Evaṃ me sutaṃ:

I have heard that:

Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery.{n} There he addressed the monks:

– Bhikkhavo ti.

– Bhadante ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

– Monks!

– Bhadante, the monks replied. The Blessed One said:

– Cattārome, bhikkhave, āhārā bhūtānaṃ vā sattānaṃ ṭhitiyā sambhavesīnaṃ vā anuggahāya. Katame cattāro? Kabaḷīkāro āhāro oḷāriko vā sukhumo vā, phasso dutiyo, manosañcetanā tatiyā, viññāṇaṃ catutthaṃ. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āhārā bhūtānaṃ vā sattānaṃ ṭhitiyā sambhavesīnaṃ vā anuggahāya.

– There are these four nutriments for the maintenance of beings who have come into being or for the support of those in search of a place to be born. Which four? Physical food, gross or refined; contact as the second, intellectual intention the third, and consciousness the fourth. These are the four nutriments for the maintenance of beings who have come into being or for the support of those in search of a place to be born.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, kabaḷīkāro āhāro daṭṭhabbo? Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dve jāyampatikā parittaṃ sambalaṃ ādāya kantāramaggaṃ paṭipajjeyyuṃ. Tesamassa ekaputtako piyo manāpo. Atha kho tesaṃ, bhikkhave, dvinnaṃ jāyampatikānaṃ kantāragatānaṃ yā parittā sambalamattā, sā parikkhayaṃ pariyādānaṃ gaccheyya. Siyā ca nesaṃ kantārāvaseso anatiṇṇo. Atha kho tesaṃ, bhikkhave, dvinnaṃ jāyampatikānaṃ evamassa – amhākaṃ kho yā parittā sambalamattā sā parikkhīṇā pariyādiṇṇā. Atthi cāyaṃ kantārāvaseso anittiṇṇo. Yaṃnūna mayaṃ imaṃ ekaputtakaṃ piyaṃ manāpaṃ vadhitvā vallūrañca soṇḍikañca karitvā puttamaṃsāni khādantā evaṃ taṃ kantārāvasesaṃ nitthareyyāma, mā sabbeva tayo vinassimhāti.

And how is physical food to be regarded? Suppose a couple, husband & wife, taking meager provisions, were to travel through a desert. With them would be their only baby son, dear & appealing. Then the meager provisions of the couple going through the desert would be used up & depleted while there was still a stretch of the desert yet to be crossed. The thought would occur to them, 'Our meager provisions are used up & depleted while there is still a stretch of this desert yet to be crossed. What if we were to kill this only baby son of ours, dear & appealing, and make dried meat & jerky. That way — chewing on the flesh of our son — at least the two of us would make it through this desert. Otherwise, all three of us would perish.'

Atha kho te, bhikkhave, dve jāyampatikā taṃ ekaputtakaṃ piyaṃ manāpaṃ vadhitvā vallūrañca soṇḍikañca karitvā puttamaṃsāni khādantā evaṃ taṃ kantārāvasesaṃ nitthareyyuṃ. Te puttamaṃsāni ceva khādeyyuṃ, ure ca paṭipiseyyuṃ – kahaṃ, ekaputtaka, kahaṃ, ekaputtakāti. Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu te davāya vā āhāraṃ āhāreyyuṃ, madāya vā āhāraṃ āhāreyyuṃ, maṇḍanāya vā āhāraṃ āhāreyyuṃ, vibhūsanāya vā āhāraṃ āhāreyyunti?

So they would kill their only baby son, loved & endearing, and make dried meat & jerky. Chewing on the flesh of their son, they would make it through the desert. While eating the flesh of their only son, they would beat their breasts, [crying,] 'Where have you gone, our only baby son? Where have you gone, our only baby son?' Now what do you think, monks: Would that couple eat that food playfully or for intoxication, or for putting on bulk, or for beautification?

– No hetaṃ, bhante.

– Nanu te, bhikkhave, yāvadeva kantārassa nittharaṇatthāya āhāraṃ āhāreyyunti?

– No, lord.

– Wouldn't they eat that food simply for the sake of making it through that desert?

– Evaṃ, bhante.

– Evameva khvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, kabaḷīkāro āhāro daṭṭhabboti vadāmi. Kabaḷīkāre, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte pañcakāmaguṇiko rāgo pariññāto hoti. Pañcakāmaguṇike rāge pariññāte natthi taṃ saṃyojanaṃ yena saṃyojanena saṃyutto ariyasāvako puna imaṃ lokaṃ āgaccheyya.

– Yes, lord.

– In the same way, I tell you, is the nutriment of physical food to be regarded. When physical food is comprehended, passion for the five strings of sensuality is comprehended. When passion for the five strings of sensuality is comprehended, there is no fetter bound by which a disciple of the noble ones would come back again to this world.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, phassāhāro daṭṭhabbo? Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gāvī niccammā kuṭṭaṃ ce nissāya tiṭṭheyya. Ye kuṭṭanissitā pāṇā te naṃ khādeyyuṃ. Rukkhaṃ ce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye rukkhanissitā pāṇā te naṃ khādeyyuṃ. Udakaṃ ce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye udakanissitā pāṇā te naṃ khādeyyuṃ. Ākāsaṃ ce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye ākāsanissitā pāṇā te naṃ khādeyyuṃ. Yaṃ yadeva hi sā, bhikkhave, gāvī niccammā nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye tannissitā pāṇā te naṃ khādeyyuṃ. Evameva khvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, phassāhāro daṭṭhabboti vadāmi. Phasse, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte tisso vedanā pariññātā honti. Tīsu vedanāsu pariññātāsu ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmi.

And how is the nutriment of contact to be regarded? Suppose a flayed cow were to stand leaning against a wall. The creatures living in the wall would chew on it. If it were to stand leaning against a tree, the creatures living in the tree would chew on it. If it were to stand exposed to water, the creatures living in the water would chew on it. If it were to stand exposed to the air, the creatures living in the air would chew on it. For wherever the flayed cow were to stand exposed, the creatures living there would chew on it. In the same say, I tell you, is the nutriment of contact to be regarded. When the nutriment of contact is comprehended, the three feelings [pleasure, pain, neither pleasure nor pain] are comprehended. When the three feelings are comprehended, I tell you, there is nothing further for a disciple of the noble ones to do.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, manosañcetanāhāro daṭṭhabbo? Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, aṅgārakāsu sādhikaporisā puṇṇā aṅgārānaṃ vītaccikānaṃ vītadhūmānaṃ. Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo. Tamenaṃ dve balavanto purisā nānābāhāsu gahetvā taṃ aṅgārakāsuṃ upakaḍḍheyyuṃ. Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa ārakāvassa cetanā ārakā patthanā ārakā paṇidhi. Taṃ kissa hetu? Evañhi, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa hoti – imaṃ cāhaṃ aṅgārakāsuṃ papatissāmi, tatonidānaṃ maraṇaṃ vā nigacchāmi maraṇamattaṃ vā dukkhanti. Evameva khvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, manosañcetanāhāro daṭṭhabboti vadāmi. Manosañcetanāya, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte tisso taṇhā pariññātā honti. Tīsu taṇhāsu pariññātāsu ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmi.

And how is the nutriment of intellectual intention to be regarded? Suppose there were a pit of glowing embers, deeper than a man's height, full of embers that were neither flaming nor smoking, and a man were to come along — loving life, hating death, loving pleasure, abhorring pain — and two strong men, having grabbed him by the arms, were to drag him to the pit of embers. To get far away would be that man's intention, far away would be his wish, far away would be his aspiration. Why is that? Because he would realize, 'If I fall into this pit of glowing embers, I will meet with death from that cause, or with death-like pain.' In the same say, I tell you, is the nutriment of intellectual intention to be regarded. When the nutriment of intellectual intention is comprehended, the three forms of craving [for sensuality, for becoming, and for non-becoming] are comprehended. When the three forms of craving are comprehended, I tell you, there is nothing further for a disciple of the noble ones to do.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, viññāṇāhāro daṭṭhabbo? Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, coraṃ āgucāriṃ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṃ – ayaṃ te, deva, coro āgucārī, imassa yaṃ icchasi taṃ daṇḍaṃ paṇehīti. Tamenaṃ rājā evaṃ vadeyya – gacchatha, bho, imaṃ purisaṃ pubbaṇhasamayaṃ sattisatena hanathāti. Tamenaṃ pubbaṇhasamayaṃ sattisatena haneyyuṃ. Atha rājā majjhanhikasamayaṃ evaṃ vadeyya – ambho, kathaṃ so purisoti? Tatheva, deva, jīvatīti. Tamenaṃ rājā evaṃ vadeyya – gacchatha, bho, taṃ purisaṃ majjhanhikasamayaṃ sattisatena hanathāti. Tamenaṃ majjhanhikasamayaṃ sattisatena haneyyuṃ. Atha rājā sāyanhasamayaṃ evaṃ vadeyya – ambho, kathaṃ so purisoti? Tatheva, deva, jīvatīti. Tamenaṃ rājā evaṃ vadeyya – gacchatha, bho, taṃ purisaṃ sāyanhasamayaṃ sattisatena hanathāti. Tamenaṃ sāyanhasamayaṃ sattisatena haneyyuṃ.

And how is the nutriment of consciousness to be regarded? Suppose that, having arrested a thief, a criminal, they were to show him to the king: 'This is a thief, a criminal for you, your majesty. Impose on him whatever punishment you like.' So the king would say, 'Go, men, and shoot him in the morning with a hundred spears.' So they would shoot him in the morning with a hundred spears. Then the king would say at noon, 'Men, how is that man?' 'Still alive, your majesty.' So the king would say, 'Go, men, and shoot him at noon with a hundred spears.' So they would shoot him at noon with a hundred spears. Then the king would say in the evening, 'Men, how is that man?' 'Still alive, your majesty.' So the king would say, 'Go, men, and shoot him in the evening with a hundred spears.' So they would shoot him in the evening with a hundred spears.

Taṃ kiṃ maññatha, bhikkhave, api nu so puriso divasaṃ tīhi sattisatehi haññamāno tatonidānaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvediyethāti?

Now what do you think, monks: Would that man, being shot with three hundred spears a day, experience pain & distress from that cause?

– Ekissāpi, bhante, sattiyā haññamāno tatonidānaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvediyetha; ko pana vādo tīhi sattisatehi haññamānoti!

– Even if he were to be shot with only one spear, lord, he would experience pain & distress from that cause, to say nothing of three hundred spears.

– Evameva khvāhaṃ, bhikkhave, viññāṇāhāro daṭṭhabboti vadāmi. Viññāṇe, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte nāmarūpaṃ pariññātaṃ hoti, nāmarūpe pariññāte ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmīti.

– In the same say, I tell you, monks, is the nutriment of consciousness to be regarded. When the nutriment of consciousness is comprehended, name & form are comprehended. When name & form are comprehended, I tell you, there is nothing further for a disciple of the noble ones to do.