Puththamangsu~pama Suthraya

Thus, I have heard.

The Blessed One once lived in the Jethawanarama built and offered by the merchant Ana~thahpindika in Sawath city.
One day, the Blessed One addressed the monks as “Monks”.
‘Yes, the Blessed One’, the monks replied.

The Blessed One declared:

“Monks, there are four types of food that contribute to the survival of beings who walk in this Sansara and are either born or seeking to be born”.
What exactly are those four?
• Kabali~ka~ra A~ha~ra– The first type of food is food that aids in the survival of an image or body (palpable- Olarika and intangible- Sukhuma)
• Sparsha A~ha~ra– The second type of food is images- sounds- smells- tastes- touches- memories that come into contact with one’s senses.
• Mano Sanchethana~ A~ha~ra– The third type of food is self-formed thoughts.
• Viknkna~na A~ha~ra– The fourth type of food is especially grasped thoughts and ideas.

Monks, these are the four types of food that contribute to the survival of beings who walk in this Sansara and are either born or seeking to be born”.

“Monks, how should you know about ‘Kabali~ka~ra A~ha~ra’ (palpable and intangible foods) that aid in the survival of the body?

Monks, a couple, had to unexpectedly travel across a desert with their beloved only son, carrying only a little food.

Monks, after a short walk in the desert, the food they had saved up until then was running out. The food was gradually vanishing.
There was no end they could see in that desert.
Then, these two talked to each other.
“All of the food we brought is now gone; there is nothing to eat, and we cannot see even the end of this desert. So let us kill our beloved son, dry the meat, and eat it until we cross through the desert.
Otherwise, all three of us will be destroyed”.

Monks, following that, the husband and wife killed their beloved only son, dried the meat, and took it to eat and crossed the desert. “Oh! where is my son, Oh! where is my son?” they cried and beat their chests as they ate their son’s flesh.

“Monks, what are your thoughts on it?
Are they both consuming the child’s flesh in order to gain strength to play?
Or to be enchanted by the taste?
Or to adorn their image?
Or to enhance their beauty?”

‘Not because of that, Blessed One’,

“Don’t they eat that food to somehow cross the desert, monks?”
‘Yes, the Blessed One’

“Monks, I would say to you that you should know about the Kabali~ka~ra A~ha~ra (palpable and intangible food that nurtures the body) in that way.

The One who has tangibly understood the perpetual misery of ‘Kabali~ka~ra A~ha~ra’ becomes someone who has understood the perpetual misery of indulging the ‘Eyes-Ears-Nose-Tongue-Body’.

The noble disciple, who has understood on his own the perpetual misery of his desire to indulge his five senses, will not return to ‘Sansara’ because he has no clinging conflicts with the objects that come into contact with his senses.

Elaboration

Understand the valuable explanation demonstrated using a parable of food that aids the body’s survival. A couple who killed their son in order to survive until they crossed the desert had to eat that food whilst weeping and mourning. Even though the husband and wife killed their son out of greed for their lives and lust for the male-female relationship, they were unable to escape grief and regret and had to spend the rest of their lives sadly remembering their son. Consider how many diseases and sufferings the people of the world have had to endure as a result of the food they have consumed due to their gluttony for taste. In the same way, be conscious wisely of the Eight worldly doctrines, (Mortification-Glory, Gain-Loss, Praise- Humiliate, comfort-Misery) that are caused by the clinging-conflicts that arise when grasping the objects that come into contact with the five senses because of not knowing their temporary pleasure and perpetual misery. Has that person found eternal happiness as a result of any of them? Examine carefully whether you had to be sorrowful because of only Mortification, Loss, Humiliation, or Misery. If you think about it carefully, you will realise that even the Glory, Gain, Praise, and Comfort had caused you to be sad, regretful, or depressed. The noble disciple meditates wisely and consistently, looking at the objects that come into contact with the five senses. He wisely realises that if an object causes him Greed-Hatred defilements, he should avoid it. When he understands that any object causes him non-greed and non-hatred, through that understanding, he wisely understands that he should strive to eliminate the defilements in him, not to allow unborn defilements to be born, cultivate unborn Perfect merits, and improve already born Perfect merits. There are no causes formed in him to have birth again as the defilements in him are gradually eliminated through this understanding that he gained. What are the intangible foods? The invisible non-humans survive on intangible food that is accessible through the senses inherited according to their various existences. The intangible food that keeps humans and animals alive is oxygen. Humans and animals cannot inhale oxygen as they wish or cannot refuse to have it. Through Kayanupassana’s Anapanasathi meditation, one can realise the true nature of his body. He wisely recognises that he is not able to control the body function by observing and contemplating the inhalation and exhalation process. He wisely observes that the body controls the inhalation and exhalation process by obtaining the necessary Oxygen. This understanding helps him to realise that the body is not himself. Accordingly, it is possible to understand that one should take the food with wisdom as food is needed to maintain the body, but should not assume that it gives long life-colour-comfort-strength-wisdom. In this way, strive to realise how much defilement one accumulates even by eating according to the gluttony for taste, ignorantly grasping the body as ‘I – Mine’.

“Monks, how should you know about ‘Sparsha A~ha~ra~’?

Monks, think of an injured cow whose skin has peeled off in some places.
If she comes close to a wall, tiny beings like insects on the wall will climb on her and eat her.
When that cow is near a tree, the tiny beings in the tree, such as insects, get on her body and eat her.
If that cow is near water, tiny beings in the water, such as insects, will land on her and eat her.
If the cow is in an open area, tiny beings in that area will get on her body and eat her.
Monks, in that way, wherever that cow is, the certain small beings in those locations will get on to her body and eat her.

Monks, I would say that one should understand the food of contacts ‘Sparsha A~ha~ra’ in this manner”.

“A person who tangibly understands ‘Sparsha A~ha~ra’ (food of contact) becomes a person who has understood all three types of feelings: pleasure, pain or neutral.
I would say that the one who has understood the ‘Anichcha-Dukkha-Anaththa’ nature of those three kinds of feelings has no more to do”.

Elaboration

Understand wisely the valuable explanation shown by the parable of the ox with the wounded skin. Wisely observe how the beings who are exposed to the world of lust because of the wounds called ‘Greed- Hatred- Delusion’ grasp the feelings of Pleasure, Pain and Neutrality that arise from the objects that come into contact with their five senses. Observe wisely by looking at each person: those who live in a virtuous environment, those who live in an evil environment, those who live in an environment with wise people, those who live with foolish people, those who live with deluded people, and those who live with extremists such as racists, religionists, casteists, etc.. You can understand that how the nature of the environment in which that individual lives or associates has influenced their behaviour. If you examine this fact carefully, you will see how the characteristics of those affected are passed on to the environment they associate with as well as inherited from generation to generation. One day, If such a person examines his true nature by becoming conscious and wise, he will understand how he has been grasping the feelings of pleasure, pain, and neutrality that emerged through the grasping of various objects that come into contact with his senses, depending on where he lives or associates with. Furthermore, he will understand that not only the conflicts but also the clingings did not bring them eternal happiness. Having understood it in this way, he immediately realises that the pleasures or pain or neutral feeling caused by that object did not exist consistently that the object did not exist according to his own will and that his original desire for that feeling did not exist consistently. It becomes clear to him that he had to spend his entire life suffering from sorrow-melancholy-severe exertion-depression-regrets so far because he was unaware of this erratic nature. A person who meditates wisely in this way, from the moment he realises the true nature of his feelings, ‘Anichcha- Dukkha- Anaththa’,  No matter where he lives or associates with, he does not create clingings or conflicts with the feelings of pleasure, pain, or neutrality brought by the objects that come into contact with his senses. He who dwells consciously, following the Dhamma, has nothing else to do to achieve nirvana.

“Monks, how should you know about ‘Mano Sanchethana~ A~ha~ra’?

A man who does not want to die desires to live comfortably, and despises sorrow is staying near a two-meter-long pit full of well-heated coals just after the flames and smoke have gone out.
Two strong men approached him, grabbed his hands, dragging him towards the coal pit.

Then, monks, that man’s desire to live comfortably is shattered.
He is drifted away from his hope, which is the desire to live.
He is drifted away from his desire, which is not to die despising sorrow.

What is the reason for that?
Monks, then, his wishes and hopes are swept away in this manner because he remembers, “I will fall into this pit of coals, or if I fell, I will die, or I will suffer from the death”.

Monks, I would say that one should understand the food of thoughts ‘Mano Sanchethana~ A~ha~ra’ in this manner”.

“Monks, who have tangibly comprehended the Manosanchethana A~hara, become the person who has fully comprehended the three types of ‘Cravings’ by knowing.
I would say that the one who has understood the three types of ‘Cravings’ has no more to do”.

Elaboration

Understand wisely the valuable explanation of Manosanchethana~ A~ha~ra~ using a parable of a man who is distressed with fear whether he would fall into the coal pit. Recognise that ‘being near the coal pit’ means walking through the Sansara in misery. Consider past thoughts that have occurred in you since the day you can remember. Isn’t it the thoughts of wanting to live, wanting to live comfortably, wanting not to die, wanting to be free of suffering, and so on? Even though your wishes and desires were so on, didn’t you suffer with dissatisfaction, fear, and grief throughout your life by thinking of yourself, or your loved ones that you grasped as ‘mine’, or your desires, or your dislikes, or dreaming of the future, or exerting great effort to achieve those things, and so on? Accordingly, try to understand that you are the person who is near the coal pit and is pulling towards it and that pulling by two strong men is the thoughts (mental formation) caused by lust. When you think about it more carefully, you will realise that you have spent every moment of the past and present experiencing fear-panic-sorrow-discomfort-pain. The one who contemplates will understand wisely that he has to spend every moment of the past and present, experiencing fear-panic-sorrow-discomfort-pain due to the Kama Thanha, Bhava Thanha, and Vibhava Thanha. the Ka~ma Thanha– Craving for indulging the five senses, Bhava Thanha– Yearning for possession of objects that satisfy one’s senses as one’s own, Vibhava Thanha– Yearning to be free of what one despises. He becomes frustrated after he realises that the Anichca-Dukkha-Anaththa nature of his six senses, the Anichca-Dukkha-Anaththa nature of all objects, and the Anichca-Dukkha-Anaththa nature of his own willingness and reluctance are the causes of his suffering.   Then, he does not cling to anything that he sees-hears-tastes-feels-feels-or remembers. The person who acts wisely in this manner and gradually eliminates ‘Craving’, has nothing else to do to achieve nirvana.

“Monks, how should you know about ‘Viknkna~na A~ha~ra~’?

A royal soldier captures a thief or a criminal and presents him to the king, saying, “Your Majesty, this is a thief, a criminal, You may punish him as you determine fit”

The king then orders, “Beat this man with armaments a hundred times in the morning time”
The man was beaten a hundred times with armaments.

In the afternoon, the king questioned the soldier.
“Soldier, how is that man?”.
When the soldier replied, “There is no difference, your Majesty, he lives the same way”. Then the king issued another order, “Go and beat that man with a hundred weapons in the afternoon as well”.
That man was beaten a hundred times with armaments also in the afternoon.

Again, the king questioned the soldier in the afternoon.

“Soldier, how is that man?”.
When the soldier replied, “There is no difference, your Majesty, he lives the same way”. Again the king issued another order, “Go and beat that man with a hundred weapons in the evening as well”.
That man was beaten a hundred times with armaments also in the evening.

Monks, how do you think about this?

“Isn’t that man in agony from the bruises, cuts, and injuries caused by the three-times-a-day beatings with a hundred weapons?”

“Yes, of course, the Blessed One,
As one has to suffer so much due to the beating of being struck by one weapon, then what would say about the suffering caused by the blows of three hundred weapons!”.

“Monks, I would say that one should understand the food of thoughts ‘Viknkna~na A~ha~ra’ in this manner”.

“Monks, who have tangibly comprehended the Viknkna~na A~hara, become the person who has fully comprehended the body and the consciousness by knowing.
I would say that the one who has understood the body and the consciousness has no more to do”.

Elaboration

Wisely understand the valuable explanation provided by a parable of the thief or criminal who shows no difference even after suffering three hundred blows a day. Compare your current life that you have as a result of perfect merits- merits, sins, and demerits you accumulated in previous lives with the thief or criminal who is being punished. The number of times beaten as illustrated here, means that there might be 300 units of measurement that measured the daytime during the Buddha’s time.   According to current information, it can be assumed to be possible that today’s industrial clocks began in AD 1200.   But also, the Sinhala hour that I have heard of includes 60 Sinhala minutes. Accordingly, there was a Sinhala measurement system as 60 seconds is 01 minute, 60 minutes is 01 hour, and 60 hours is 01 day.   We used it long ago for astrology. A standard hour today is two and a half Sinhala hours. Accordingly, today’s standard 24 minutes is one Sinhala hour. Today’s standard 24 seconds is one Sinhala minute.   This means that there was a tiny unit equal to a fraction of 0.4 today’s second even in very near ancient times, although the smallest time measurement unit remains as a second today. Isn’t it possible for someone who thinks in this manner to recognise that the current society is not as advanced as the society of the past? A current day has 12 standard hours if the time between sunrise and sunset is counted. It means that a day had 30 hours of Sinhala time. That equates to 30 Sinhala hours. If the day is divided into three timeframes, morning, noon, and evening, each timeframe could have had ten Sinhala hours. That corresponds to 04 hours in current standard time. The 100 blows in the morning time shown here mean that 100 blows were inflicted in the standard 04 hours or 240 minutes of the current day. it meant that the thief was beaten every two and a half minutes.   This implies that the Sinhala hour unit used in astrology is a unit associated with this event. That is, according to the current standard time, an attack occurs every two and a half minutes.   So then look at these living people. Despite how much they have been suffering and mentally distressed with grasping something every minute they spend, they act ignorantly as if they have not felt that suffering.   Because of this ignorance, they create the Specially grasped thought known as the ‘Sense-associated consciousness’ again and again in the same way how they form notions known as ‘Sankara’ repeatedly by grasping whatever comes into contact with their senses and saying, ‘It is mine, I like it, I want it, I don’t like it, I don’t want it’.   Because of the ‘Eternal-existing consciousness’ caused by the grasping of those continuously occurring ‘Sense-associated consciousnesses’, the beings have to wander, bound to an unstoppable journey in Sansara, suffering from various miseries and calamities, isn’t it?   Wisely look at the specifically captured thoughts that you have been creating by grasping yourself or external ones as “I- Mine- My soul” since the day you were born.   Remember the times when you had to suffer because your wishes and hopes that you had built up on the especially grasped thoughts were dashed.   Consider wisely whether the happiness you experienced when your wishes and hopes were fulfilled existed in the same way or whether they ever had a permanent appeasement as a result of that success.   Consider your body as well as the image that changes day by day in each stage of life, the erratic nature of one’s thoughts and desires, and how your own qualities change according to each type of thought. Furthermore, consider wisely how the objects you have been grasping arise, exist, and die. Thus, the wise person begins to understand that neither his mind-body, which has been identified as “I-Mine-My soul” thus far, nor the sensations of pleasure-pain-neutral, nor his nature, nor external others, exist according to his will. He recognises that he cannot control any of those existences. Consider wisely that every moment of the past and present is filled with fear-panic-sorrow-discomfort-suffering as a result of the ‘Craving-Obstinacy-Arrogance’ that has formed as “I-Mine-My soul’.   If you contemplate wisely, you will realise that you are the same as the thief who has not been changed in any way, even in the face of such persecution in the parable that explains the Viknknaana A~hara. Because no matter how much you cried-wailed-sorrowed-lamented, you are drowning in the same ‘Craving’ that causes the same misery over and over without making any changes to your way of life.   This wise man, who understands this wisely, is frustrated with the ‘Craving- Obstinacy- Arrogance’ he created as ‘I- Mine- My Soul’.   Along with that understanding, he wisely realises with profound insight that any of his mind-body or sensations of pleasure-pain-neutral or his nature or the external others are ‘Not me-Not mine-Not my soul’. Thus, the person who wisely understands his mind and body becomes appeased and inhibited by renunciating the attachment to the body-mind as “I-mine-My soul” as the ‘Craving’ gradually fades away. Because of this, the ‘Craving for existence’ that leads to rebirth does not occur in him. Thus, the one who wisely understands this ‘Namarupa’ (Body and Mind) or the body and Obstinacy that is maintained as ‘I-Mine-My Soul’ has nothing else to do to attain ‘Nirwana’ by purifying the body and mind.

---