Puttamaṁsasutta

Saṁyutta Nikāya 12.63

Linked Discourses 12.63

7. Mahāvagga

7. The Great Chapter

Puttamaṁsasutta

A Child’s Flesh

Sāvatthiyaṁ …

At Sāvatthī.

“cattārome, bhikkhave, āhārā bhūtānaṁ vā sattānaṁ ṭhitiyā sambhavesīnaṁ vā anuggahāya.

“Mendicants, these four fuels maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those about to be born.

Katame cattāro?

What four?

Kabaḷīkāro āhāro oḷāriko vā sukhumo vā, phasso dutiyo, manosañcetanā tatiyā, viññāṇaṁ catutthaṁ.

Edible food, whether solid or subtle; contact is the second, mental intention the third, and consciousness the fourth.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro āhārā bhūtānaṁ vā sattānaṁ ṭhitiyā sambhavesīnaṁ vā anuggahāya.

These are the four fuels that maintain sentient beings that have been born and help those about to be born.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, kabaḷīkāro āhāro daṭṭhabbo?

And how should you regard edible food?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, dve jāyampatikā parittaṁ sambalaṁ ādāya kantāramaggaṁ paṭipajjeyyuṁ.

Suppose a couple who were husband and wife set out to cross a desert, taking limited supplies.

Tesamassa ekaputtako piyo manāpo.

They had an only child, dear and beloved.

Atha kho tesaṁ, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ jāyampatikānaṁ kantāragatānaṁ yā parittā sambalamattā, sā parikkhayaṁ pariyādānaṁ gaccheyya.

As the couple were crossing the desert their limited quantity of supplies would run out,

Siyā ca nesaṁ kantārāvaseso anatiṇṇo.

and they’d still have the rest of the desert to cross.

Atha kho tesaṁ, bhikkhave, dvinnaṁ jāyampatikānaṁ evamassa:

Then it would occur to that couple:

‘amhākaṁ kho yā parittā sambalamattā sā parikkhīṇā pariyādiṇṇā.

‘Our limited quantity of supplies has run out,

Atthi cāyaṁ kantārāvaseso anittiṇṇo.

and we still have the rest of the desert to cross.

Yannūna mayaṁ imaṁ ekaputtakaṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ vadhitvā vallūrañca soṇḍikañca karitvā puttamaṁsāni khādantā evaṁ taṁ kantārāvasesaṁ nitthareyyāma, mā sabbeva tayo vinassimhā’ti.

Why don’t we kill our only child, so dear and beloved, and prepare dried and spiced meat? Then we can make it across the desert by eating our child’s flesh. Let not all three perish.’

Atha kho te, bhikkhave, dve jāyampatikā taṁ ekaputtakaṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ vadhitvā vallūrañca soṇḍikañca karitvā puttamaṁsāni khādantā evaṁ taṁ kantārāvasesaṁ nitthareyyuṁ.

Then that couple would kill their only child, so dear and beloved, and prepare dried and spiced meat. They’d make it across the desert by eating their child’s flesh.

Te puttamaṁsāni ceva khādeyyuṁ, ure ca paṭipiseyyuṁ:

And as they’d eat their child’s flesh, they’d beat their breasts and cry:

‘kahaṁ, ekaputtaka, kahaṁ, ekaputtakā’ti.

‘Where are you, our only child? Where are you, our only child?’

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

api nu te davāya vā āhāraṁ āhāreyyuṁ, madāya vā āhāraṁ āhāreyyuṁ, maṇḍanāya vā āhāraṁ āhāreyyuṁ, vibhūsanāya vā āhāraṁ āhāreyyun”ti?

Would they eat that food for fun, indulgence, adornment, or decoration?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.

“No, sir.”

“Nanu te, bhikkhave, yāvadeva kantārassa nittharaṇatthāya āhāraṁ āhāreyyun”ti?

“Wouldn’t they eat that food just so they could make it across the desert?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Yes, sir.”

“‘Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, kabaḷīkāro āhāro daṭṭhabbo’ti vadāmi.

“I say that this is how you should regard edible food.

Kabaḷīkāre, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte pañca kāmaguṇiko rāgo pariññāto hoti.

When edible food is completely understood, desire for the five kinds of sensual stimulation is completely understood.

Pañca kāmaguṇike rāge pariññāte natthi taṁ saṁyojanaṁ yena saṁyojanena saṁyutto ariyasāvako puna imaṁ lokaṁ āgaccheyya.

When desire for the five kinds of sensual stimulation is completely understood, a noble disciple is bound by no fetter that might return them again to this world.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, phassāhāro daṭṭhabbo?

And how should you regard contact as fuel?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gāvī niccammā kuṭṭañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya. Ye kuṭṭanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.

Suppose there was a flayed cow. If she stands by a wall, the creatures on the wall bite her.

Rukkhañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye rukkhanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.

If she stands under a tree, the creatures in the tree bite her.

Udakañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye udakanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.

If she stands in some water, the creatures in the water bite her.

Ākāsañce nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye ākāsanissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.

If she stands in the open, the creatures in the open bite her.

Yaṁ yadeva hi sā, bhikkhave, gāvī niccammā nissāya tiṭṭheyya, ye tannissitā pāṇā te naṁ khādeyyuṁ.

Wherever that flayed cow stands, the creatures there would bite her.

Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘phassāhāro daṭṭhabbo’ti vadāmi.

I say that this is how you should regard contact as fuel.

Phasse, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte tisso vedanā pariññātā honti.

When contact as fuel is completely understood, the three feelings are completely understood.

Tīsu vedanāsu pariññātāsu ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmi.

When the three feelings are completely understood, a noble disciple has nothing further to do, I say.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, manosañcetanāhāro daṭṭhabbo?

And how should you regard mental intention as fuel?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, aṅgārakāsu sādhikaporisā puṇṇā aṅgārānaṁ vītaccikānaṁ vītadhūmānaṁ.

Suppose there was a pit of glowing coals deeper than a man’s height, filled with glowing coals that neither flamed nor smoked.

Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhappaṭikūlo.

Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.

Tamenaṁ dve balavanto purisā nānābāhāsu gahetvā taṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ upakaḍḍheyyuṁ.

Two strong men would grab them by the arms and drag them toward the pit of glowing coals.

Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa ārakāvassa cetanā ārakā patthanā ārakā paṇidhi.

Then that person’s intention, aim, and wish would be to get far away.

Taṁ kissa hetu?

Why is that?

Evañhi, bhikkhave, tassa purisassa hoti:

Because that person would think:

‘imañcāhaṁ aṅgārakāsuṁ papatissāmi, tatonidānaṁ maraṇaṁ vā nigacchāmi maraṇamattaṁ vā dukkhan’ti.

‘If I fall in that pit of glowing coals, that will result in my death or deadly pain.’

Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, ‘manosañcetanāhāro daṭṭhabbo’ti vadāmi.

I say that this is how you should regard mental intention as fuel.

Manosañcetanāya, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte tisso taṇhā pariññātā honti.

When mental intention as fuel is completely understood, the three cravings are completely understood.

Tīsu taṇhāsu pariññātāsu ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmi.

When the three cravings are completely understood, a noble disciple has nothing further to do, I say.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, viññāṇāhāro daṭṭhabbo?

And how should you regard consciousness as fuel?

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ:

Suppose they were to arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to the king, saying:

‘ayaṁ te, deva, coro āgucārī, imassa yaṁ icchasi taṁ daṇḍaṁ paṇehī’ti.

‘Your Majesty, this is a bandit, a criminal. Punish him as you will.’

Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya:

The king would say:

‘gacchatha, bho, imaṁ purisaṁ pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sattisatena hanathā’ti.

‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the morning with a hundred spears!’

Tamenaṁ pubbaṇhasamayaṁ sattisatena haneyyuṁ.

The king’s men did as they were told.

Atha rājā majjhanhikasamayaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:

Then at midday the king would say:

‘ambho, kathaṁ so puriso’ti?

‘Look here, how is that man?’

‘Tatheva, deva, jīvatī’ti.

‘He’s still alive, Your Majesty.’

Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya:

The king would say:

‘gacchatha, bho, taṁ purisaṁ majjhanhikasamayaṁ sattisatena hanathā’ti.

‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the middle of the day with a hundred spears!’

Tamenaṁ majjhanhikasamayaṁ sattisatena haneyyuṁ.

The king’s men did as they were told.

Atha rājā sāyanhasamayaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:

Then late in the afternoon the king would say:

‘ambho, kathaṁ so puriso’ti?

‘Look here, how is that man?’

‘Tatheva, deva, jīvatī’ti.

‘He’s still alive, Your Majesty.’

Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya:

The king would say:

‘gacchatha, bho, taṁ purisaṁ sāyanhasamayaṁ sattisatena hanathā’ti.

‘Go, my men, and strike this man in the late afternoon with a hundred spears!’

Tamenaṁ sāyanhasamayaṁ sattisatena haneyyuṁ.

The king’s men did as they were told.

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha, bhikkhave,

What do you think, mendicants?

api nu so puriso divasaṁ tīhi sattisatehi haññamāno tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyethā”ti?

Would that man experience pain and distress from being struck with three hundred spears a day?”

“Ekissāpi, bhante, sattiyā haññamāno tatonidānaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ paṭisaṁvediyetha;

“Sir, that man would experience pain and distress from being struck with one spear,

ko pana vādo tīhi sattisatehi haññamāno”ti.

let alone three hundred spears!”

“Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, viññāṇāhāro daṭṭhabboti vadāmi.

“I say that this is how you should regard consciousness as fuel.

Viññāṇe, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte nāmarūpaṁ pariññātaṁ hoti, nāmarūpe pariññāte ariyasāvakassa natthi kiñci uttarikaraṇīyanti vadāmī”ti.

When consciousness as fuel is completely understood, name and form are completely understood. When name and form are completely understood, a noble disciple has nothing further to do, I say.”

Tatiyaṁ.