Editing Classical element (section)

===Hinduism===
{{anchor|Classical elements in Hinduism}}<!-- This section is linked from [[Akasha]] -->
{{anchor|The 5 Elements of Nature}}
{{Main|Mahābhūta#Hinduism|Pancha Bhuta}}

The system of five elements are found in [[Vedas]], especially [[Ayurveda]], the ''[[Pancha Bhoota|pancha mahabhuta]]'', or "five great elements", of [[Hinduism]] are:
#''[[bhūmi]]'' or ''[[Prithvi|pṛthvī]]'' ([[earth (classical element)|earth]]),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gopal |first=Madan |url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada |title=India through the ages |publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |year=1990 |editor-last=K.S. Gautam |page=[https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/78 78]}}</ref> 
#''[[Ap (water)|āpas]]'' or ''jala'' ([[water (classical element)|water]]), 
#''[[Agni|agní]]'' or ''[[agni|tejas]]'' ([[fire (classical element)|fire]]), 
#''[[Vayu|vāyu]]'', ''vyāna'', or ''vāta'' ([[air (classical element)|air]] or [[wind]])
#''[[Akasha|ākāśa]]'', ''vyom'', or ''[[Śūnyatā#Etymology|śūnya]]'' (space or zero) or  ([[Aether (classical element)|aether]] or [[Aether (classical element)|void]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ranade |first=Subhash |title=Natural Healing Through Ayurveda |date=December 2001 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publisher |isbn=9788120812437 |page=32}}</ref> 
They further suggest that all of creation, including the human body, is made of these five essential elements and that upon death, the human body dissolves into these five elements of nature, thereby balancing the cycle of nature.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Jagannathan |first=Maithily |title=South Indian Hindu Festivals and Traditions |publisher=Abhinav Publications |pages=60–62}}</ref>

The five elements are associated with the five senses, and act as the gross medium for the experience of sensations. The basest element, earth, created using all the other elements, can be perceived by all five senses — (i) hearing, (ii) touch, (iii) sight, (iv) taste, and (v) smell. The next higher element, water, has no odor but can be heard, felt, seen and tasted. Next comes fire, which can be heard, felt and seen. Air can be heard and felt. "Akasha" (aether) is beyond the senses of smell, taste, sight, and touch; it being accessible to the sense of hearing alone.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Meyer-Dinkgräfe |first=Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zGy0UglRz6IC |title=Theatre and Consciousness: Explanatory Scope and Future Potential |publisher=Intellect Books |year=2005 |isbn=9781841501307}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nath |first=Samir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cojAfyr04UAC |title=Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Buddhism |publisher=Sarup & Sons |year=1998 |isbn=9788176250191 |page=653}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Tirupati Raju |first=Poola |title=Structural Depths of Indian Thought: Toward a Constructive Postmodern Ethics |publisher=SUNY Press |page=81}}</ref>