Discourses on the Pitāputrasamāgama Sūtra (47)

What is the external wind element?

Original text: What is the external wind element? It refers to wind that arises from all directions. When it arises violently, it breaks trees and splits mountain peaks. When it arises subtly, it lifts garments and sways tala trees. This is called the external wind element.

Explanation: What is the external wind element? It is the wind outside the body that blows from all directions. It may manifest as fierce gales that break trees or violent storms that topple mountain peaks. If it is a gentle breeze, it may lift garments and sway tala trees. All these belong to the external wind element.

The external wind element arises outside the body. Within the material world, wind exists in all directions. The strongest winds are tempests, tornadoes, and hurricanes, which can break trees and split mountain peaks—yet these are not the most powerful winds. The greatest wind in the universe can destroy the trichiliocosm; tornadoes and storms are insignificant in comparison. When the world faces destruction, the calamity of wind will arise and annihilate the entire material realm. This is the function of the external great wind. When a gentle breeze arises, it lifts light objects, causes grass and leaves to sway, and brings a profound sense of tranquility—this is the function of the external subtle wind.

When wind arises in the external space, where does it exist before it arises? It has no abode; wind cannot be concealed anywhere. If wind could hide in a location, that place would constantly tremble. Great tempests often arise without cause. After destroying objects, the tempest ceases—where does the wind go? It has nowhere to go. If there were a place to conceal such a tempest, that very place would be destroyed and cease to exist.