dhātu

feminine element. Closely related to dhamma in meaning B 1^b, only implying a closer relation to physical substance. As to its gen. connotation cp. Dhs. trsl. p. 198.

1. a primary element, of which the usual set comprises the four paṭhavī, āpo, tejo, vāyo (earth water, fire, wind), otherwise termed cattāro mahābhūtā(ni): DN.i.215; DN.ii.294; DN.iii.228; SN.i.15; SN.ii.169 sq. SN.ii.224; SN.iv.175, SN.iv.195; AN.ii.165; AN.iii.243; Vb.14, Vb.72; Ne.73. See discussed at Cpd. 254 sq
   ■ A defⁿ of dhātu is to be found at Vism.485
   ■ Singly or in other combinations paṭhavī˚ SN.ii.174; tejo˚ SN.i.144; DN.iii.227; the four plus ākāsa SN.iii.227, plus viññāna SN.ii.248; SN.iii.231; see below 2 b.
2. 1. natural condition, property, disposition; factor, item, principle, form. In this meaning in var. combinations & applications, esp. closely related to khandha. Thus mentioned with; khandha & āyatana; (sensory element & element of sense-perception) as bodily or physical element, factor (see khandha B 1 d & cp. Cnd under dhātu) Thig.472. As such (physical substratum) it constitutes one of the lokā or forms of being (khandha˚ dhātu˚ āyatana˚ Cnd.550). Freq also in combination kāma-dhātu, rūpa˚ arūpa˚ “the elements or properties of k. etc.” as preceding & conditioning bhava in the respective category (Cnd s. v.). See under d
      ■ As “set of conditions or state of being (-˚) in the foll.: loka˚; a world, of which 10 are usually mentioned (equalling 10,000: Pv-a.138) SN.i.26; SN.v.424; Pv.ii.9#61; Vb.336; Pv-a.138; KS ii.101, n. 1; - nibbāna˚; the state of N. SN.v.8; AN.ii.120; AN.iv.202; Ja.i.55; Iti.38 (dve: see under Nibbāna); Mil.312. Also in the foll. connections: amata˚ Iti.62; bhū˚ the verbal root bhū DN-a.i.229; ṭhapitāya dhātuyā “while the bodily element, i.e. vitality lasts” Mil.125; vaṇṇa˚ form beauty SN.i.131; Pv.i.3#1. In these cases it is so far weakened in meaning, that it simply corresponds to E abstr. suffix-hood or-ity (cp. ˚hood = origin. “form” see ketu), so perhaps in Nibbāna˚ = Nibbāna-dom. Cp dhātuka
   2. elements in sense-consciousness: referring to the 6 ajjhattikāni & 6 bāhirāni āyatanāni SN.ii.140 sq. Of these sep. sota˚ DN.i.79; DN.iii.38; Vb.334 dibbasota˚ SN.ii.121, SN.ii.212; SN.v.265, SN.v.304; AN.i.255; AN.iii.17 AN.iii.280; AN.v.199; cakkhu˚