Ahara as depicted in the Pancanikaya
by Le Chanh | 2010 | 101,328 words
This is a critical study of Ahara and its importance as depicted in the Pancanikaya (Pancha Nikaya).—The concept of Ahara (“food�) in the context of Buddhism encompasses both physical and mental nourishment. The Panca Nikaya represents the five collections (of discourses) of the Sutta Pitaka within Buddhist literature. The present study emphasizes ...
13. Bhikkhuni-sutta (“The Nun�)
Text 13: Bhikkhunisutta 'Aharasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo aharam nissaya. Aharo pahatabbo'ti, iti kho panetam vuttam. Kincetam paticca vuttam? Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu patisamkha yoniso aharam ahareti - 'neva davaya na madaya na mandanaya na vibhusanaya, yavadeva imassa kayassa thitiya yapanaya vihinsuparatiya brahmacariyanuggahaya. Iti purananca vedanam patihankhami, navanca vedanam na uppadessami. Yatra ca me bhavissati anavajjata ca phasuviharo ca'ti. So aparena samayena aharam nissaya aharam pajahati. 'Aharasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo aharam nissaya. Aharo pahatabbo'ti, iti yam tam vuttam idametam paticca vuttam. "'Tanhasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo tanham nissaya. Tanha pahatabba'ti, iti kho panetam vuttam. Kincetam paticca vuttam? Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu sunati 'itthannamo kira bhikkhu asavanam khaya anasavam cetovimuttim pannavimuttim dittheva dhamme sayam abhinna sacchikatva upasampajja viharati'ti. Tassa evam hoti - 'kudassu nama ahampi asavanam khaya anasavam cetovimuttim pannavimuttim dittheva dhamme sayam abhinna sacchikatva upasampajja viharissami'ti! So aparena samayena tanham nissaya tanham pajahati. 'Tanhasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo tanham nissaya. Tanha pahatabba'ti, iti yam tam vuttam idametam paticca vuttam. - "Manasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo manam nissaya. Mano pahatabbo 'ti, iti kho panetam vuttam. Kincetam paticca vuttam? Idha, bhagini, bhikkhu sunati 'itthannamo kira bhikkhu asavanam khaya anasavam cetovimuttim pannavimuttim dittheva dhamme sayam abhinna sacchikatva upasampajja viharati'ti. Tassa evam hoti 'so hi nama ayasma asavanam khaya anasavam cetovimuttim pannavimuttim =
326 dittheva dhamme sayam abhinna sacchikatva upasampajja viharissati; kimangam panaha'nti! So aparena samayena manam nissaya manam pajahati. Manasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo manam nissaya. Mano pahatabbo'ti, iti yam tam vuttam idametam paticca vuttam. "Methunasambhuto ayam, bhagini, kayo. Methune ca setughato vutto bhagavata"ti. Atha kho sa bhikkhuni mancaka vutthahitva ekamsam uttarasamgam karitva ayasmato anandassa padesu sirasa nipatitva ayasmantam anandam etadavoca "accayo mam, bhante, accagama, yathabalam yathamulham yathaakusalam, yaham evamakasim. Tassa me, bhante, ayyo anando accayam accayato patigganhatu, ayatim samvaraya"ti. "Taggha tam, bhagini, accayo accagama, yathabalam yathamulham yathaakusalam, ya tvam evamakasi. Yato ca kho tvam, bhagini, accayam accayato disva yathadhammam patikarosi, tam te mayam patigganhama. Vuddhi hesa, bhagini, ariyassa vinaye yo accayam accayato disva yathadhammam patikaroti ayatim samvaram apajjati" ti. Navamam. (Anguttaranikaya II, 144, Catukkanipatapali (IV), Indriyavaggo (16), Bhikkhunisutta No.9.) The Nun "Sister, this body has come into being through food, is dependent on food. The food must abandoned. Sister, this body has come into being through craving, is dependent on craving. Craving must be abandoned. Sister, this body has come into being through pride, is dependent on pride. Pride must be abandoned. Sister, this body has come into being through sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse must be abandoned. The breaking down of the bridge which is in sexual intercourse has been spoken of by the Exalted One. Sister, as to this saying: "This body has come into being through food, is dependent on food; the food must be abandoned," - it was sain in this connexion. Herein, sister, a monk takes food with reflection and judgment, not for sport, not for indulgence, not for personal charm, not for beautifying, but just enough for the support, for the upkeep of body, for its resting unharmed, for helping the living of the God-life. (He takes food with the thought:) Thus do I check my former feeling and set going no new feeling; thus maintenance shall be mine, blamelessness and comfort in life. Therigatha some time later, though dependent on food, he abandons food. As to the saying that body has come into being through food, whatever was thus said was said in this connexion.
327 Sister, as to the saying: "This body has come into being through craving, is dependent on food; the craving must be abandoned," - it was sain in this connexion. Herein, sister, a monk hears it said: "They say that such and such a monk, by destroying the asavas, himself in this very life thoroughly comprehending it, realizes the heart's release, the release by wisdom, that is free from the asavas, and having attained it abides therein." To him it occurs: Surely I too, by destroying the asavas ... having attained it shall abide therein. Therigatha some time later, though dependent on craving, he abandons craving. As to the saying, sister, that body has come into being through craving, is dependent on craving, craving must be abandoned, - whatever was said thus was said in this connexion. Sister, as to the saying: "This body has come into being through pride, is dependent on pride; pride must be abandoned," - it was sain in this connexion. In this case, sister, a monk hears it said: "They say that such and such a monk, by destroying the asavas ... having attained the release by wisdom abides therein." To him it thus occurs: That one by destroying the asavas ... can realize and attain and abide in the release by wisdom. The why not I? Therigatha some time later, though dependent on pride, he abandons pride. As to the saying, sister: "This body has come into being through pride, is dependent on pride; pride must be abandoned," - it was said in this connexion. Sister, as to the saying: "This body has come into being through sexual intercourse (is dependent on sexual intercourse; sexual intercourse must be abandoned), the breaking down of the bridge which is in sexual intercourse has been spoken of by the Exalted One" ...? Thereupon the nun rose from the couch, put her upper robe on one shoulder, fell with her head at the feet of the venerable Ananda and said: 'O, sir, my fault overcame me, who am so foolish, so stupid, so wrong, that I acted thus! O, sir, let master Ananda acknowledge my fault as such, for restraint in future time!' 'Verily, sister, your fault overcame you, thus foolish, thus stupid, thus wrong, that you acted thus. But inasmuch as you, sister, have seen your fault as such and have confessed it as is right, we do acknowledge it of you. This indeed, sister, is growth in the discipline of the Ariyan, when, seeing his fault as such, one makes confession as is right and comes to restraint in future time.' (Ed. E.M. Hare, tran. F.L. Woodward, The Book of The Gradual Sayings, vol. II, PTS, pp. 148-150.)