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 (鈥渇ood鈥�) 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.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
1 (of 38)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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Chapter One
INTRODUCTION
Food or nourishment (膩h膩ra) is the basic need of man. Without food, man
cannot exist in the world. The food itself governs both physical and mental
life, and all aspects of human life and society. All things are originated from
and nourished by the food; it determines the destiny of human and world.
Thus, the 膩h膩ra bears the profound and complex meaning; therefore, one
should not understand simply that 膩h膩ra is something as rice, fish, meat,
fruit, or vegetables to nourish his physical body. The so-called "man鈥� is
made of the components of body and mind, both need food to maintain. The
body may absorb one, two or three meals in a day, but the mind really eats
constantly both day and night. Man always cares for the material food for
his body and he does not have the notion of the food for the mind.
Buddhism attaches significance to the food for the mind, the control of the
mind and the purification of the mind, because all good and evil deeds are
the results of what has been founded by mind. Therefore, the Buddha's
teaching on 膩h膩ra as recorded in the Pa帽ca Nikaya of P膩li Literature that is
categorized into the four kinds of food: edible food, contact food, volition
food, and consciousness food, in which the first one is the food for the body
and the other three are the foods for the mind. Lord Buddha really pays
attention to the nourishment of the mind, hence the amount of the food of
mind is bigger than the body. "The food for the mind and the mind eats
