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 ...
4.4. The operation of four kinds of Ahara
As discussed in chapter three, the operation of the four nutriments (ahara) is that of craving (tanha,) of name-and-body of Dependent Origination and five aggregates and so is the operation of Dependent Origination itself. And, the four nutriments co-exist; they cannot be separate from each other. Though Lord Buddha said that the four nutriments constantly support for the subsisting of man, this is not to say the four nutriments are separate from man or the five aggregates. Here, nutriments are known as conditions and craving is called the origin of nutriment, of the five aggregates, and of name-and-form in that the craving of the previous existence is the source of the present individuality with its dependence upon and continual consumption of the four nutriments in this existence. Craving is one of elements of the twelve causes; hence, the operation of craving is the operation of the twelve causes, of the five aggregates, and 338 M.I, Sutta 22.
181 of the four nutriments; they cannot separate from each other. Thus, man who is a combination of the four nutriments subsisted, subsisting, and will subsist on these foods. So man is the four nutriments, and the search for truth of man and universe now should turn to be the realization of the four nutriments of life. Actually, the true meaning of the search for truth of man is the very meaning of the search for the truth of suffering or nutriment of life. In fact, the Truth of suffering of man and world or the Truth of nutriment, of the four nutriments, or the five aggregates or man and world - they do not cause suffering, but a person's craving for the four nutriments that causes suffering. Now, the root meaning of the search for the truth of man and life turns to the meaning of examining human beings' craving for things. This is the meaning of the operation of craving element and of activities aggregates, and this is the very operation of Ignorance element of Dependent Origination. Seeing the operation of the four foods, one can understand their nature that is conditioned, impermanent, non-self. If one attaches to them, he will be suffering. If the operation of the four foods or five aggregates controlled by wisdom the Noble Eightfold Path: right view ... right concentrate which will lead to the elimination of troubles. - ...