What Are the Symptoms of the Imbalance of the Four Great Elements?

When the Four Great Elements are imbalanced, all diseases arise; all physical illnesses stem from the disharmony of the Four Great Elements. The causes of this imbalance are twofold: one is due to karmic obstacles, and the other is caused by postnatal environmental factors. Disharmony of the Four Great Elements means the composition of the four elemental seeds changes, and the body must consequently undergo transformations, leading to the emergence of various diseases. The imbalance of even a single Great Element can cause corresponding illnesses. For instance, imbalance of the Water Element means the water within the body is either excessive or deficient. Whether too much or too little, it causes water-related diseases such as edema, dry skin, kidney disease, eczema, dermatitis, blood viscosity, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and so forth. Imbalance of the Wind Element can cause wind-related diseases, such as respiratory illnesses, urticaria, rheumatism, etc. Imbalance of the Fire Element can cause fire-related diseases, such as disorders of bodily heat and cold, chills and fevers, high fever, low-grade fever, etc. Imbalance of the Earth Element can cause diseases related to the hardness and supportive nature of earth, such as calcium deficiency, weakness in the limbs, physical frailty, hunchback, bodily pain throughout, etc. The imbalance of a single Great Element gives rise to a multitude of ailments; how much more so when all Four Great Elements are imbalanced, resulting in layers upon layers of sickness and obstacles. In summary, these are all karmic retributions brought about by sentient beings' actions since beginningless kalpas; only in rare cases are they caused by occasional external environmental changes leading to temporary bodily maladjustment—the majority are illnesses arising from karmic obstacles. Whether it is an illness from karmic obstacles or one triggered by occasional environmental discomfort, the change is all the doing of the tathagatagarbha. The seeds of the Four Great Elements are delivered from the tathagatagarbha; when their proportional composition changes, the material body necessarily undergoes corresponding transformations. The change in the composition of the Four Great Elements' seeds is determined and controlled by the tathagatagarbha. Upon what basis does the tathagatagarbha determine and control the change in the output of the Four Great Elements' seeds? One is according to karmic seeds; the tathagatagarbha can discern karmic seeds, and its operation must proceed in accordance with them. The other is according to the environment contacted by the material body, because the tathagatagarbha can discern the bodily sense faculty and the environment of the material world. Based on this, the tathagatagarbha continuously adapts the structure of the Four Great Elements' seeds in accordance with the environment and the bodily sense faculty. Thus, the body is constantly undergoing various changes. The material body of every sentient being changes in this way moment by moment; there is no exception. It is all the doing of their own tathagatagarbha.