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.
Appendix 1 - Buddha's teachings on Ahara (Pali texts and English translations)
32 (of 38)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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329
Yields in Merit
"Monks, there are these five yields in merit, yields in goodness, the food of
happiness, heavenly, ripening to happiness, leading heavenward, conducive to what is
welcome, sought after, to the lovely, to good and to happiness. What five?
Monks, whose robe a monk enjoys the use of, while entering and abiding in
limitless mind-concentration - unto him shall come unlimited yield in merit, yield in
goodness. The food of happiness, heavenly, ripening to happiness, leading heavenward,
conducive to what in welcome, sought after, to the lovely, to good and to happiness.
Monks, whose alms a monk enjoys ... whose loging ... whose bed and bench ...
whose abiding in limitless mind-concentration - unto him shall come unlimited yield
in merit, in goodness, the food of happiness...
Monks, these are the five yields in merit, yields in goodness . . .
Monks, of the Ariyan disciple, endowed with these five yields in merit, yields in
goodness, it is not easy to grasp the measure of merit and to say: Thus much is the
yield in merit, in goodness, the food of happiness but this great mass of merit is
reckoned incalculable, immeasurable.
Monks, just as it is not easy to grasp the amount of water in the mighty ocean
and to say: There are so many pailfuls of water, or hundreds of pailfuls, or thousands
of pailful, or hundreds of thousands of pailfuls of water, but the great mass of water is
just reckoned incalculable, immeasurable; even so, monks, it is not easy to grasp the
measure of merit of the Ariyan disciple endowed with these five yields of merit and
goodness, and to say: Thus much is the yield in merit, the yield in goodness, the food
of happiness, celestial, ripening to happiness, leading heavenward, conducive to what
is welcome, sought after, lovely, good, and to happiness - but merely that this great
mass of merit is reckoned incalculable, immeasurable."
(Ed. E.M. Hare, tran. F.L. Woodward, The Book of The Gradual Sayings, vol. III, PTS, p.42-43.)
Text 15: Avijj膩sutta
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鈥淧urim膩, bhikkhave, koti na pa帽帽膩yati avijj膩ya 鈥� 鈥榠to pubbe avijj膩 n膩hosi, atha
pacch膩 samabhav墨'ti. Eva帽cetam, bhikkhave, vuccati, atha ca pana pa帽帽膩yati
'idappaccay膩 avijj膩鈥檛i.
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"Avijjamp膩ham, bhikkhave, s膩h膩ram vad膩mi, no an膩h膩ram. Ko c膩h膩ro avijj膩ya?
'Pa帽ca n墨vara峁嚹�'tissa vacan墨yam. Pa帽cap膩ham, bhikkhave, n墨vara峁噀 s膩h膩re vad膩mi, no
