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 3 - Ahara and specific teachings of the Buddha
17 (of 39)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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cessation of suffering (dukkhanirodha): the complete cessation of craving.
The way leading to the cessation of suffering (dukkhanirodhag膩min墨): the
Noble Eightfold Path leading to the cessation of suffering.
A new formula of the Four Noble Truths can be:
The sustenance (膩h膩ra): birth is sustenance, aging is sustenance,
sickness is sustenance, death is sustenance, sorrow, lamentation, pain,
grief and despair are sustenances, association with the unpleasant is
sustenance, dissociation from the pleasant is sustenance, not to get what
one desires is sustenance. In brief, the five aggregates of attachment are
sustenance. The origin of sustenance (膩h膩rasamudaya): craving is the
root of food leading to rebirth. The cessation of sustenance
(膩h膩ranirodha): the complete cessation of craving is the cessation of the
continued process of grasping for material and mental food. The way
leading to the cessation of sustenance (膩h膩ranirodhag膩min墨): the Noble
Eightfold Path leading to the cessation of sustenance.
According to the Discourse on Right View, S膩riputta Thera asserts
that all thoughts that associate to 鈥淚,鈥� 鈥渕ine,鈥� and 鈥渕yself" are addiction
to attachment (r膩g膩nusayam), addiction to aversion (pa峁璱gh膩nusayam),
and addiction to the latent view "I am鈥� (di峁弓him膩nusaya峁�.) The operation
of attachment, aversion, and of the latent view "I am" is that of ignorance
and craving elements. Ignorance means a person's wrong view and
thought supposing that existing thing has its own self; it also means self -
thought of a man. Therefore, studying self- thought is the main task of
studying suffering and happiness of men, and of the search for truth of
man and the world. It is self- thought which makes up the essence and
value of things and causes grasping leading to troubles. The method of
the cessation of the self-thought for an end of suffering, which is taught in
