Primary elements

The primary elements (Tib. འབྱུང་བ་ཆེན་པོ་, jungwa chenpo, Wyl. 'byung ba chen po) are the basic constituents of the world.

Jungwa in Tibetan means to give rise, or source. They are given this name because they give rise to all that manifests—the material universe as well its inhabitants. They are called “great” (chenpo) because everything depends on them and they are present everywhere.

The teachings mention:

• the four primary elements
• the five primary elements
• the six primary elements