俱舍論疏 4.18

4.18

論「有說遇緣至用有勝劣」，此第二答。以後有相，知前有體。遇火等緣，蘇、臈、鐵等物便流動。如冬水中由極冷故，有煖等相。及由先觸極冷水故，後觸次冷，覺中有煖。雖四大種體不相離，以用勝故唯一相顯，如多境相雜勝者先受，多聲同發唯聞勝者。《婆沙》一百四十一云「問：云何得知此四大種恒不相離？答：自相、作業一切聚中皆可得故。謂堅聚中地界自相現可得故，有義極成。於此聚中若無水界，金、銀、錫等應不可銷。又水若無，彼應分散。若無火界，石等相擊火不應生。又火若無，無能成熟，彼應腐敗。若無風界，應無動搖。又若無風，應無增長。於濕聚中，水界自相現可得故，有義極成。於此聚中若無地界，至嚴寒位應不成水。又地若無，船等應沒。若無火界，應無煖時。又火若無，彼應腐敗。若無風界，應不動搖。又風若無，應無增長。於煖聚中，火界自相現可得故，有義極成。於此聚中若無地界，燈燭等焰應不可迴。又地若無，不應持物。若無水界，應不生流。又水若無，焰不應聚。若無風界，應不動搖。又若無風，應不增長。於動聚中，風界自相現可得故，有義極成。於此聚中若無地界，觸牆等障應不折迴。又地若無，應不持物。若無水界，應無冷風。又水若無，彼應分散。若無火界，應無煖風。又火若無，彼應腐敗。」

On the Śāstra's statement, "Some say that upon meeting conditions... their functions have predominance and inferiority": this is the second answer. By the marks existing subsequently, one knows that the substance existed prior. When meeting conditions such as fire, substances like ghee, wax, and iron then flow. Just as in winter water, due to extreme cold, there are marks of warmth and so forth; and because of having previously touched extremely cold water, subsequently touching somewhat cold water, one perceives warmth within it. Although the substances of the four great elements are not separated from one another, because [one] function predominates, only one mark is manifested; just as when multiple sensory objects are mixed together, the predominant one is experienced first, and when multiple sounds are made together, only the predominant one is heard. Volume 141 of the Vibhāṣā says: "Question: How is it known that these four great elements are never separated from one another? Answer: Because their intrinsic characteristics and operations are all to be found in every aggregate. That is to say, within an aggregate of solidity, because the intrinsic characteristic of the earth element is presently perceptible, its existence is thoroughly established. Within this aggregate, if there were no water element, gold, silver, tin, and the like could not be melted. Furthermore, if there were no water, they would disperse. If there were no fire element, when stones and the like strike against one another, fire would not be produced. Furthermore, if there were no fire, nothing could ripen [them], and they would decay. If there were no wind element, there would be no motion. Furthermore, if there were no wind, there would be no growth. Within an aggregate of moisture, because the intrinsic characteristic of the water element is presently perceptible, its existence is thoroughly established. Within this aggregate, if there were no earth element, when reaching the state of severe cold it would not solidify into ice. Furthermore, if there were no earth, boats and the like would sink. If there were no fire element, there would be no warm season. Furthermore, if there were no fire, it would decay. If there were no wind element, it would not move. Furthermore, if there were no wind, there would be no growth. Within an aggregate of warmth, because the intrinsic characteristic of the fire element is presently perceptible, its existence is thoroughly established. Within this aggregate, if there were no earth element, the flames of lamps and candles could not turn back. Furthermore, if there were no earth, they could not hold objects. If there were no water element, it would not generate flow. Furthermore, if there were no water, flames would not gather together. If there were no wind element, they would not flicker. Furthermore, if there were no wind, they would not increase. Within an aggregate of motion, because the intrinsic characteristic of the wind element is presently perceptible, its existence is thoroughly established. Within this aggregate, if there were no earth element, upon striking walls and other obstacles it would not deflect and turn back. Furthermore, if there were no earth, it could not support objects. If there were no water element, there would be no cold wind. Furthermore, if there were no water, it would disperse. If there were no fire element, there would be no warm wind. Furthermore, if there were no fire, it would decay."