Reply To: Useful Essays from DRARISWORLD and Other Websites – Part 2

#50499
Jittananto
Participant

PUTTAMAMSA SUTTA: DISCOURSE ON A SON’S FLESH

 

Thus have I heard.

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatti in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapindika’s monastery.

[All the discourses of the Buddha contained in the five collections were narrated by Venerable Arahant Ānanda from memory at the first Buddhist council that was held three months after the Buddha’s passing away. He was the chief attendant of the Buddha and was known as the “guardian of the Dhamma” due to his excellent skill in remembering the Buddha’s discourses. 

“Monks, there are these four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings who have come into being and for the support of those who are seeking a birth. What four? Physical food, gross or subtle, contact is the second, mental volition is the third, and consciousness is the fourth. These monks, are the four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings who have come into being and for the support of those who are seeking a birth.”

[In another discourse too called Aththirāga sutta of the Samyutta Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s connected discourses), the Buddha has described the four types of nutriments: nutriment of physical food (kabalinkāhāra), nutriment of contact (phassāhāra), nutriment of mental volition (mano sancetanāhāra) and the nutriment of consciousness (viññānāhāra).] 

In the Puttamamsa sutta, the Buddha has given a very significant and powerful sermon on the four kinds of nutriments, one external and three internal, that sustain all sentient beings. Then the Buddha used four similes to describe the dangers of each nutriment unless they are properly and reflectively used. The similes are so strong, particularly the simile of the parents killing their only baby son to consume his flesh, that they should create a sense of revulsion and disenchantment in anyone. Buddhist monks and nuns are expected to reflect each time they consume physical food and other requisites offered by their lay devotees. The Buddha has also stated how a disciple can gain enlightenment and liberation from all suffering by fully comprehending each of the four nutriments.

  • An excellent sutta on the 4 types of food. Sir Lal had already written an article on Āhāra (Food) in Udayavaya Ñāna. However, this is the first time I have read this sutta. If I’m not mistaken, the desire for the first type of food is eliminated at the anagami stage. The other 3 desires are eliminated at the arahant stage. Even though an arahant or an anagami with a human body needs food, these two individuals will never eat food for pleasure.