English
And the Great Sakyamuni Gotama. 2. The Chapter on Nutriments 1. The Discourse on Nutriments 11. Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park... and he said this: ‘Monks, there are these four nutriments for the maintenance of beings who have come to be, or for the support of those seeking rebirth. Which four? Physical food – coarse or subtle, contact is the second, mental volition is the third, consciousness is the fourth. These four nutriments, monks, are for the for the maintenance of beings already born, or for the support of those seeking birth." "Monks, these four nutriments, what are they rooted in, what are they arisen from, what are they born from, what are they produced from? These four nutriments, monks, are rooted in craving, arisen from craving, born from craving, produced from craving. And this craving, monks, what is it rooted in, what is it arisen from, what is it born from, what is it produced from? Craving is rooted in feeling, arisen from feeling, born from feeling, produced from feeling. And this feeling, monks, what is it rooted in, what is it arisen from, what is it born from, what is it produced from? Feeling is rooted in contact, arisen from contact, born from contact, produced from contact. And this contact, monks, what is it rooted in, what is it arisen from, what is it born from, what is it produced from? Contact is rooted in the six sense bases, arisen from the six sense bases, born from the six sense bases, produced from the six sense bases. And these six sense bases, monks, what are they rooted in, what are they arisen from, what are they born from, what are they produced from? The six sense bases are rooted in name-and-form, arisen from name-and-form, born from name-and-form, produced from name-and-form. And this name-and-form, monks, what is it rooted in, what is it arisen from, what is it born from, what is it produced from? Name-and-form is rooted in consciousness, arisen from consciousness, born from consciousness, produced from consciousness. And this consciousness, monks, what is it rooted in, what is it arisen from, what is it born from, what is it produced from? Consciousness is rooted in volitional formations, arisen from volitional formations, born from volitional formations, produced from volitional formations. And these volitional formations, monks, what are they rooted in, what are they arisen from, what are they born from, what are they produced from? Volitional formations are rooted in ignorance, arisen from ignorance, born from ignorance, produced from ignorance. Thus, monks, with ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness... (and so on)... Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering. But with the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, there is cessation of volitional formations; with the cessation of volitional formations, there is cessation of consciousness... (and so on)... Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering." First. 2. The Moḷiyaphagguna Sutta 12. Dwelling at Sāvatthī... (and so on)... "Monks, these four nutriments for the maintenance of beings already born or for the support of those seeking rebirth. Which are the four? Physical food – coarse or subtle, contact is the second, mental volition is the third, consciousness is the fourth. These four foods, bhikkhus, are for the maintenance of beings who have come to be, or for the support of those seeking rebirth.” When this was said, Venerable Moḷiyaphagguna said to the Blessed One: “Who, venerable sir, consumes the food of consciousness?” “That is not a proper question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘consumes.’ If I were to say ‘consumes,’ then it would be a proper question: ‘Who, venerable sir, consumes?’ But I do not say that. If, when I do not say that, someone were to ask: ‘For what, venerable sir, is the food of consciousness?’ that would be a proper question. And the proper answer to that is: ‘The food of consciousness is a condition for the arising of rebirth in the future; when that has come to be, there is the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, there is contact.’” “Who, venerable sir, makes contact?” “That is not a proper question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘makes contact.’ If I were to say ‘makes contact,’ then it would be a proper question: ‘Who, venerable sir, makes contact?’ But I do not say that. If, when I do not say that, someone were to ask: ‘With what as condition, venerable sir, is there contact?’ that would be a proper question. And the proper answer to that is: ‘With the six sense bases as condition, there is contact; with contact as condition, there is feeling.’” “Who, venerable sir, feels?” “That is not a proper question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘feels.’ If I were to say ‘feels,’ then it would be a proper question: ‘Who, venerable sir, feels?’ But I do not say that. If, when I do not say that, someone were to ask: ‘With what as condition, venerable sir, is there feeling?’ that would be a proper question. And the proper answer to that is: ‘With contact as condition, there is feeling; with feeling as condition, there is craving.’” “Who, venerable sir, craves?” "Not a proper question," the Blessed One said. "I do not say 'one trembles'. If I were to say 'one trembles', then that would be a proper question: 'Who, indeed, Venerable Sir, trembles?' But I do not say so. If, when I do not say so, someone were to ask me: 'What is the condition for craving, Venerable Sir?' that would be a proper question. There, the proper answer would be: 'Craving is conditioned by feeling; clinging is conditioned by craving.'" "Who, indeed, Venerable Sir, clings?" "Not a proper question," the Blessed One said. "I do not say 'one clings'. If I were to say 'one clings', then that would be a proper question: 'Who, indeed, Venerable Sir, clings?' But I do not say so. If, when I do not say so, someone were to ask me: 'What is the condition for clinging, Venerable Sir?' that would be a proper question. There, the proper answer would be: 'Clinging is conditioned by craving; existence is conditioned by clinging.' (...) Thus is the origin of this entire mass of suffering." "But, Phagguna, with the complete fading away and cessation of the six sense-bases for contact, there is cessation of contact. With the cessation of contact, there is cessation of feeling. With the cessation of feeling, there is cessation of craving. With the cessation of craving, there is cessation of clinging. With the cessation of clinging, there is cessation of existence. With the cessation of existence, there is cessation of birth. With the cessation of birth, old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Thus is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering." The Second. 3. The Discourse on Ascetics and Brahmins 13. Dwelling at Savatthi (...) "Whatever ascetics or brahmins, bhikkhus, do not understand old age and death, do not understand the origin of old age and death, do not understand the cessation of old age and death, do not understand the path leading to the cessation of old age and death; birth (...) existence (...) clinging (...) craving (...) feeling (...) contact (...) the six sense-bases (...) name-and-form (...) consciousness (...) formations do not understand, do not understand the origin of formations, do not understand the cessation of formations, do not understand the path leading to the cessation of formations (...)" They do not understand this path. To me, bhikkhus, these are not recluses or brahmins, nor considered recluses among recluses, nor brahmins among brahmins. Nor do those venerable ones, in this very life, having themselves realized with direct knowledge the aim of recluseship or the aim of brahminhood, abide therein. But those, bhikkhus, recluses or brahmins, who understand aging-and-death, who understand the origin of aging-and-death, who understand the cessation of aging-and-death, who understand the path leading to the cessation of aging-and-death; who understand birth, who understand the origin of birth, who understand the cessation of birth, who understand the path leading to the cessation of birth; who understand becoming, who understand the origin of becoming, who understand the cessation of becoming, who understand the path leading to the cessation of becoming; who understand clinging, who understand the origin of clinging, who understand the cessation of clinging, who understand the path leading to the cessation of clinging; who understand craving, who understand the origin of craving, who understand the cessation of craving, who understand the path leading to the cessation of craving; who understand feeling, who understand the origin of feeling, who understand the cessation of feeling, who understand the path leading to the cessation of feeling; who understand contact, who understand the origin of contact, who understand the cessation of contact, who understand the path leading to the cessation of contact; who understand the six sense bases, who understand the origin of the six sense bases, who understand the cessation of the six sense bases, who understand the path leading to the cessation of the six sense bases; who understand name-and-form, who understand the origin of name-and-form, who understand the cessation of name-and-form, who understand the path leading to the cessation of name-and-form; who understand consciousness, who understand the origin of consciousness, who understand the cessation of consciousness, who understand the path leading to the cessation of consciousness; who understand formations, who understand the origin of formations, who understand the cessation of formations, who understand the path leading to the cessation of formations, these, bhikkhus, are to me recluses or brahmins,