The Samyutta Nikaya
The Grouped Discourses
Samyutta
Nikaya
XII.63
Puttamansa
Sutta
A
Son's
Flesh
Translated
from
the
Pali
by
Thanissaro
Bhikkhu.
At
Savatthi...
"There
are
these
four
nutriments
for
the
maintenance
of
beings
who
have
come
into
being
or
for
the
support
of
those
in
search
of
a
place
to
be
born.
Which
four?
Physical
food,
gross
or
refined;
contact
as
the
second,
intellectual
intention
the
third,
and
consciousness
the
fourth.
These
are
the
four
nutriments
for
the
maintenance
of
beings
who
have
come
into
being
or
for
the
support
of
those
in
search
of
a
place
to
be
born.
"And
how
is
physical
food
to
be
regarded?
Suppose
a
couple,
husband
&
wife,
taking
meager
provisions,
were
to
travel
through
a
desert.
With
them
would
be
their
only
baby
son,
dear
&
appealing.
Then
the
meager
provisions
of
the
couple
going
through
the
desert
would
be
used
up
&
depleted
while
there
was
still
a
stretch
of
the
desert
yet
to
be
crossed.
The
thought
would
occur
to
them,
'Our
meager
provisions
are
used
up
&
depleted
while
there
is
still
a
stretch
of
this
desert
yet
to
be
crossed.
What
if
we
were
to
kill
this
only
baby
son
of
ours,
dear
&
appealing,
and
make
dried
meat
&
jerky.
That
way
--
chewing
on
the
flesh
of
our
son
--
at
least
the
two
of
us
would
make
it
through
this
desert.
Otherwise,
all
three
of
us
would
perish.'
So
they
would
kill
their
only
baby
son,
loved
&
endearing,
and
make
dried
meat
&
jerky.
Chewing
on
the
flesh
of
their
son,
they
would
make
it
through
the
desert.
While
eating
the
flesh
of
their
only
son,
they
would
beat
their
breasts,
[crying,]
'Where
have
you
gone,
our
only
baby
son?
Where
have
you
gone,
our
only
baby
son?'
Now
what
do
you
think,
monks:
Would
that
couple
eat
that
food
playfully
or
for
intoxication,
or
for
putting
on
bulk,
or
for
beatification?"
"No,
lord."
"Wouldn't
they
eat
that
food
simply
for
the
sake
of
making
it
through
that
desert?"
"Yes,
lord."
"In
the
same
way,
I
tell
you,
is
the
nutriment
of
physical
food
to
be
regarded.
When
physical
food
is
comprehended,
passion
for
the
five
strands
of
sensuality
is
comprehended.
When
passion
for
the
five
strands
of
sensuality
is
comprehended,
there
is
no
fetter
bound
by
which
a
disciple
of
the
noble
ones
would
come
back
again
to
this
world.
"And
how
is
the
nutriment
of
contact
to
be
regarded?
Suppose
a
flayed
cow
were
to
stand
leaning
against
a
wall.
The
creatures
living
in
the
wall
would
chew
on
it.
If
it
were
to
stand
leaning
against
a
tree,
the
creatures
living
in
the
tree
would
chew
on
it.
If
it
were
to
stand
exposed
to
water,
the
creatures
living
in
the
water
would
chew
on
it.
If
it
were
to
stand
exposed
to
the
air,
the
creatures
living
in
the
air
would
chew
on
it.
For
wherever
the
flayed
cow
were
to
stand
exposed,
the
creatures
living
there
would
chew
on
it.
In
the
same
say,
I
tell
you,
is
the
nutriment
of
contact
to
be
regarded.
When
the
nutriment
of
contact
is
comprehended,
the
three
feelings
[pleasure,
pain,
neither
pleasure
nor
pain]
are
comprehended.
When
the
three
feelings
are
comprehended,
I
tell
you,
there
is
nothing
further
for
a
disciple
of
the
noble
ones
to
do.
"And
how
is
the
nutriment
of
intellectual
intention
to
be
regarded?
Suppose
there
were
a
pit
of
glowing
embers,
deeper
than
a
man's
height,
full
of
embers
that
were
neither
flaming
nor
smoking,
and
a
man
were
to
come
along
--
loving
life,
hating
death,
loving
pleasure,
abhorring
pain
--
and
two
strong
men,
having
grabbed
him
by
the
arms,
were
to
drag
him
to
the
pit
of
embers.
To
get
far
away
would
be
that
man's
intention,
far
away
would
be
his
wish,
far
away
would
be
his
aspiration.
Why
is
that?
Because
he
would
realize,
'If
I
fall
into
this
pit
of
glowing
embers,
I
will
meet
with
death
from
that
cause,
or
with
death-like
pain.'
In
the
same
say,
I
tell
you,
is
the
nutriment
of
intellectual
intention
to
be
regarded.
When
the
nutriment
of
intellectual
intention
is
comprehended,
the
three
forms
of
craving
[for
sensuality,
for
becoming,
and
for
non-becoming]
are
comprehended.
When
the
three
forms
of
craving
are
comprehended,
I
tell
you,
there
is
nothing
further
for
a
disciple
of
the
noble
ones
to
do.
"And
how
is
the
nutriment
of
consciousness
to
be
regarded?
Suppose
that,
having
arrested
a
thief,
a
criminal,
they
were
to
show
him
to
the
king:
'This
is
a
thief,
a
criminal
for
you,
your
majesty.
Impose
on
him
whatever
punishment
you
like.'
So
the
king
would
say,
'Go,
men,
and
shoot
him
in
the
morning
with
a
hundred
spears.
So
they
would
shoot
him
in
the
morning
with
a
hundred
spears.
Then
the
king
would
say
at
noon,
'Men,
how
is
that
man?'
'Still
alive,
your
majesty.'
So
the
king
would
say,
'Go,
men,
and
shoot
him
at
noon
with
a
hundred
spears.
So
they
would
shoot
him
at
noon
with
a
hundred
spears.
Then
the
king
would
say
in
the
evening,
'Men,
how
is
that
man?'
'Still
alive,
your
majesty.'
So
the
king
would
say,
'Go,
men,
and
shoot
him
in
the
evening
with
a
hundred
spears.
So
they
would
shoot
him
in
the
evening
with
a
hundred
spears.
Now
what
do
you
think,
monks:
Would
that
man,
being
shot
with
three
hundred
spears
a
day,
experience
pain
&
distress
from
that
cause?"
"Even
if
he
were
to
be
shot
with
only
one
spear,
lord,
he
would
experience
pain
&
distress
from
that
cause,
to
say
nothing
of
three
hundred
spears."
"In
the
same
say,
I
tell
you,
monks,
is
the
nutriment
of
consciousness
to
be
regarded.
When
the
nutriment
of
consciousness
is
comprehended,
name
&
form
are
comprehended.
When
name
&
form
are
comprehended,
I
tell
you,
there
is
nothing
further
for
a
disciple
of
the
noble
ones
to
do."
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