usually electrical, electronic, Electro-mechanical, Electromagnetic, Photonic, or Photovoltaic g. a microphone converts sound in Air to sound in Idea (informatics). A hydrophone converts sound in Water to sound in Idea/informatics, etc. .

These four classes of transducer are as follows:

• geophones convert sound in Earth to sound in Idea, or vice-versa;
• hydrophones convert sound in Water to sound in Idea or vice-versa;
• microphones convert sound in Air to sound in Idea, whereas loudspeakers convert sound in Idea to sound in Air;
• ionophones convert sound in Fire (Plasma) to sound in Idea or vice-versa. The term geophone derives from the Greek word "geo" meaning " earth " and "phone" meaning "sound" A hydrophone (Greek "hydro" = "water" and "phone" = "sound" is a Microphone designed to be used underwater for recording or listening For the Marty Friedman album see Loudspeaker (album A loudspeaker, speaker, or speaker system is an electroacoustical An ionophone is a transducer for converting acoustic vibrations in plasma into an electrical signal or for converting an electrical signal into acoustic vibrations in plasma It can be used

In 1987 composer Robert Steadman wrote a chamber symphony each movement of which musically depicts the characteristics of the ancient Greek elements: fire, water, wind and earth. A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance Robert Steadman (born April 1 1965) is a British Composer of classical music who mostly works in a Post-minimalist style A symphony is a Musical composition, often extended and usually for Orchestra. A movement is a self-contained part of a Musical composition or Musical form. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c

Classical elements in popular culture

Main article: Classical elements in popular culture

The classical elements are often used together thematically in modern fantasy, literature, movies, television shows, and comic books. Classical elements have been frequently used in pop culture in genres such as Fantasy, Literature, Film, Humor, Television, Computer Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative

See also

• Elemental
• Phlogiston theory
• Table of correspondences

References

External links

• Different versions of the classical elements
• Void Element in Chinese Yoga
• Section on 4 elements in Buddhism
• 7 elements correspondence to the Hindu/Bhuddhist Chakras & [2]