鞞婆沙六界處第二十一
Chapter 21: The Six Elements in the Vibhāṣā
六界者，地界、水界、火界、風界、空界、識界。
The six elements are the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element.
問曰：何以故作此論？
Question: Why was this treatise composed?
答曰：此是佛契經。此佛契經十八界總已說六界。
Reply: This is the Buddha's sutra. In this Buddha's sutra, of the eighteen elements, six elements have already been fully explained.
問曰：何以故此佛契經十八界總已說六界？
Question: Why does this Buddha's sutra, after having comprehensively taught the eighteen elements, then teach the six elements?
答曰：為教化故。世尊教化，或有利根、或有鈍根，利根者說六界，鈍根者說十八界。如利根鈍根，如是因力緣力、內力外力、內思惟長養從他聞，盡當知。或曰：略者說六，廣者說十八。如略如廣，如是分別不分別、卷及舒、改不改、漸漸一時，盡當知。以是故作此論。六界者，地界、水界、火界、風界、空界、識界。此六界，於十八界中攝十界，七界少所入。攝十界者，四大及空界攝十界：眼界色界、耳界聲界、鼻界香界、舌界味界、身界細滑界。七界少所入者，識界攝七心界。少所入，謂彼有漏無漏，謂有漏者攝、無漏者不攝，是故少所入。六界者，地界、水界、火界、風界、空界、識界。
Answer: It is for the sake of teaching and guiding beings. The World-Honored One's teaching and guidance addresses those of sharp faculties and those of dull faculties: for those of sharp faculties he teaches the six elements, for those of dull faculties he teaches the eighteen elements. Just as with sharp and dull faculties, so too should it be understood with respect to the power of causes and the power of conditions, inner power and outer power, inner reflection and cultivation, and hearing from others—all should be understood in this way. Some say: the concise teaching presents six, the extensive teaching presents eighteen. Just as with the concise and the extensive, so too should it be understood with respect to differentiation and non-differentiation, rolling up and unfolding, alteration and non-alteration, gradual and simultaneous—all should be understood in this way. For this reason this treatise is composed. The six elements are: the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element. These six elements are included within the eighteen elements: they comprise ten elements, while seven elements are only partially included. "They comprise ten elements": the four great elements and the space element comprise ten elements—the eye element and visible-form element, the ear element and sound element, the nose element and odor element, the tongue element and flavor element, the body element and tangible element. "Seven elements are only partially included": the consciousness element comprises the seven mind elements. "Only partially included" means that these may be defiled or undefiled—the defiled are included, the undefiled are not included; therefore it is only partially included. The six elements are: the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the wind element, the space element, and the consciousness element.
問曰：地界云何？
Question: What is the earth element?
答曰：佛契經說：地界云何？堅是。此佛總說。地界云何？堅是。但彼堅無量差別，內異外亦異。外異者，如此屋牆壁，樹木巖石山，金銀琉璃摩尼水精珠，銅鐵鉛錫白鑞。內異者，如髮毛爪齒筋骨、脾腎心肝腸胃腹、大小便手足異，及餘支節異。足極堅非手，謂內外堅。彼一切總已說：地界云何？堅是。
Answer: The Buddha’s sutras say: What is the earth element? It is solidity. This is the Buddha’s general statement: “What is the earth element? It is solidity.” But solidity has countless varieties; what is inside differs, and what is outside also differs.
What differs outside includes such things as the walls of this house, trees and rocks and mountains, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, pearls, copper, iron, lead, tin, and white pewter.
What differs inside includes hair, body hair, nails, teeth, sinews and bones, spleen, kidneys, heart, liver, intestines, stomach, belly, urine and feces, and the differences among hands and feet, as well as the differences among the other limbs and parts. A foot is extremely solid but is not a hand—this refers to solidity inside and outside.
All of these together have already been stated: “What is the earth element? It is solidity.”
問曰：水界云何？
Question: What is the water element?
答曰：佛契經說：水界云何？濕是。此佛總說。水界云何？濕是。但彼濕無量差別，內異外亦異。內異者，如此目淚涎唾、膏肪膸腦膽、膿血小便，支節間各異。外異者，涌泉深淵流水、澹水河水池水大海，至下水輪，謂內外濕。彼一切總已說：水界云何？濕是。
Answer: The Buddha's sutras say: "What is the water element? Moisture." This is the Buddha's general statement. "What is the water element? Moisture." But that moisture has countless variations—internal moisture differs, and external moisture differs too. Internal differences include tears, saliva, spittle, fat, marrow, brain, bile, pus, blood, and urine, each differing among the limbs and body parts. External differences include springs, deep pools, flowing streams, still water, rivers, ponds, and the great ocean, down to the water circle beneath the earth. These are what is meant by internal and external moisture. All of this has already been stated in summary: "What is the water element? Moisture."
問曰：火界云何？
答曰：佛契經說：火界云何？熱是。此佛總說。火界云何？熱是。但彼熱無量差別，內異外亦異。內異者，令身熱身溫暖、身燒身燋熱得名數，飲食噉味令身安隱，手足各異支節亦異。外異者，如炬火燈火、大聚火極大火、鑽火泥犁火沃燋火，謂內極利非外。謂此飲食舉著釜中極煮色不變，食入腹中已色即變，謂內外熱。彼一切總已說：火界云何？熱是。
問曰：風界云何？
答曰：佛契經說：風界云何？謂吹起是。此佛總說風界。云何吹起是？但吹起無量差別，內異外亦異。內異者，下風上風支節風腹中風力風脊風、起風屈申風喘息風百脈風，支節間各異。外異者，如塵土風無塵風、隨藍風飄風、成敗風不成敗風至風輪，謂內外吹起。彼一切總已說：風界云何？吹起是。
問曰：空界云何？
答曰：佛契經說：空界云何？謂色邊色。謂色者，造色是。於彼間施設，如眼空耳空鼻空口空咽喉空、飲食來往處空、住消處空、下過處空。更有說者，空界云何？空邊色是。此說空色、不空色。不空色者眾生數，空色者非眾生數。謂彼空非眾生數色邊施設，如樹間葉間、牆間屋間、牖間戶間，是謂空非眾生數色邊施設。舊阿毘曇說：皮性膜性、肉性筋性、骨性髓性，色可知處亦可知。尊者婆須蜜說曰：云何知有空界？答曰：契經可知。世尊亦說，謂此空中空諸所，色覆所不覆。
問曰：云何契經可知非現知耶？
答曰：現亦可知。謂晝所有明是空界所有，謂夜所有闇是空界所有。重說曰：形可知，處亦可知。重說曰：夜闇障故不見，晝明障故不見。尊者曇摩多羅說曰：諸尊！空界雖不可知，但非無智處。空界是色非是色，亦非此住非彼住。亦非空者，相貌聲世轉可知。
問曰：空、空界何差別？
答曰：空者非色，空界是色。空者不可見，空界者可見。空者無對，空界者有對。空者無為，空界者有為。
問曰：此論中更有論生。若空無為者，此契經云何通？彼時世尊手捫摸空，手捫摸空已告諸比丘：比丘！於意云何？手寧著此空、縛空、受空不？答曰：不也。世尊！若空無為者，何以故世尊以手捫摸無為耶？如是餘契經偈云何通？
「謂無積聚， 亦無我所； 空則無想， 於離中行。
如鳥飛空， 足跡難尋。」
此云何通？如是餘契經偈云何解？
「此空無足跡， 如外無沙門。」
此云何通耶？如是餘契經云何通？於比丘意云何？若巧畫師畫弟子，寧能以色莊染此虛空不？答曰：不也。世尊。何以故？唯世尊！此虛空非色、不可見、無對。是故巧畫師畫弟子，不能以色莊染此虛空。此云何通？如是餘偈云何解？
「如鹿依林， 鳥飛虛空； 法歸分別， 真人趣滅。」
此云何通？
答曰：謂世尊契經說：於比丘意云何？手寧著此空、縛空、受空不？答曰：不也。世尊！此佛契經以虛空界說虛空。如佛所說契經偈：
「謂無積聚， 亦無我所； 空則無想， 於離中行。
如鳥飛空， 足跡難尋。」
此佛契經偈，虛空即說虛空。如佛所說契經偈：
「此空無足跡， 如外無沙門。」
此佛契經偈，虛空界說虛空。如佛契經說：於比丘意云何？若巧畫師畫弟子，寧能以色莊染此虛空不？答曰：不也。世尊。唯世尊！此虛空非色、不可見、無對。是故巧畫師畫弟子，不能以色莊染虛空。此佛契經，以虛空界說虛空。如佛契經說偈：
「如鹿依林， 鳥飛虛空； 法歸分別， 真人趣滅。」
此佛契經說偈，以虛空界說虛空。
問曰：彼虛空、此虛空界，為緣故住耶？為起故住耶？作此論已。有一說者，亦非緣故住，亦非起故住。
問曰：若不爾者，此云何？
答曰：彼虛空，此普散。虛空界與次第緣普散。虛空界次第四大，四大次第心數法。若有欲虛空界非種者，謗彼爾所法展轉。
問曰：識界云何？
答曰：有漏意及六識。
問曰：無漏法何以不立六界中？
答曰：無漏法者能滅壞破有，此界增受長養有。或曰：無漏法者能斷有相續、能斷輪轉生老死，此界者能相續有、輪轉生老死。或曰：無漏法者，非身見種、非顛倒種、非愛種、非使種、非貪處、非恚處、非癡處、非雜污、非雜毒、非雜濁、非在有、不墮苦習諦；此界者，身見種、顛倒種、愛種、使種、貪處、恚處、癡處、雜污、雜毒、雜濁、在有、墮苦習諦。或曰：無漏法者，苦盡趣道、有盡趣道、貪盡趣道、盡生老死趣道；界者，苦習趣道、有習趣道、貪習趣道、生老死習趣道。以是故無漏法不立界中。尊者婆須蜜說曰：何以故此界說有漏？答曰：此界有漏所生，非無漏法有漏所生。重說曰：此生於有漏，不無漏法生於有漏。重說曰：界者士數，非無漏法士數。重說曰：界者報數，不無漏法報數。重說曰：界者入母胎，如所說：因此界入母胎。非因無漏法入母胎。重說曰：界者久時住，不無漏法久時住。是故說數：
「二漏為士， 數及報應， 母胎久住， 作界滿偈。」
問曰：陰、盛陰、界何差別？
答曰：陰者已成勢，盛陰者轉勢，界者重轉勢。或曰：陰者施設有為，盛陰者施設行，界者施設有漏。陰、盛陰、界，是謂差別。廣說六界處盡。
鞞婆沙論卷第六