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Godai(五大; lit. "five – great, large, physical, form") are the five elements in Japanese Buddhist thought of earth (chi), water (sui), fire (ka), wind (fu), and void (ku). Its origins are from the Indian Buddhist concept ofMahābhūta, disseminated and influenced byChinese traditions[1] before being absorbed, influenced, and refined into and by Japanese tradition, culture, andindigenous folk religions.[2][3]
The Japanese Buddhist concept ofgogyo, which stems from Chinesewuxing, is distinguishable fromgodai by the fact that the functional phases of wood and metal withingogyo are replaced by the formative elements of void and the wind (air) ingodai.[2] similar to the classicalGreek philosophical elements. Godai attributed toesoteric Japanese Buddhism during the eleventh century CE in relation to the idea ofgorin (the "five wheels" or the "five rings").[4]Godai andgorin are also seen within the practice ofninjutsu, where these principles became an essential aspect of the esoteric ninja teachings (theninpo-mikkyo);[5][6] whereas the theory ofgogyo moved into the functional theory of traditional Japanese medicine and exoteric Buddhism.
Thegodai is a static or inert philosophical understanding of the traditional Japanese elements and study. The four main elements or building blocks are Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, while Void is non substantial.[7][3]
[mikkyo ] teaches that all physical aspects of existence originate from a common source and can be classified in one of thegodai five elemental manifestations of physical matter.Chi, or the earth, symbolizes solid matter.Sui, the water, symbolizes liquids.Ka, the fire, is the symbol of combustion, or the elements in an energy-releasing state.Fu, the wind, symbolizes gases.Ku, the void, is representative of the formless subatomic energy that is the basis for the structure of all things. This godai symbolism is also used to describe the emotional nature of human beings, and to provide a symbolic structure for the teaching of effective physical combat principles inninjutsu.
As such, these may describe an individual's response to direct confrontation, such as in martial arts associations with physical center, footwork.[5]
地Chi (sometimesji) ortsuchi, meaning "Earth", represents the hard, solid objects of Earth. The most basic example ofchi is in a stone. Stones are highly resistant to movement or change, as is anything heavily influenced bychi. In people, the bones, muscles and tissues are represented bychi. Emotionally,chi is predominantly associated with collectiveness, stability, physicality, and gravity. It is a desire to have things remain as they are; a resistance to change. In the mind, it is confidence when under the influence of thischi mode or "mood", we are aware of our own physicality and sureness of action. This is a separate concept from theenergy-force, pronounced in Chinese asqì (also writtench'i) and in Japanese aski, and written alternatively as 気, 氣, or 气.
水Sui ormizu, meaning "Water", represents the fluid, flowing, and the formless things in the world. Outside of the obvious example of rivers and the lake, plants are also categorized undersui, as they adapt to their environment, growing and changing according to the direction of the sun and the changing seasons. Blood and other bodily fluids are represented bysui, as are mental or emotional tendencies towards adaptation and change.Sui can be associated with thought, defensiveness, adaptability, flexibility, suppleness, and magnetism.
火Ka orhi, meaning "Fire", represents the energetic, forceful, moving things in the world. Animals, capable of movement and full of forceful energy, are primary examples ofka objects. Bodily,ka represents our metabolism and body heat, and in the mental and emotional realms, it represents drive and passion.Ka can be associated with security, motivation, desire, intention, and an outgoing spirit.
風Fū orkaze, meaning "Wind", represents things that grow, expand, and enjoy freedom of movement. Aside from air, smoke and the like,fū can in some ways be best represented by the human mind. As we grow physically, we learn and expand mentally as well, in terms of our knowledge, our experiences, and our personalities.Fū represents breathing, and the internal processes associated with respiration. Mentally and emotionally, it represents an "open-minded" attitude and carefree feeling. It can be associated with will, elusiveness, evasiveness.
空Kū orsora, most often translated as "Void", but also meaning "sky", "heaven" or environment, represents those things beyond and within our everyday comprehension, particularly those things composed of pure energy before they manifest; the emptiness that the energy is made up of. Bodily,kū represents spirit, thought and creative energy. It represents the creation of phenomena. It can also be associated with the potential of power, creativity, spontaneity and inventiveness.
Kū is of particular importance as the highest of the elements. In martial arts, particularly in fictional tales where the fighting discipline is blended with magic or the occult, one often invokes the power of the Void to connect to thequintessential creative energy of the world. A warrior properly attuned to the Void can sense their surroundings and act without using the mind, and without using their "physical senses".
The most common representations today of the five elements, outside of martial arts and fictional references, are found inBuddhist architecture.
Many temples in Japan have beautifulgoju-no-to, or five storied towers [pagodas]. Five roofs of graceful curves make the towers architectural beauties...of wooden construction built without any nails or bolts. ...Though they are beautiful, they are not erected merely as architectural ornaments for temples.The five stories stand for...godai, or Five Greats in Buddhism. They are the elements in the Universe from which are produced all things. ...Thus the towers symbolize the Universe and everything existing in it.[9]
Japanesegorintō (五輪塔) (from五 'five',輪 'ring shape', and塔 'tower') can be seen inZen gardens andBuddhist temples, represented asstupas. They have five divisions to represent the five elements, although the five segments can be hard to discern. Touching the ground, the bottom-most piece representschi; the next section representssui;ka is represented by the middle section, whilefū andkū are represented by the top-most two sections, pointing towards the sky. Agorintō is composed, from bottom to top, of a cube, a sphere, a pyramid, a crescent, and a shape resembling a lotus flower. These shapes also relate to the meanings described above.[3][10]
Thestone lanterns ortōrō (灯籠), which are similar in form to thegorintō, are stone towers of modest size put on a center line for the approach mainly to the Buddhist temples and cemeteries. The function of the toro is different from thegorintō: they are intended to illuminate the approach to the temple likelighthouses, with a flame encased in the section representingka, for Buddhist ceremonies taking place at night.
