Essay name: Ahara as depicted in the Pancanikaya
Author:
Le Chanh
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages
This critical study of Ahara (“food”) explores its significance in Buddhism, encompassing both physical and mental nourishment. The Panca Nikaya, part of the Sutta Pitaka, highlights how all human problems, including suffering and happiness, are connected to Ahara. Understanding this concept is crucial for comprehending and alleviating suffering, aiming for a balanced, enlightened life.
Appendix 1 - Buddha's teachings on Ahara (Pali texts and English translations)
9 (of 38)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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306
ceasing of ignorance the ceasing of activities, from the ceasing of these the ceasing of
consciousness, and so on. Such is the ceasing of this entirre mass of ill.”
(Tran. Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids, The Book of The Kindred Sayings, part II, PTS, pp. 8-9.)
Text 6: Moliyaphaggunasutta
"Sāvatthiyam viharati... pe “cattārome, bhikkhave, āhārā bhātānam và
sattānam thitiyā sambhavesīnam vā anuggahāya. Katame cattāro? Kabaḷīkāro āhāro –
oḷāriko vā sukhumo vā, phasso dutiyo, manosañcetanā tatiyā, viññāṇam catuttham. Ime
kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āhārā bhūtānam vā sattānam thitiyā sambhavesīnam vā
anuggahāyā" ti.
Evam vutte, āyasmā moḷiyaphagguno bhagavantam etadavoca - "ko nu kho, bhante,
viññāṇāhāram āhāretī” ti? “No kallo paṃho" ti bhagavā avoca -“āhāretī'ti aham na vadāmi.
‘Ähāretī'ti cāham vadeyyam, tatrassa kallo paṃho - 'ko nu kho, bhante, āhāretī’ti? Evam
cāham na vadāmi. Evam mam avadantam yo evam puccheyya 'kissa nu kho, bhante,
viññāṇāhāro'ti, esa kallo paṃho. Tatra kallam veyyākaraṇam 'viññāṇāhāro āyatim
punabbhavābhinibbattiyā paccayo, tasmim bhūte sati salāyatanam, salāyatanapaccayā
phasso""ti.
—
"Ko nu kho, bhante, phusati"ti? "No kallo paṃho" ti bhagavā avoca
“‘phusatī’ti aham na vadāmi. ‘Phusatī’ti cāham vadeyyam, tatrassa kallo paṃho – ‘ko
nu kho, bhante, phusati'ti? Evaṃ cāhaṃ na vadāmi. Evam mam avadantam yo evam
puccheyya 'kimpaccayā nu kho, bhante, phasso'ti, esa kallo paṃho. Tatra kallam
-
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veyyākaraṇam – ‘saḷāyatanapaccayā phasso, phassapaccayā vedanā””’ti.
"Ko nu kho, bhante, vedayati" ti? "No kallo paṃho" ti bhagavā avoca
"*vedayati' ti aham na vadāmi. 'Vedayati'ti caham vadeyyam, tatrassa kallo paṃho - 'ko
nu kho, bhante, vedayati'ti? Evam cāham na vadāmi. Evam mam avadantam yo evam
puccheyya ‘kimpaccayā nu kho, bhante, vedanā'ti, esa kallo paṃho. Tatra kallam
veyyākaraṇam – 'phassapaccayā vedanā, vedanāpaccayā taṇhā”” ti.
66 -
"
(Samyuttanikaya II, 12-13, Nidānavaggapāḷi, Moliyaphaggunasutta No. 12.)
Sustenances
(The conditioned Nature of food)
Near Sāvatthī... the Exalted One was teaching the doctrine of the four sustenances.
And when he had named the the venerable Moliya Phagguna said to the Exalted One:
Who now is it, lord, who feeds on the consciousness sustenance?
