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Pancha Bhuta (Sanskrit: पञ्चभूत; pañca bhūta), five elements, is a group of five basic elements, which, in Hinduism, is the basis of all cosmic creation.[1] These elements are: Prithvi (Sanskrit: पृथ्वी:, Earth), Apas (Sanskrit: आपः, Water), Agni (Sanskrit: अग्नि, Fire), Vayu (Sanskrit: वायु:, Air), Akasha (Sanskrit: आकाश, Aether).[2] These elements have different characteristics and these also account for different faculties of human experience. In Ayurveda and Indian philosophy, the human body is made of these five elements.[3] However, the Chārvāka system of materialism did not accept Akasha as a basic element as it is not tangible and they accepted that there are only four basic elements.[4] Hinduism influenced Buddhism, which accepts only four Mahābhūtas, viewing Akasha as a derived (upādā) element. These five elements of Indian cosmological system are similar but not identical to five element theory used in China, which is Wuxing.[5]
- ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 79.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2019-01-28). "Story of Pañcabhūta". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-09-18.
- ^ Venkatesan, Satish (2013-03-01). Ayurvedic remedies: An introduction. Vyiha. ISBN 978-9881224149. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ Prasad Sinha, Harendra (2006). Bharatiya Darshan Ki Rooprekha. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher. p. 86. ISBN 9788120821446. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ Carroll, Cain (2012). Mudras of India. Singing Dragon. p. 18. ISBN 978-1848191099. Retrieved 18 March 2015.