Godai are the five elements in Japanese Buddhist thought of earth (''chi''), water (''sui''), fire (''ka''), wind (''fu''), and void (''ku''). The concept is related to Buddhist

Mahābhūta ''Mahābhūta'' is Sanskrit and Pāli for "great element". However, very few scholars define the four mahābhūtas in a broader sense as the four fundamental aspects of physical reality. Hinduism In Hinduism's sacred literature, the "great" ...

and came over China from India. The Japanese Buddhist concept of '' gogyo,'' which stems from Chinese '' wuxing,'' is distinguishable from ''godai'' by the fact that the functional phases of wood and metal within ''gogyo'' are replaced by the formative elements of void and the wind (air) in ''godai''. ''Godai'' is attributed to esoteric Japanese Buddhism during the eleventh century CE in relation to the idea of ''gorin'' (the "five wheels" or the "five rings"). ''Godai'' and ''gorin'' are also seen within the practice of ''

ninjutsu , sometimes used interchangeably with the modern term , is the martial art strategy and tactics of unconventional warfare, guerrilla warfare and espionage purportedly practised by the ninja. ''Ninjutsu'' was a separate discipline in some tradit ...

'', where these principles became an essential aspect of the esoteric ninja teachings (the '' ninpo-mikkyo''); whereas the theory of ''gogyo'' moved into the functional theory of traditional Japanese medicine and exoteric Buddhism.

The elements

The ''godai'' is a static or inert philosophical understanding of the traditional Japanese elements and study, similar to the Greek

classical element Classical elements typically refer to earth, water, air, fire, and (later) aether which were proposed to explain the nature and complexity of all matter in terms of simpler substances. Ancient cultures in Greece, Tibet, and India had simil ...

s. The four main elements or building blocks are Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, while Void is non substantial. As such, these may describe an individual's response to direct confrontation, such as in martial arts associations with physical center, footwork. # Chi: stability/stubbornness; holding ground and using strength and presence (source: strength) # Sui: flexibility/emotionalism; defensive angling and footwork to overextend the attacker before counterattacking (source: power) # Ka: aggression/fear; using high energy attacks defensively (source: energy) # Fu: wisdom/love; evasive, elusive methods that redirect attacks away from their targets (source: resiliency) # Ku: creative/communicative; spontaneous and inventive fighting

Earth

地 ''Di'' () is one of the oldest Chinese terms for the earth and a key concept or figure in Chinese philosophy and religion, being one of three powers (', ) which are Heaven, Earth, and Humanity (, ), a phrase which originates from the Yijing. Ety ...

''Chi'' (sometimes ''ji'') or ''tsuchi'', meaning "

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...

", represents the hard, solid objects of Earth. The most basic example of ''chi'' is in a stone. Stones are highly resistant to movement or change, as is anything heavily influenced by ''chi''. In people, the bones, muscles and tissues are represented by ''chi''. 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 this ''chi'' mode or "mood", we are aware of our own physicality and sureness of action. This is a separate concept from the energy-force, pronounced in Chinese as ''qì'' (also written ''ch'i'') and in Japanese as ''ki'', and written alternatively as 気, 氣, or 气.

Water

水 Radical 85 or radical water () meaning "water" is a Kangxi radical; one of 35 of the 214 that are composed of 4 strokes. Its left-hand form, , is closely related to Radical 15, ''bīng'' (also known as 两点水 ''liǎngdiǎnshuǐ''), meaning "i ...

''Sui'' or ''mizu'', meaning "

Water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

", 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 under ''sui'', 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 by ''sui'', as are mental or emotional tendencies towards adaptation and change. ''Sui'' can be associated with thought, defensiveness, adaptability, flexibility, suppleness, and magnetism.

Fire

火 ''Ka'' or ''hi'', meaning "

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

", represents the energetic, forceful, moving things in the world. Animals, capable of movement and full of forceful energy, are primary examples of ''ka'' 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.

Wind

風 ''Fū'' or ''kaze'', meaning "

Wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hou ...

", 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.

Void (Aether)

空 ''Kū'' or ''sora'', most often translated as "

Void Void may refer to: Science, engineering, and technology * Void (astronomy), the spaces between galaxy filaments that contain no galaxies * Void (composites), a pore that remains unoccupied in a composite material * Void, synonym for vacuum, a ...

", but also meaning "

sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy, ...

", "

heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

" or environment, it 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 the

quintessential Quintessence, or fifth essence, may refer to: Cosmology * Aether (classical element), in medieval cosmology and science, the fifth element that fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere * Quintessence (physics), a hypothetical form of da ...

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".

Representations of the ''godai''

The most common representations today of the five elements, outside of martial arts and fictional references, are found in

Buddhist architecture Buddhist religious architecture developed in the Indian subcontinent. Three types of structures are associated with the religious architecture of early Buddhism: monasteries ( viharas), places to venerate relics (stupas), and shrines or prayer ha ...

Japanese (from 'five', 'ring shape', and 'tower') can be seen in

Zen garden The or Japanese rock garden, often called a zen garden, is a distinctive style of Japanese garden. It creates a miniature stylized landscape through carefully composed arrangements of rocks, water features, moss, pruned trees and bushes, and u ...

s and

Buddhist temples A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represen ...

, represented as ''

stupa A stupa ( sa, स्तूप, lit=heap, ) is a mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics (such as ''śarīra'' – typically the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns) that is used as a place of meditation. In Buddhism, circumamb ...

s''. 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 represents ''chi''; the next section represents ''sui''; ''ka'' is represented by the middle section, while ''fū'' and ''kū'' are represented by the top-most two sections, pointing towards the sky. A ''gorintō'' 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. The

stone lantern are a type of traditional East Asian lantern made of stone, wood, or metal. Originating in China, stone lanterns spread to Japan, Korea and Vietnam, though they are most commonly found in both China – extant in Buddhist temples and traditional ...

s or , which are similar in form to the '' gorinto'', 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 the gorinto: they are intended to illuminate the approach to the temple like

lighthouses A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

, with a flame encased in the section representing ''ka'', for Buddhist ceremonies taking place at night.

Sources

External links

* Miller, Jeff (June 1996).
5 Element Codes Part 1
" Ninjutsu – Ura & Omote. * Deon de Jongh (2003).
Touhkondo: The Way of the Fighting Spirit
', p. 27. iUniverse. . * Yin Yang Five Element Medicin
''Inyo'' Gogyo ''setsu''
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125043047/https://gogyoaikido.com/ , date=2020-11-25 Classical elements

Five elements (Japanese philosophy) Godai are the five elements in Japanese Buddhist thought of earth (''chi''), water (''sui''), fire (''ka''), wind (''fu''), and void (''ku''). The concept is related to Buddhist Mahābhūta and came over China from India. The Japanese Buddhi ...

Japanese philosophy Philosophical theories