Five Element Theory in the White Beryl
A description of the five elements in a 17th century Tibetan astrological text.
The White Beryl (Vaidurya Karpo) is a seminal text on Tibetan divination, composed by Sangye Gyatso in the 17th century. Tibetan astrology and divination shares the paradigm of five-element (wu xing) theory with the Chinese, while the pharmacology of Tibetan medicine features the fiv
e-element (pancamahābhūta) theory of the Indians. The co-existence of two distinct five-element paradigms with context-specific application is unique to the medicine and astrology of the Tibetan plateau.
Khenpo Troru Tsenam, root teacher of my Tibetan medicine teacher, Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo, considers the Indian and Chinese five-element theories to be “complementary” rather than contradictory. He describes the Indian five elements as having a “compositional” emphasis and the Chinese five elements as having a “dynamic” emphasis:
In Tibetan Medicine, one finds both Asian systems of these famous "five elements":
· The Indian system, in which they appear primarily as the 5 fundamental components of all relative phenomena, corresponding to what, on one level, we would currently call matter, bonding, thermodynamics, kinesis and space.
· The Chinese system, in which they appear in a more dynamic sense, corresponding to four general phases of all life cycles and an underlying ground state, i.e. initial growth, maturation, decomposition and resorption into the whole, that is taking place on all sorts of levels and over all sorts of timescales, from the molecular right up to the duration of a human life.
These two systems are not contradictory but complementary. Both are employed extensively in Tibetan medicine. Pulse palpation, for instance, is very much concerned with attuning to the immediate state of the body and so uses the dynamic form of the elements. The pharmaceutical theory of TTM [Traditional Tibetan Medicine] however is more concerned with the more constant therapeutic properties of its materia medica, and hence resorts more to the compositional aspects of the 5 elements.
The conscious clinical application of both five-element theories in Tibetan medicine has always fascinated me. Rinpoche’s observation not only distinguishes the philosophical basis of both theories, but establishes their temporal relevance: the dynamic form of the elements is relevant to the energy of the present-time and the compositional nature of the elements is relevant in ascertaining the qualities of substances.
As Rinpoche notes, the primary the application of Chinese five-element theory is in Tibetan pulse diagnosis, especially in the “seasonal pulses”. The most extensive discussions and applications of Chinese five-element theory is found in Tibetan astrology and divination texts. One such text, the White Beryl of Sangye Gyatso, features the following descriptions of the five elements which should be of interest to students of Tibetan and Chinese medical traditions alike:
Wood (shing): Symbolised by a green tree and numerically represented by the number one, the wood element emerges naturally in an upright manner. Its function is one of lightness and mobility, inherent in a diet of fruit and cooked vegetables, while within the body it is represented by the blood-vessels, nerves and liver. It causes velar and guttural sounds to be articulated, and is characterised by bald-headedness and goitre. In cases of ill-health an imbalance of wood is indicated by plague-causing spirits (gnyan) and malign goblins (the'u-brang), and by paralysis of the nervous system. Socially, wood relates to the priestly class, the kingly type, and paternal uncles. It is located in the east of the turtle divination chart, along with the trigram Zin, the tiger and hare signs, Jupiter and the six easterhn constellations. If the hour of a person's birth is governed by the wood destiny element, it is predicted that he or she will be an aristrocrat, though possibly without heirs; tall in stature, long-haired, and with enemies in the west and friends in the east.
Fire (me): Symbolised by a red triangular flame and presented by the number four, the fire element emerges naturally in a flickering blazing manner. Its function is one of combustion, inherent in a diet of cooked meat, blood and the flesh of an animal's head, while within the body it is represented by the metabolism and the heart. It causes dental sounds to be articulated, and is characterised by matted hair or dreadlocks and swollen glands. In cases of ill-health an imbalance of fire is indicated by hanting spirits (bstan) and the ghosts of murder victims (gre-bo), and by fevers and headaches. Socially, fire relates to the mercantile class, to women and children, or mothers with daughters. It is located in the south of the turtle divination chart, along with the trigram Li, the horse and snake signs, the Sun and the six southern constellations. If the hour of a person's birth is governed by the fire destiny element, it is predicted that he or she will be of a Buddhist or potter's family background, but harassed due to a blood feud, short-tempered, virtuous, tall in stature, prone to many ups and downs, conciliatory, and ruddy complexioned.
Earth (sa): Symbolised by a yellow square and numerically represented by the number two, the earth element emerges naturally in a static manner. Its function is one of heaviness and solidity, inherent in a diet of bread and the flresh of an animal's limbs, while within the body it is represented by the muscle tissue and the spleen. It causes nasal sounds to be articulated, and is characterised by fringed hair and a decrepit posture. In cases of ill-health an imbalance of earth is indicated by spirit lords of the soil and demons of the countryside (yul-'dre), as well as by lethargy and asphyxia. Socially, earth relates to the ruling class, to Buddhist monks, and to maternal ancestors or matters concerning land and houses. It is located in the intermediate directions of the turtle divination chart, along with the trigrams Khon, Khen, Gin, and Zon, the ox, sheep, dog, and dragon signs, Saturn and the four intermediate constellations. If the hour of a person's birth is governed by the earth destiny element, it is predicted that he or she will be of a mantrin or nun's family, but the locality will be afflicted by the spirit lords of the soil.
Iron (lcags): Symbolised by a white semi-circle or blade and numerically represented by the number five, the iron element emerges naturally with sharp edges. Its function is one of sharpness or incision, inherent in a diet of dairy products and flesh from an animal's ribs, while within the body it is represented by the bone tissue and the lungs. It causes vocalic sounds to be articulated, and is charaterised by shaven heads and moles. In cases of ill-health an imbalance of iron is indicated by king spirits (rgyal-po) and Pehar, as well as by colic and bone ailments. Socially, iron relates to outcasts, to children, maternal relatives and protector deities. It is located in the west of the turtle divination chart, along with the trigram Dva, the bird and monkey signs, Venus and the six western constellations. If the hour of a person's birth is governed by the iron destiny element, it is predicted that he or she will be a fair-complexioned villager in whose family a blood feur has occurred, noisy, tall and unrestrained in speech.
Water (chu): Symbolised by a blue circle and numerically represented by the number three, the water element emerges naturally in a flowing manner. Its function is one of mollification, inherent in a diet of liquid refreshments including wine and water, while within the body it is represented by the blood, serum and kidneys. It causes labial sounds to be articulated, and is charaterised by hair on the occiput and a cleft palate. In cases of ill-health an imbalance of water is indicated by serpentine spirits (nāga) and imprecatory goddesses (ma-mo), as well as by cold diseases and ailments of the lower part of the body. Socially, water relates to the laboring classes, to Bon-po priests, sisters and female in-laws. It is located in the north of the turtle divination chart, along with the trigram Kham, the mouse and pigs signs, Moon, Mercury and the sixth northern constellations. If the hour of a person's birth is governed by the water destiny element, it is predicted that he or she will be of dark complexion, of a Bon-po or village family background, loud-voiced, whimsical, and lacking in reliable supporters.