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 2 - Concept of Ahara in the works of modern scholars and other religions
3 (of 31)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
41
food or nutriment; for legal purposes, it may sometimes refer to things that
are normally considered nonfood but that are regulated by a governmental
food agency. 3) A material recognized by an individual or a group as
fulfilling the physiological needs of the body and usually consumed for that
purpose, or sometimes for social or other reasons.
58 57
Food, anything eaten to satisfy appetite and to meet physiological
needs for growth, to maintain all body processes, and to supply energy to
maintain body temperature and activity." Nutrition is a combination of
processes of receiving and utilizing materials needed for sustaining life.
These processes not only maintain the functions of the various growths
and renewal of its components.
59 According to a currently accepted definition (FAO 2000), 'Food
Security' is achieved when it is ensured that "all people, at all times, have
physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious
food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active
and healthy life." Food is here defined as any substance that people eat
and drink to maintain life and growth. As a result, safe and clean water is
an essential part of food commodities.
The above researches on food generally mentioned the function of
edible food for the growth of the physical body, for maintenance of
physical health of life. These concepts can urge humans to satisfy the
material needs more than to cultivate the mind, and they do not help one
understand what the nature of food is. The researches imply that human
beings only live to eat more than eat to live. 'Live to eat' is understood as
satisfaction of needs of life such as health, beauty, wealth, position,
57 Audrey H. Ensminger, et al, Food & Nutrition Encyclopedia, 2 vols. vol. 2, Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1994, p. 307.
58 Judy Pearsall, The New Oxford Dictionary of English, New York: O.U. Press, 2001, p. 714.
59 60
Dr Savitri Ramaiah, All You Wanted To Know About Nutrition, New Delhi: Sterling Publishers, 2002, p. 11.
Source: http://www.foodsec.org/tr/fns/BP_I_Concept_Definitions.pdf.
