3. The Eighteen Elements (ARV3)

Herein, monastics, what are the eighteen elements?

They are as follows:

The eye element,

the visible-form element,

the eye-consciousness element,

the ear element,

the sound element,

the ear-consciousness element,

the nose element,

the smell element,

the nose-consciousness element,

the tongue element,

the taste element,

the tongue-consciousness element,

the body element,

the tangible element,

the body-consciousness element,

the mind element,

the thoughts element,

the mind-consciousness element.

These, monastics, are said to be the eighteen elements.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, 2016

Based on the edition by Prof. N. H. Samtani in The Arthaviniścaya-sūtra & its commentary (Nibandhana) (Patna, 1971), updated to include the corrections he printed in that work on pp. 180–181, most of which were also printed in his translation of the same, Gathering the Meanings (Berkeley, 2002), on pp. 309–310.

Original translation with comments to be found at http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.