Five Elements of Life

Written by Peter Li-Chang Kuo

(Chinese)

In the Rat Year’s spring, within Kōya’s silent cottage;

A coiled dragon in dried garden hints stillness and motion;

Atop the peak on the tenth day, I bow to the Great One;

The heart reflects like a mirror in Vajra’s seat;

The eyes meet the divine presence of the Unmoved one;

Dharma sounds are recorded in an instant like a magnetic turn;

An elder pointed out that an initiation has been done;

Preaching good news that bringing blessings deep and vast.

On the journey of preaching good news, I have encountered many miracle adventures. In the spring of the Bingzi Rat Year, while staying in a small cottage atop Mount Koya (Koyasan), suddenly I heard the sound of a spinning disk in my ear. Within less than two seconds, I learned Kukai’s (Kōbō Daishi’s) mantra. An elder said, “You have been personally initiated by the Great Teacher Kōbō Daishi.”

Fig 1: The Banryu-Tei Dried Garden on the Koyasan

Kukai (774–835), a Japanese monk, traveled to Tang Dynasty in 804 AD to study under Chinese Master Huiguo(746~805). He received the transmission and returned to Japan carrying the Dharma. He developed the "Iroha Poem" by arranging Japanese syllables (hiragana) to help everyone learn. To this day, many Japanese can recite it. Kūkai was granted the Dharma title “Henjō Kongō” (the Vajra of Universal Illumination) by the Emperor. And he was granted the posthumous dharma name “Kōbō Daishi” (The Great Teacher Who Propagates the Dharma).

Last Thursday, I couldn't refuse a kind invitation and ate only a small piece of sweets. Immediately, sweat like heavy rain broke out on my forehead, I saw stars, my mouth was so dry, and I had difficulty breathing. I struggled the whole night and almost died! In that life-critical moment, the voice of “A-BI-RA-UN-KEN” (あびらうんけん) echoed from the depths of my heart. This mantra, one of those received in the old cottage on Mount Koya, means “Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space” (地水火風空). The sound vibrations traveled through my five internal organs into my whole bloodstream, clearing sugar toxins and allowing me to see the sunrise the next day.

Mantras suddenly arise at critical moments to harmonize the mind, stabilize thoughts, and serve as spiritual guides and sources of inner calm. They activate "subconscious protection mechanisms," restoring balance to body and mind while easing tension and discomfort. This is a natural reaction cultivated by practice and truly helped me as a person with severe sugar allergies to survive that ordeal.

The “Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space” are the five fundamental elements that compose the human body and all things. “Earth” represents the solid bones, muscles, and flesh; “Water” signifies the blood and bodily fluids; “Fire” is body temperature and energy; “Wind” stands for breath and the movement of life force—for example, the essential act of breathing; “Space” refers to emptiness or the void—formless yet encompassing all, providing room for the other four elements to exist. These elements mutually interact to sustain life’s existence. If they lose harmony or separate, illness or death ensues.

These five elements are not merely physical constituents of the material world but also intimately related to mental and bodily phenomena. They correspond to the dynamic relationships of the “Five Phases” (Wu Xing)— "Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water"— which underpin natural cycles. These elements depend on and influence one another, generating an endless cycle of "birth, growth, decline, and transformation," structuring the overall operation of the cosmos and life.

Fig 2: Relationship between the Five Phases and the Five Organs

In short, the Five Phases— "Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water"— are ancient philosophical frameworks explaining the origination of all things and the cycles of life. Their mutual interplay and transformations reveal the fundamental laws governing nature and existence.

As a scientist, I firmly uphold Confucius’ teaching of “The Master never spoke of strange phenomena, abnormal powers, social disorder, or spirits.” I never discuss such topics, for they have nothing to do with true education, and may easily lead to misunderstanding or the imitation of harmful behaviors. Such words can disturb the mind; therefore, I prefer restraint and remain centered. Since the age of twelve, when I first took responsibility for my household, I have abided by rules and advanced steadily, step by step, rebuilding both family enterprise and reputation.

Yet perhaps I overused my innate energy—for within only a few years of assuming responsibility, I established "Taiwan’s Precision Industry." The problem was that I attributed the honor to those undeserving of it, and soon our living room was filled daily with “street magicians” and even monks trying to gain worldly power. In order to understand these social distortioners, I not only observed their behavior but also studied their books in depth. Indeed, I have read countless of those repetitive volumes.

One monk, a relative of mine, entrusted his daughter to our care when I built my first home on Kong-Yuan Road, and soon after he went abroad to Japan for further study, believing only there he could learn a complete Buddhist path. His fund of journey was made possible in no small part by the "swastika ring and mini oil lamp" I crafted for him.

Fig 3: The swastika ring made by Li-chang Kuo in the 1960s

When he returned from Japan, I had already built a large residence by the Taiping Bridge on the Yanshui River in Yong Kang. He often brought groups of people as guests, listening to those who of shallow virtue but high position spout nonsense. I later heard that, after leaving, many would kneel before him, begging to become disciples in hopes of receiving empowerment and becoming “rich people” like us. Over time, he himself became regarded as a master.

Ordinary couples often quarrel over personal matters, but I was fortunate to have a wise wife. In the ten years before our marriage, we never quarreled, even amidst hardship. Supporting one another, we built a new life again in Taipei. However, once we began pursuing social responsibility investment (SRI) and the "Rich Taiwan Plan," developing innovative industries to solve unemployment, inexplicable conflicts arose between us.

The monk relative who claimed to have psychic powers began his influence, transmitting messages over great distances. My wife became spiritually connected with him, urging me to plant mountains full of five-needle pines in Pingtung and to practice the "Ajikan Meditation." Later, I accompanied him to Japan, retracing each of his former study sites.

On Youth Day of the Bingzi Rat Year, we arrived at Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture. Alone, I climbed to a high place and entered an old wooden house (cottage). Removing my shoes, I stepped onto the tatami mats. A fragrance filled the air. Before me stood a statue of "Mahāvairocana Buddha" (大日如來); to my left was "Fudō Myōō" (不動明王). Sitting cross-legged in the vajra posture before the deity, I tried to rest my eyes, but suddenly in my mind I heard something like the spinning of a magnetic disk. In that one or two seconds, I somehow comprehended many mantras of the sect.

The next morning, dressed in formal attire and wearing a small kesa, I chanted mantras fluently with Japanese monks, as if I had practiced for decades. My monk relative pulled me aside, declaring that I had the “qualifications of a guru” and urged me to “cooperate” with him—his goal being to control the enormous resources of Buddhism, worth ten of billions annually.

Since taking charge of my family on November 1965, I had endured countless dangers, starting from nothing and building an enterprise from the ground up. Within a few years, I had constructed factories covering over 10,000 pings (≈33,000 m²) and amassed large tracts of land. But this success also attracted the covetous gaze of those evildoers (street magicians) and brought endless trouble. That is why I supported my wife’s idea of serving society through “Excellence & Generosity” as the culture of her social enterprise.

In 1986, we launched social responsibility investment and invented an innovative industry to solve unemployment—the "TES eStore System." Its core philosophy was: “The sage does not accumulate; the more he does for others, the more he has; the more he gives, the more he gains.” Wealth should not be monopolized by a few, but distributed through a mechanism of shared participation—an open trading system and job network. Participants serve others and share resources, gaining access to broader markets and returns. The more people use the system, the more the network effects will sweep across “like a powerful wind,” benefiting more people and creating a derivative value chain.

By 1996, a critical year, that monk relative suddenly pressed me to collaborate with him in order to seize control of Buddhism’s vast resources. This was "sheer folly!" Clearly, such so-called “masters of the world" had no understanding of the mission and goals of those who had supported them—truly, fame without substance.

After rejecting his proposal, my submitted “Incubator Project” to President Lee Teng-Hui, which became the foundation of "Taiwan’s national innovation and incubation policy." My friend Li Chang-Yi returned to serve as Director General of the SME Administration and invited us to the APEC 1997 in Vancouver. Our TES system brought light and hope to countries struck by the Asian Financial Crisis, and in APEC 1998, it helped lead to the enactment of the E-Commerce Law.

We do not indulge in superstition or mysticism. What we contribute to the world is a useful new tech-economic system— "TES." During the COVID-19 pandemic, it generated USD 36 trillion in annual "cashless" transactions. Taxi drivers no longer needed to fear being robbed, and at the same time, 1.5 billion people could earn global income from home. Its tangible effects are as follows:

1. Structurally solving unemployment:

From the very beginning, our idea was “One eStore = One Job.” This transforms social responsibility into a sustainable business model, rather than depending solely on government subsidies or charity.

2. Creating a new type of wealth circulation:

The uniqueness of TES is that“everyone invests, and everyone benefits.” It forms a virtuous cycle, making the chain of investment → consumption → production → employment → renewed consumption more resilient.

3. Advancing global economic equity:

Traditional financial systems often exclude the disadvantaged. TES, through cashless transactions and a shared payment system, lowers the barriers to entry, enabling marginalized groups to participate in core economic activities. In essence, it is the practical realization of inclusive finance.

4. Cultural and ethical influence:

TES is not just technology; it carries a philosophy—values such as "altruism, reciprocity, and sharing" gradually permeate society, aligning business practices with moral philosophy. This is something most other technologies cannot achieve.

Fig 4: TES is a distribution system aligned with divine order

In simple terms, TES is a form of "systemic redistribution" aligned with natural law. Its design echoes the wisdom of ancient sages: "True and lasting prosperity does not come from accumulation, but from circulation; abundance is not in hoarding, but in flowing outward; real wealth is not in self-interest, but in benefiting others." TES enables resources to circulate among the people—the more it "flows," the greater it grows. Its mode of serving others equals serving oneself, and its logic of sharing brings abundance is steadily becoming mainstream economic thought.

As the ancients said: “Though the road is long, diligence will reach the destination.” The social reform project we have advocated has borne good fruit over the years, benefiting the entire civilized world. Yet today, I see what may be “the greatest crisis Taiwan has faced” in the six decades since I first took responsibility for my family. At this very moment, the One has told me that my mission is needed to launch once again. Thus, the "IIA-TES Initiative," first proposed when President Obama invited me to contribute ideas for rebuilding the global economy at APEC 2009, has rekindled new hope.

However, the struggle between good and evil has also reignited. Unexpectedly, the cunning adversary exploited my “sugar allergy” as a point of attack. Fortunately, thirty years ago, Kōbō-Daishi (Kūkai) had already instilled within me the Five Great Life Elements— "earth, water, fire, wind, and space" (a-bi-ra-un-ken)— which preserved my life.

In my youth, at the entrance of the Kaohsiung Public Market, I once discussed health cultivation with a displaced scholar from mainland China. He explained the relationships among "the Five Elements, the Five Greats, the Five Senses, the Five Spirits, and the Five Organs," as follows:

Wood — Wind — Eyes — Hun (Ethereal Soul) — Liver

Water — Water — Ears — Jin (Essence) — Kidneys

Fire — Fire — Mouth — Shen (Spirit) — Heart

Earth — Earth — Body — Yi (Intention) — Spleen

Metal — Space — Nose — Po (Corporeal Soul) — Lungs

This aligns with Confucius’ teaching: “See nothing improper, listen to nothing improper, speak nothing improper, do nothing improper,” as folloes:

1) If the eyes do not see excessively, the Hun (Ethereal Soul) dwells in the liver, linked with wood.

2) If the ears do not hear excessively, Jin (Essence) rests in the kidneys, linked with water.

3) If the mouth does not speak excessively, Shen (Spirit) remains in the heart, linked with fire.

4) If the body does not move excessively, Yi (Intention) abides in the spleen, linked with earth.

5) If the nose does not smell excessively, the Po (Corporeal Soul) dwells in the lungs, linked with metal.

The organs are interconnected: the lungs link to the large intestine, the heart to the small intestine, the spleen to the stomach, the kidneys to the bladder, and the liver pairs with the gallbladder.

The longest-living figure in human history is said to be Guang Chengzi, who lived for 1,200 years without signs of physical decline. His secret of longevity lay in this principle: “When the eyes see nothing, the ears hear nothing, and the heart knows nothing, then the spirit preserves the body, and the body may endure. Guard the inner mind, close off the outer senses, lest cleverness injure the primal spirit.” He also walked the path of light— never deceiving in darkness, balancing yin and yang, and achieving harmony and growth through mutual integration. Thus, after cultivating himself for 1,200 years, Guang Chengzi’s body had not yet withered.

Guang Chengzi had already mastered the five elements and their dynamic flows, teaching humanity to follow nature rather than cling to fixed forms. Only by resonating with the natural laws of growth and transformation could one attain long life and enduring vision. Most importantly, he emphasized the role of breath. Breath corresponds to "wind": when wind stirs waves or rustles grass, life continues without end. Human beings live also by breath—“as long as one breath endures, life persists.” Through breath, movement and vitality appear, forming the diverse and vibrant world.

Last Thursday, because I carelessly ate a small piece of sweet food against my own dietary restrictions, I suffered breathing difficulties and struggled through the night. It was through the chanting resonance of “A-bi-ra-un-ken” (the syllables representing the five great elements) that I realized more deeply the importance of a single breath. As the proverb says: “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” Only with "breath" can truth be carried forward. Just as wind spreads seeds and pollen, promotes transpiration, regulates the water cycle, and sustains ecosystems, so too does breath sustain human life and allow the mission of preaching to continue. This made me re-examine the profound meanings hidden within the extraordinary encounters of my journey.

As for “space” (kū), it is the foundation of all material phenomena. In philosophy, it refers to emptiness in the broad sense, transcending the material dimension and encompassing all appearances. "Emptiness and non-being" are complementary. Emptiness means that phenomena lack inherent existence and arise through conditions; non-being denies the independent reality of phenomena, emphasizing that all appearances exist only through dependent origination.

The correspondences of the five great elements are as follows:

1) Earth — Body, Intention, Spleen: symbolizing stability and support, the foundation of growth.

2) Water — Ears, Essence, Kidneys: symbolizing flow and connection, sustaining the liquid environment of life.

3) Fire — Mouth, Spirit, Heart: symbolizing passion, transformation, and the release of energy.

4) Wind/Wood — Eyes, Soul (Hun), Liver: symbolizing growth, penetration, creativity, and vitality.

5) Space/Metal — Nose, Corporeal Soul (Po), Lungs: symbolizing integration, precision, and action—sometimes associated with spatial and spiritual dimensions.

Conclusion

In summary, "earth, water, fire, wind, and space" play vital roles in human life and survival— supporting ecosystems, bodily functions, civilizational progress, and philosophical insight. Earth provides stability, water nourishes life, fire drives transformation, wind sustains circulation, and space embraces all. Together, they construct both the material and spiritual worlds of humanity, inspiring wisdom to follow nature and transcend attachment. Today, understanding the balance and sustainable use of these elements is especially crucial for humanity’s long-term survival.

In terms of health, these five elements are indispensable: “earth corresponds to the bones, water to the blood, fire to body temperature, wind to breathing, and space to consciousness.” Traditional Chinese medicine and other ancient systems often diagnose and treat illnesses on this basis. An imbalance among the elements can lead to health issues— such as dehydration from lack of water, or inflammation from excessive fire— requiring adjustments in diet and lifestyle to restore harmony.

In terms of ecological balance, the five elements are equally critical: “earth provides the foundation, water nourishes life, fire drives transformation, wind promotes circulation, and space accommodates all.” Their interplay sustains Earth’s habitability: soil (earth) combined with water supports plant growth; wind spreads seeds; fire clears away old vegetation; and space provides room for growth. Together, they uphold the food chain and the larger ecological web.

With the "fire" of passion, we carry out social responsibility investment (SRI). We plant a heaven-given seed in the "earth," carefully nourishing it with the "water" of personal earnings, and with constancy, tending it day after day for forty years. In the midst of “emptiness space,” passersby often ask: “What are you doing?” Our reply: “We are opening the way for the next generation.” Through the stirring of the "wind," the seed has quietly grown into a towering forest of hemlocks, where all living beings may dwell and thrive.

Peter Li-Chang Kuo, the author created Taiwan's Precision Industry in his early years. Peter was a representative of the APEC CEO Summit and an expert in the third sector. He advocated "anti-corruption (AC)/cashless/e-commerce (E-Com)/ICT/IPR/IIA-TES / Micro-Business (MB)…and etc." to win the international bills and regulations.