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
9 (of 39)
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78
of mind (asat膩sampaja帽帽a), distracted attention (ayonisomanasik膩ra,)
lack of trust (assaddha), not listening to true dhamma
(asaddhammassavana,) not following after the very man
(asappurisasamsev膩.) Such is the nutriment of ignorance and thus its
fulfillment (evam etiss膩 avijj膩ya 膩h膩ro hoti, eva帽ca p膩rip奴ri.) 133 But their
opposites lead to deliverance through knowledge (vijj膩vimutti) in the
following sequence of sustenances: following a worthy man
(sappurisasamsev膩,) listening to true dhamma (saddhammassavana,)
confidence (saddha,) careful attention (yonisomanasik膩ra), mindfulness
with self-control (sati-sampaja帽帽a,) restraint of the senses
(indriyasamvara,) the three right ways of conduct (t墨峁噄 sucarit膩n墨,) the four
methods of mindfulness (catt膩ro satipa峁弓h膩n膩) the seven factors of wisdom
(satta bijjhang膩,) deliverance through knowledge.
The above citations showed the five hindrances (pa帽ca n墨vara峁嚹乶i)
are food for ignorance and three evil ways of conduct (t墨峁噄 duccarit膩n墨)
are food for the five hindrances; the seven limbs of wisdom (satta
bojjhang膩) are food for release by knowledge "vijj膩vimuttiy膩鈥� and the
four arsing of mindfulness (catt膩ro satipa峁弓h膩n膩) are food for the seven
limbs of wisdom.
Again, 膩h膩ra bears the meaning of paccaya taught by Lord Buddha who
spoke of food for the five hindrances and for the seven limbs of wisdom.
Here, due to the unsystematic attention (ayonisomanasik膩rabahul墨k膩ra) to the
alluring features of things (subhanimitta,) these things are called food for the
arising of sensual lust (k膩macchanda.) The repulsive feature of things
(pa峁璱ghanimitta) are called food for the arising of malevolence (by膩p膩da.)
Regret, dressiness, languor, surfeit after meals, torpidity of mind (arati
tandi, vijambhit膩, bhattasammada, cetaso l墨natta), are food for the arising of
133 A. V, 113.
134 Ibid., 115.
