A single elided sentence, continuing this vagga's own confirmed sequence
Length
<1 minute to read
Northern parallel
No individual parallel confirmed by this project's own check
Significance
★★★ — the fourth of the ten Tathāgata powers, confirming this vagga's own continued sequential order
Why this discourse
Confirmed by direct reading, this discourse's own claim — truly understanding “the world with its many and diverse elements” — is the fourth of the classical ten Tathāgata powers, directly following the third at SN 52.17, confirming this project's own tracking of this vagga's own sequential order continues intact.
Reading guide
The fourth power, in sequence
This project's own confirmation: this discourse continues the exact order already confirmed across SN 52.15-17, now naming knowledge of the world's own diversity of elements.
"Elements" as fundamental constituents, not merely physical matter
This project's own observation: “elements” (dhātu) in this context is a broad technical term covering the fundamental constituents underlying experience and the cosmos, not simply physical substances — this power is traditionally understood as knowledge of the vast variety of realms, temperaments, and conditions making up existence.
Key terms
anekadhātunānādhātulokaṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāmi — “I truly understand the world with its many and diverse elements” — this discourse's own precise claim, the fourth of the ten Tathāgata powers
dhātu — “element” — a broad technical term for a fundamental constituent, not limited to physical matter alone
aneka...nānā — “many... diverse” — the discourse's own paired qualifiers, emphasizing both quantity and variety
loka — “the world” — the discourse's own scope, the totality this knowledge encompasses
catunnaṁ satipaṭṭhānānaṁ bhāvitattā — “because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation” — the cause named for this knowledge here, as throughout this vagga
The text
Every genuinely translated fragment given in the consulted English source. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“… And it’s because of developing and cultivating these four kinds of mindfulness meditation that I truly understand the world with its many and diverse elements.”
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Self-check quiz
3 questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 3
What position does this discourse's own claim occupy in the ten Tathāgata powers?
Correct: A. Confirmed by direct comparison: continuing the exact order already tracked across SN 52.15-17.
Question 2 of 3
What does this project's own observation say about the meaning of "elements" (dhātu) in this context?
Correct: A. This project's own observation on the broader technical scope of "dhātu" in this discourse's own context.
Question 3 of 3
What qualifiers does the discourse use to describe the world's elements?
Correct: A. "Many and diverse elements" — confirmed directly by the text's own phrasing.
