Dhātu, Mahā Dhātu

Cattāro Mahā Bhūtāni The Four/Six Great Elements

References:

Satipatthana Sutta: The Four Great Elements
[DN 33]pp288
PTS, T.W and C.A.F. Rhys Davids, trans., Dialogs of the Buddha III #33 pp 228. 4:16; 6:16
WP, Walshe, trans, The Long Discourses of the Buddha, #33, pp491
BD: DN #33: The Compilation: 4.16; 6:16
[MN 28]
ATI: Middle Length Sayings, #28: The Simile of the Elephant's Footprint (Greater)
BD: Making an Earth Kasina
SN 2.14 Samyutta Nikaya, Nidana Vagga, Dhatu Samyutta Index page.

Pāḷi	MO	Hare	Horner	Punnaji	Bodhi	Rhys Davids	(Mrs)Rhys Davids	Thanissaro	Walshe	Woodward
Dhātu	Data, sense data, information		element		element		element	properties
paṭhavī	earth		extension	Solidity	earth	extended, earthy	extended, earthy	earth	earth-element (or extension)	earth
Apō	water		liquid	Fluidity	water	cohesive, watery	cohesive, watery	water	water-element (or cohension)	water
tejo	fire		heat	Heat	fire	hot, fiery, heat	hot, fiery	fire	fire-element (or temperature)	heat
vāyo	wind		motion	Motion	air	mobile, aerial, air	mobile, aerial	wind	air-element (or motion)	air
ākāsā	space	space	ether	Space	space	space	space	space	space	space
viññāṇa	consciousness	consciousness	consciousness	Cognition	consciousness	consciousness, thought	consciousness	consciousness	consciousness-element	consciousness

Pāḷi Text Society
Pāḷi English Dictionary
Edited by T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede
[EDITED ENTRY]

Dhātu: (f.) [Sk. dhātu to dadhāti, Idg. *dhe, cp. Gr. τίθημι, ἁνά-θημα Sk. dhāman, dhāṭr (=Lat. conditor); Goth. gadeds; Ohg. tāt, tuom (in meaning *-=dhātu, cp. E. serf-dom "condition of . . .") tuon=E. to do; and with k-suffix Lat. facio, Gr. (ἕ)θηκ(α), Sk. dhāka; see also dhamma] element. Closely related to dhamma in meaning B 1b, only implying a closer relation to physical substance. ...- 1. a primary element, of which the usual set comprises the four paṭhavī, āpo, tejo, vāyo (earth, water, fire, wind), otherwise termed cattāro mahābhūtā(ni): D I.215; II.294; III.228; S I.15; II.169 sq., 224; IV.175, 195; A II.165; III.243;...- Singly or in other combns paṭhavī- S II.174; tejo- S I.144; D III.227; the four plus ākāsa S III.227, plus viññāna S II.248;...- 2. (a) natural condition, property, disposition; factor, item, principle, form. In this meaning in var. combns and applications, esp. closely related to khandha. Thus mentioned with khandha and āyatana (sensory element and element of sense-perception) as bodily or physical element, factor...Freq. also in combn kāma-dhātu, rūpa- arūpa- "the elements or properties of k. etc." as preceding and conditioning bhava in the respective category...nibbāna- the state of N. S V.8; A II.120; IV.202; J I.55;...vaṇṇa- form, beauty S I.131;...In these cases it is so far weakened in meaning, that it simply corresponds to E. abstr. suffix -hood or -ity (cp. -hood=origin. "form": see ketu), so perhaps in Nibbāna- =Nibbāna-dom....- (b) elements in sense-consciousness: referring to the 6 ajjhattikāni and 6 bāhirāni āyatanāni S II.140 sq. Of these sep. sota- D I.79; III.38;... dibbasota- S II.121, 212; V.265, 304; A I.255; III.17, 280; V.199; cakkhu- ...; mano-...; mano-viññāṇa- ...(c) various: aneka- A I.22; III.325; V.33; akusala-...; avijjā- S II.132; ābhā- S II.150; ārambha- S V.66, 104 sq.; A I.4; II.338; ṭhiti- S II.175; III.231; A III.338; dhamma- S II.56; nekkhamma- S II.151; A III.447; nissāraṇiyā dhātuyo (5) D III.239; A III.245, 290. See further S I.134, 196; II.153, 248 (aniccā); III.231 (nirodha); IV.67; A I.176; II.164; IV.385;...- (d) Different sets and enumerations: as 3 under kāma-, rūpa-, arūpa A I.223; III.447;...; under rūpa-, arūpa-, nirodha- ...- as 6 (pathavī etc.+ākāsa- and viññāṇa-): D III.247; A I.175 sq.; M III.31, 62, 240;...- as 7 (ābhā subha etc.): S II.150. - 18:...- 3. a humour or affection of the body...- 4. the remains of the body after cremation...a relic...- abl. dhātuso according to one's nature S II.154...S III.65.