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The term "ahara" means food, nutrition, nourishment, nutriment substance; it is something to eat for sustaining physical body. People often think of the meaning of 'food' in that way, but as revealed in the 196 Sangiti sutta of Dighanikaya.

111 Pancanikaya, all objects such as form, sound, etc are called food for the eyes, ears, etc. Whatever makes one feel either comfortable or uncomfortable such as cold, hot, advantage and disadvantage of circumstances is also called ahara. Whatever causes pain or happiness is also called ahara. Furthermore, ahara also means a condition (paccaya,) for condition brings its own fruit, for example, demerit is called ahara because it is the cause of suffering, and vice versa; ahara in these meanings which cover both Life and Universe, consist of both in literality and figurativeness. On this simple word is hinged practically the entire teaching of the Buddha, particularly his specific doctrines of the Four Noble Truths, Dependent Origination, Karma, and Rebirth as mentioned in the third chapter. It is also the key-word which unlocks the doors of the mysteries of life and death, of happiness and pain in their universal 197 application. All has indeed been played upon throughout the Panca Nikaya. Thus, the quest for food, as well as the supply thereof, constitutes physically, psychologically and sociologically, the basis of all action. As a primary need of life itself, it conveys the energy for sustenance at all levels, material, biological, volitional and intellectual. All this is involved in the term ahara, derived from the Sanskit root "a-hr," means to support, to bring near, to carry, to fetch, to convey to oneself, which action is followed by absorption and assimilation. 198 In the Pali Nikaya, ahara sums up the whole teaching of the Buddha in relation to Life and Universe, all that is condensed in the answer to the first question, before which no problem can arise: Katamo eko dhammo? Sabbe satta aharatthitika: What is this one thing? All beings are maintained by nutriment. This statement covers the whole nature of a 199 197 G. P. Malalasekera, Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, vol. 1, p. 280. 198 Ibid. 199 D. III, 211.

112 living organism, which depends not only on material food but also on psychic food, for its sustenance. It is also one thing that must be thoroughly learnt that comes from the question: Ko dhammo abhinneyyo? Sabbe satta aharatthitika: eko dhammo abhinneyyo: Which one thing is to be learnt? All beings are maintained by causes (foods.) "201 This means that causes are very foods that must be understood in the high levels of meaning. the .200 The commentary on the Dhammasangani, called the Athasalini, gives a lengthy exposition on physical food as a derived material quality (rupa). Here ahara is shown to be both the material foodstuff and the nutritive essence (oja). It is the presence of the material stuff in the stomach, which prevents the feeling of hunger; in its absence, the bodily heat seizes the stomach-walls, but when material food is introduced the bodily heat seizes and the process of assimilation in digestion begins. 202 In gross sustenance, it is said, the nutritive essence is weak; and thus after eating coarse grain, etc., one becomes hungry again after a brief interval. But in subtle food, such as butter, the nutritive essence is great. The food derived from herbivorous animals, such as deer and cattle, is more subtle and more nutritious than that from carnivorous animals, such as tigers and crocodiles. In sixth chapter 'Rupasangahavibhaga (compendium of matter)' of the Abhihhammattha Sangaha of Acariya Anuruddha, ahara in ahararupa (nutritional phenomenal) is one of the eleven kinds of material phenomena that are treated as twenty-eight according to their specific properties. How eleven and twenty-eight? (1) Great essentials: earth, 200 Ibid., 273. 201 202 Cf. Khp. IV; A. V, 50, 55. The Digha alone gives the second aphorism. 'Cause': ahara, usually meaning 'food,' is literally a thing 'adduced,' 'brought up'. Four kinds of ahara are specific, e.g., S.II, ii f.; below, 219 food, contact, purpose, consciousness (in connection with rebirth), all considered as so many causes, conditions, antecedents of 'result' or fruit. Hence ahara in general can always be rendered by paccaya. (See footnote from The Dialogues of The Buddha, vol. III, trans. by T.W. & C.A.F. Rhys Davids, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers reprinted, 2007, p. 204). G. P. Malalasekera, Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, vol. I, p. 282. 203 Ibid.

113 water, fire, air element; (2) Sensitive phenomena: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body sensitive; (3) Objective phenomena: visible, sound, smell, taste; (4) Sexual phenomena: femininity, masculinity; (5) Heart phenomena: heartbase; (6) Life phenomena: life faculty; (7) Nutritional phenomena: nutriment; (8) Limiting phenomena: Space element; (9) Communicating phenomena: bodily intimation, vocal intimation; (10) Mutable phenomena: lightness, malleability, wieldiness (plus two intimations); (11) Characteristics of matter: production, continuity, decay, impermanence. All of these, from (1) to (7) is eighteenfold, are called concrete matter; from (8) to (11) is ten that are not concretely produced. In all there are twenty-eight. From the above enumeration, the nutritional phenomena are the seventh of the eleven kinds of material phenomena and the eighteenth of twenty-eight. In these, "ahara" is only described for "matter" that is "Edible food (kabalikarahara) has the characteristic of nutritive essence (oja,) that is, the nutritional substance contained in gross edible food. Its function is to sustain physical body. It is manifested as the fortifying of the body. Its proximate cause is gross edible food, which is the base of nutritive essence. ,,204 Out of the twenty-eight material phenomena (rupa) the following twelve find their origin in the process of nutrition (ahara) or that arise from nutriment. The twelve comprises of the eight kinds of material phenomena (ojatthamaka-rupani,) the basic corporeal octad (suddhatthakakalapa): the four great essentials (see above) and four derivatives - colour, smell, taste, and nutritive essence, the eight kinds are inseparable, the rest are separable; the lightness triad and space (see above). These are the material phenomena, which are nutriment- 204 Tran. by Bhikkhu Bodhi, A Comprehensive Manual of Abhihhamma, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society, 1993, p. 240. Knowledge P C Jayakar Spr

114 originated (ahara-samutthana), for which nutriment is the producing condition (janakapaccaya). 205 In the representation of the classifications of material phenomena, ahara is one of the four modes of origins of the origination of matter (rupasamutthana): "Material phenomena originate in four ways, from kamma, consciousness, temperature, and nutriment" (Kammam, cittam, utu, aharo ca ti cattari rupasamutthanani nama.)206 Why is ahara one of the four modes of origins or the four supporting conditions of materiality? Because this body of the damsel is hidden in the darkness of ignorance, avijja has stuck in us like a thorn. It is hard to take out. It is one's own making only.' It can be described as follows:" 207 "Kamma is the prime actor. Citta (Mind) is the master. Utu (Temperature or Climatic condition) is the mason. Ahara (Nutriment) is the labourer. Here, Citta the master asked his men, "Build a house for me." Kamma the prime actor asked, Citta, in which part shall I build it? At one place there are no visible objects to see; no sounds to hear; no odours to smell; no flavours to it taste; no physical contacts to be made. It is a barren place. At another place, visible objects are there, pleasing to the eye; there are various pleasant sounds; there are pleasant smells; there are pleasant tastes; there are pleasant tangible objects. Of these two places, where would you like to build your house? Citta, the master said, "O, Kamma the prime actor, I am fond of pleasant sights, pleasant sounds, pleasant smell, pleasant tastes and pleasant tangible objects, I would like that sort of place". To this, Kamma said, "Don't choose that place, my dear. It is a bad place to live". Citta asked, "Why is it a bad place to 205 Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, vol. I, ibid., p. 281. A Comprehensive Manual of Abhihhamma, ibid., p. 246. 206 207 Source: http://www.sunlun-meditation.com.mm/Content_24.htm.

115 live?" Kamma explained; "It is a ruined place. Land-slides often occur." "Never mind the land-slides," said Citta, "I am fond of pleasant visible objects". "Don't choose that place," said Kamma, "It is subject to floods." Citta said, "Never mind the floods. I am fond of pleasant sounds." "Don't choose that place," said Kamma, "It is subject to violent storms." "Never mind the violent storms," said Citta, "I am fond of pleasant smells." "Don't choose that place," said Kamma, "It is subject to frequent fires". "Never mind the fires," said Citta, "I am fond of pleasant tastes and pleasant tangible objects. Do build my house at that place." "Kamma, the prime actor then asked, "May I build it underneath the earth?" "No, no," said Citta, "that would suffocate me to death." "Therigatha, may I build it underneath the water" asked Kamma? "No, no," said Citta, "that would drown me to death." "Therigatha, may I build it in the big storm," asked Kamma? "No, no," said Citta, "I would be carried away by the storm." "Therigatha, may I build it in the flames," asked Kamma? "O! No, no," said Citta, "I would be burnt to death." "In that case," said Kamma, "I will have a mixture of earth, water, wind and fire in equal proportions and build your house with that compound. What do you say"? To this Citta agreed and ordered, "Go ahead". Kamma the prime actor said, "I can't do it myself. I have to ask my man, Utu, the mason. "Hey, Utu, the mason," called Kamma, "Citta wishes to have a home built for him, to be of a compound made up of earth, water, fire and wind, in equal proportion. Will you do the job"? Utu replied, "I will master but it all depends on Ahara. My work is dependent on the quality of bricks he supplies. His bricks might not be always sound; some might be half burnt, some might be broken and some might be soft." Kamma protested, "Don't make a fuss. Just

116 go about your work." The mason could not say any further. He had to build the house with the assistance of his helper Ahara." So dear audience, you have seen houses being built in towns and villages. The mason has to use whatever bricks he is being supplied by his helper Ahara. Some bricks are sound, some are not sound, there are half-burnt bricks and some are broken bricks. Utu the mason plastered them all to look nice. In this way, some fine houses are built. In the three worlds, houses are built some for Humans, others for Devas and for Brahmas. We mean the bodies, which are likened to houses. In the animal world, various kinds of animals likewise get various kinds of bodies. As all of these bodies are built of the four Primary Elements, sometimes earth fail and the individual suffers agony; sometimes water drowns them and the individual suffers agony; sometimes wind plays havoc and the individual suffers agony; sometimes fire burns and the individual suffers agony. We have seen these things, haven't we? That is why, it has been said by the Buddha, all things which are conditioned by the four conditioning elements are subject to decay. In spite of this warning, most people long for fresh existence, with the result that they become subject to land-slides and suffer agony; sometimes they are drowned in water, suffering agony; sometimes they are caught in storms and suffer agony; sometimes they get burnt by fire and suffer agony. All these agonies are the result of one's own wish for fresh existence. We must face up to the consequences of our desire. There is no point in murmuring about them. We wish for it and get what we wished for, if we had not wished for fresh existence, we would not get it. However, by simply saying that we do not want a fresh existence, our wish will not be fulfilled. We must acquire the necessary knowledge

117 for which we need to meditate in the Vipassana practice. When we have acquired this necessary knowledge, we will no more wish for a fresh existence; if we do not wish for it, fresh existence will not be forthcoming. If no fresh existence arises, we are freed from all sorts of suffering, we attain Nibbana. 208 nutriment In the above representation, material phenomena arises in four ways and ahara is one of them: Nutriment, known as nutritive essence, on reaching its stage of presence, produces material phenomena originating from nutriment at the time it is swallowed (Ojasankhato aharo aharasamutthanarupam ajjhoharanak-ale thanappatto va samutthapeti.) 20⁹ Here, material phenomena originating from (aharasamutthanarupa): the internal nutritive essence, supported by the external, produces material phenomena at the moment of the presence starting from the time it is swallowed. The nutritive essence that has reached presence in the material groups originating from nutriment produces a further pure octad, and the nutritive essence in that octad originates still a further octad; thus the occurrence of octad links up ten or twelve times. The nutriment taken by a pregnant mother, pervading the body of the embryo, originates materiality in the child. Even nutriment smeared on the body is said to originate materiality. The nutritive essence in the internal groups born of the other three causes also originates several occurrences of pure octad in succession the nutriment taken on one day can support the body for as long as seven days.210 Ahara is not only a material phenomenon but also as an active process it is also a condition (ahara-paccaya) of support of two kinds: the relation of edible food (material) to the body and the relation of 208 Ibid. 209 A Comprehensive Manual of Abhihhamma, p. 250. 210 Ibid., pp. 250-251.

118 immaterial supports to co-existing states of mind and body. It is this nutritive support in the psychological field which forms the basis of the doctrine of the karma and the teachings connected therewith. Food or sustenance (ahara) is frequently synonymous with causal condition, e.g., "from the arising of food is the arising of the body; from the ceasing of food is the ceasing of the body; and the way leading to the ceasing of the body is the Noble Eightfold Path" (ahara-samudaya rupa-samudayo, aharanirodha rupanirodho; ayam eva ariyo atthangiko maggo rupanirodhagamini patipada.)²11 Again, ahara is described in the Samuccayasangahavibhaga compendium of categores of Abhihhammattha Sangaha: "Four nutriments: (1) edible food, (2) contact as the second, (3) mental volition as the third, (4) consciousness as the fourth" (Cattaro ahara: kabalikaro aharo, phasso dutiyo, manosancetana tatiya, vinnanam.) Here, the word nutriment (ahara) means that which sustains by acting as a strong supporting condition. According to the Sutta method of explanation, edible food as nutriment sustains the physical body; contact sustains feeling; mental volition sustains rebirth in the three realms; and consciousness sustains the compound of mind-and-body. According to the Abhidhamma method, edible food sustains the material phenomena of fourfold origination in the body, and the other three nutriments sustain all their conascent mental and material phenomena. Whereas edible food, as matter, is indeterminate, the three mental nutriments can be of all three ethical qualities. 212 Ahara-paccaya is one of the twenty-four conditions (paccaya) of the Patthana of Abhidhammapitaka in the system of correlation (patthananaya) such as: "The nutriment condition is twofold: edible food is 211 S. III, 59. 212 A Comprehensive Manual of Abhihhamma, ibid., p. 275.

119 condition for body; and immaterial nutriment, for the conascent mindand-matter"213 (Kabalikaro aharo imassa kayassa, arupino ahara sahajatanam namarupanan ti ca duvidho ho ti aharapaccayo.) Here the term ahara is used in a very wide sense to include that, which nourishes or sustains. Material food connotes the nutritive essence (or what is called edible food,) which again is subdivided into two kinds: Internal (ajjhattahara) and external (bahidhahara.) All the natural qualities born of the four causes or origins (see below), pertaining to those creatures who live on edible food, are here the paccayuppanna-dhamma related to the two kinds of material food. Mental nutriment is threefold: the nutriments contact, mental volition, and consciousness. These are conditions for the conascent mental and phenomena. In other words, these kinds of immaterial food, or paccaya-dhamma, are causally related to the co-existent properties, both mental and material, which are their corresponding paccayup-panna-dhamma. 214 In what sense is ahara to be understood? Ahara is to be understood in the sense of holding up, strongly, which means causing to exist firmly. This is to say, a relating thing nourishes its related thing so as to enable it to endure long, to develop, to flourish, and to thrive, by means of support. Though the causal relation of food possesses a producing power, the power of support is predominant here. Here the two material foods are called ahara, because they strongly hold up the group of internal material qualities born of the four causes, by nourishing them so that they may exist firmly, endure long, and reach uncurtailed the bounds (or limits) of their life-term. Contact is ahara also, because it strongly holds up its coexistent things, and enables them to stand firmly and endure long by nourishing 213 214 Ibid. p. 319. Tran. by Sayadaw U Nyana, The Buddhist Philosophy of Relations, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society, 1986, pp. 46-47

120 them with the essence extracted from desirable and undesirable objects. Volitional activity of mind, or (will), is an ahara in that it furnishes courage for the execution of deeds, words, thoughts. And consciousness is an ahara also, inasmuch as it predominates in all thinking about an object. These three immaterial foods, in supplying nourishment to the co-existent mental also affect the co-existent materials. 215 Ahara here may also be explained after the Sutta method. Just as birds ascertaining where their quarters are, fly with their wings through the air from tree to tree and from wood to wood, and peck at fruits with their beaks, thus sustaining themselves through their whole life, so also beings with the six classes of consciousness, ascertaining objects, with the six kinds of volitional activity of mind, persevering to get something as an object; and with the six kinds of contacts, making the essence of objects appear - either enjoy pleasure or suffer pain. Or solely with six classes of consciousness, comprehending objects, they avail themselves of forming, or becoming, body and mind. Or solely with the contacts, making objects appear in order that feelings may be aroused through the same, they cultivate craving. Or, committing various kinds of deeds through craving accompanied by volitions, they migrate from existence to existence. Thus, it should be understood how existence is the functioning of the different foods. 216