Tridosha - Three doshas

Ayurvedic literature is based on Samkhya's philosophy and on Vaisheshika's philosophy, according to which there are five basic elements. The first is Ether or Space. According to this philosophy, Space is a dravya (matter) which has a quality of being "everywhere - present" and therefore connecting everything. Another element is called Vayu or Air, which has the quality of constant movement, it makes mass move, it is light, cold, subtle, and has the ability to move in all directions. Another element is Teja (Agni or Fire). This is a quality of transfomation, it is heat, it is light, it moves upward, it is subtle. Another one is Ap (Jal or Water), a quality that stimulates, is subject to gravity, tends to flow and mingle. Another element is Prthvi or Earth. This is a quality that is stable and does not move, is subject to gravity and is heavy.These are the five basic elements, called the panchmahabhut. Panch means five, Maha means main and Bhuta means unchangeable.

These five mahabhuts (basic elements) are to be understood as five different qualities, not as the five different forms of matter. In this terminology, therefore, Prthvi (Earth) is not to be understood as stones and soil, and the element of Water does not mean tap water or a river. The element of Fire does not mean a flame and the element of Air does not mean storms or typhoons. The element of Space does not mean square meters. These are common misconceptions. Ayurvedic philosophy uses this terminology in the context of qualities. For example, Prthvi / Earth is regarded in the body as the tissues in material form, i.e., bones, muscles, tendons, organs, skin, etc. Water in a body refers to a fluid that connects and carries nourishment to individual cells within all of the body's tissues. Fire is the element that fuels constant transformation. It makes cells from food and then transforms cells into tissues (metabolism). Air is the motion in our body, the energy that moves cells and flows in our body. It works from a subtle level up to gross forms (food being digested, stool being expelled or the heart beating). It causes the flow of movement in our nervous system.  Ether or Space is to be understood in the body as a physical space in which physical elements are bound. The whole body is one space surrounded by an outer space.These are the panchmahabhuts, but these elements are not active in and of themselves. They are the same in both living and dead bodies. These elements require chetana (consciousness) to activate them. In other words, the person, the self is consciousness and the body is mahabhut.

The word dosha has a deep philosophical significance. Dosha is considered to be a defect in Ayurveda. There is no activity in the mahabhuts themselves, but when they are set in motion, then there is a failure of the resting state (the initial state, i.e., the state of no activity). From this perspective, life is a failure of the zero state. Therefore, the presence of these mahabhuts in a living being is called the three disorders of Vatta, Pitta, Kapha. However, these disorders give us a sense of life. If they remain bounded (within their borders) then we are healthy, but if they overflow their boundaries, then there is illness and suffering, and that is called vikruti.

Vat is a combination of the Ether and Air qualities. Pitta is a combination of the Fire and Water qualities, and Kapha is a combination of the Water and Earth qualities.