“Yet we cannot do otherwise, because we are impelled by thirst and hunger.”
Lal has that as ‘ In fact, we have to eat and drink to maintain our lives.’
And that is just what I meant. I see no difference at all in the two statements.
Perhaps the notion of aharepatikulasanna comes in here, if this is what is meant; if not, it makes no difference. I have been conscious of this repulsiveness for quite some time, not of food itself(as to taste etc), but of this disgusting process that we have to carry out, day in day out. Every morning I see: look what this box produces! At meal times I see: this food will be that in the morning!
But it is all necessary for maintaining life in a human body. That is how devas must look upon human bodies, much like we look upon pigs – careful to keep a distance, more so due to the much finer sensitivity of their senses.