SN12.63 — Puttamaṁsasutta
At Sāvatthi … There are these four nutriments for the support of beings that have come to be and for the assistance of those about to come to be. What four? Physical food as coarse or fine, second is contact, third is mental volition, and fourth is consciousness.
These are the four nutriments for the support of beings that have come to be and for the assistance of those about to come to be.
And how should the nutriment of physical food be seen? Suppose a couple, taking a small amount of provisions, would enter a vast wilderness. And they have with them their only beloved and cherished child.
Then due to their small amount of provisions being exhausted and depleted while still in the middle of the wilderness, they might think: Our small amount of provisions is exhausted and depleted, and there is still a great stretch of wilderness ahead of us. What if we were to kill our only beloved and cherished child, make dried flesh and powdered meat, and by eating our childs flesh, we might cross the remainder of this wilderness, lest all three of us perish? Then the couple would kill their only beloved and cherished child, make dried flesh and powdered meat, and by eating their childs flesh, they would cross the remainder of the wilderness.
While eating their childs flesh, they would beat their breasts and lament: Where are you, our only child, where are you, our only child? What do you think would they eat that food for amusement or for enjoyment, or for the sake of physical beauty or attractiveness? No, venerable sir. Wouldnt they eat that food only for the sake of crossing the wilderness? Yes, venerable sir.
In the same way I say that physical food should be seen. When physical food is fully known, the lust for the five cords of sensual pleasure is fully known. When the lust for the five cords of sensual pleasure is fully known, there is no fetter bound by which a noble disciple might come back to this world.
And how should the nutriment contact be seen? Suppose a cow with a skin disease would stand leaning against a wall. The creatures living in the wall would bite her. If she stood leaning against a tree, the creatures living in the tree would bite her. If she stood leaning against water, the creatures living in the water would bite her. If she stood leaning against open air, the creatures living in the air would bite her.
Wherever that cow with a skin disease stands leaning, the creatures living there would bite her. In the same way I say that the nutriment contact should be seen. When the nutriment contact is fully known, the three feelings are fully known. When the three feelings are fully known, I say there is nothing further for a noble disciple to do.
And how should the nutriment mental volition be seen? Suppose there were a charcoal pit deeper than a mans height, full of glowing coals, without flame or smoke.
Then a man would come along, desiring life, not desiring death, desiring pleasure and averse to pain. And two strong men would grab him by both arms and drag him towards the charcoal pit. Then that man would twist his body this way and that. For what reason? Because he knows: If I fall into this charcoal pit, that will lead to my death or deadly suffering.
In the same way I say that the nutriment mental volition should be seen. When the nutriment mental volition is fully known, the three cravings are fully known. When the three cravings are fully known, I say there is nothing further for a noble disciple to do.
And how should the nutriment consciousness be seen? Suppose a bandit were caught by the kings men, and they were to present him to the king, saying: This man is a bandit, a criminal. Punish him as you wish. Then the king would say: Go, in the morning, and strike him with a hundred spears.
So they would strike him with a hundred spears in the morning. Then at noon, the king would ask: How is that man? He is still alive, your majesty. Go, and strike him again with a hundred spears. So they would strike him again with a hundred spears at noon.
Then in the evening, the king would ask: How is that man? He is still alive, your majesty. Go, and strike him again with a hundred spears. So they would strike him again with a hundred spears in the evening. Go, friends, and kill that man at sunset with a hundred spears.
They would kill him at sunset with a hundred spears. What do you think would that man, being killed with a hundred spears during the day, experience suffering and distress because of that? Even being killed with one spear, venerable sir, he would experience suffering and distress; what to speak of being killed with a hundred spears?
In the same way I say that consciousness is to be seen as nourishment. When consciousness as nourishment is fully known, name and form are fully known. When name and form are fully known, I say there is nothing further for a noble disciple to do.