a leak and water flows in. That incoming of water is Asrava and accumulating there is Bandha. Now the man tries to save the boat by blocking the hole. That blockage is Samvara and throwing the water outside is Nirjara. Now the man crosses the river and reaches his destination, Moksha. Consider a family living in a house. One day, they were enjoying a fresh cool breeze coming through their open doors and windows of the house. However, the weather suddenly changed to a terrible dust storm. The family, realizing the storm, closed the doors and windows. But, by the time they could close all the doors and windows some of the dust had been blown into the house. After closing the doors and the windows, they started clearing the dust that had come in to make the house clean again. This simple scenario can be interpreted as follows: Jivas are represented by the living people. Ajiva is represented by the house. Asrava is represented by the influx of dust. Bandha is represented by the accumulation of dust in the house. Samvara is represented by the closing of the doors and windows to stop the accumulation of dust. Nirjara is represented by the cleaning up of already collected dust from the house. Moksha is represented by the cleaned house, which is similar to the shedding off all karmic particles from the soul. Buddhism In Buddhism the term dhamma/dharma is being used for the constitutional elements. Early Buddhist philosophy used several lists, such as namarupa and the five skandhas, to analyse reality. The Abhidhamma tradition elaborated on these lists, using over 100 terms to analyse reality. See also Mahābhūta Pancha Bhoota Achintya Bheda Abheda Tattva vision Tat Tvam Asi Tathatā (Buddhism) References Sources Prasad, Ram (1997). Nature's Finer Forces: The Science of Breath and the Philosophy of the Tattvas. Kessinger. Ramacharaka Yogi (1997). Science of Breath. Kessinger. Singh, Jaideva (1979). Siva Sutras: The Yoga of Supreme Identity. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. Avalon, Arthur (Sir John Woodroffe) (1918). Shakti and Shâkta. Full text available online: (accessed: Monday July 9, 2007) Classical elements Hindu philosophical concepts Shaivism Vaishnavism Tantra Jain philosophy Sanskrit words and phrases Ontology