O Vidura! One should know that the qualities of each element starting with ether increase successively as they progress towards the inferior, combining with the qualities of the superior elements. O Vidura (bhavya)! Another version has bhāvya, which means the effects, elements such as ether. Among the respectively lower elements starting with ether and then air, the effects, from successive combination with the superior causes, one should know the qualities (tan-mātras) are repeatedly found (yathā saṅkhyam). Ether is the cause of air. It has two qualities sound and touch, being endowed with the previous cause (ether). Light has two causes—ether and air. Combined with those causes, it has three qualities—form, touch and sound. Similarly water has four qualities and earth has five qualities.