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SN 46.2PTS SN 5.644 min read

The Body

Kāyasutta

Just as the body depends on food, the awakening factors depend on nutriment. The Buddha gives specific conditions for each of the factors.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 46.2Linked Discourses 46.2
  • 0.21. Pabbatavagga1. Mountains

0.3KāyasuttaThe Body

1.1Sāvatthinidānaṁ.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ kāyo āhāraṭṭhitiko, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhati, anāhāro no tiṭṭhati;“Mendicants, this body is sustained by food. It depends on food to continue, and without food it doesn’t continue.11.3evameva kho, bhikkhave, pañca nīvaraṇā āhāraṭṭhitikā, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhanti, anāhārā no tiṭṭhanti.In the same way, the five hindrances are sustained by fuel. They depend on fuel to continue, and without fuel they don’t continue.2

2.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā kāmacchandassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā kāmacchandassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya?And what fuels the arising of sensual desire, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow?2.2Atthi, bhikkhave, subhanimittaṁ.There is the feature of beauty.32.3Tattha ayonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent irrational application of mind to that42.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā kāmacchandassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā kāmacchandassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya.fuels the arising of sensual desire, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow.

3.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā byāpādassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā byāpādassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya?And what fuels the arising of ill will, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow?3.2Atthi, bhikkhave, paṭighanimittaṁ.There is the feature of aversion.3.3Tattha ayonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent irrational application of mind to that3.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā byāpādassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā byāpādassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya.fuels the arising of ill will, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow.

4.1PTS 5.65Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā thinamiddhassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā thinamiddhassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya?And what fuels the arising of dullness and drowsiness, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow?4.2Atthi, bhikkhave, arati tandi vijambhitā bhattasammado cetaso ca līnattaṁ.There is discontent, sloth, yawning, sleepiness after eating, and mental sluggishness.4.3Tattha ayonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent irrational application of mind to them4.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā thinamiddhassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā thinamiddhassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya.fuels the arising of dullness and drowsiness, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow.

5.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā uddhaccakukkuccassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā uddhaccakukkuccassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya?And what fuels the arising of restlessness and remorse, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow?5.2Atthi, bhikkhave, cetaso avūpasamo.There is the unsettled mind.55.3Tattha ayonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent irrational application of mind to that5.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā uddhaccakukkuccassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā uddhaccakukkuccassa bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya.fuels the arising of restlessness and remorse, or, when they have arisen, makes them increase and grow.

6.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannāya vā vicikicchāya uppādāya, uppannāya vā vicikicchāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya?And what fuels the arising of doubt, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow?6.2Atthi, bhikkhave, vicikicchāṭṭhānīyā dhammā.There are things that are grounds for doubt.66.3Tattha ayonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent irrational application of mind to them6.4ayamāhāro anuppannāya vā vicikicchāya uppādāya, uppannāya vā vicikicchāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya.fuels the arising of doubt, or, when it has arisen, makes it increase and grow.

7.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ kāyo āhāraṭṭhitiko, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhati, anāhāro no tiṭṭhati;This body is sustained by food. It depends on food to continue, and without food it doesn’t continue.7.2evameva kho, bhikkhave, ime pañca nīvaraṇā āhāraṭṭhitikā, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhanti, anāhārā no tiṭṭhanti.In the same way, the five hindrances are sustained by fuel. They depend on fuel to continue, and without fuel they don’t continue.

8.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ kāyo āhāraṭṭhitiko, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhati, anāhāro no tiṭṭhati;This body is sustained by food. It depends on food to continue, and without food it doesn’t continue.8.2evameva kho, bhikkhave, satta bojjhaṅgā āhāraṭṭhitikā, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhanti, anāhārā no tiṭṭhanti.In the same way, the seven awakening factors are sustained by fuel. They depend on fuel to continue, and without fuel they don’t continue.

9.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā satisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā satisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of mindfulness, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?9.2Atthi, bhikkhave, satisambojjhaṅgaṭṭhānīyā dhammā.There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of mindfulness.79.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to them9.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā satisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā satisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of mindfulness, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

10.1PTS 5.66Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of investigation of principles, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?10.2Atthi, bhikkhave, kusalākusalā dhammā, sāvajjānavajjā dhammā, hīnapaṇītā dhammā, kaṇhasukkasappaṭibhāgā dhammā.There are qualities that are skillful and unskillful, blameworthy and blameless, inferior and superior, and those with a portion of dark or bright.810.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to them10.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā dhammavicayasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of investigation of principles, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

11.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of energy, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?11.2Atthi, bhikkhave, ārambhadhātu nikkamadhātu parakkamadhātu.There are the elements of initiative, persistence, and exertion.11.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to them11.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā vīriyasambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of energy, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

12.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā pītisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of rapture, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?12.2Atthi, bhikkhave, pītisambojjhaṅgaṭṭhānīyā dhammā.There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of rapture.912.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to them12.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā pītisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā pītisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of rapture, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

13.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of tranquility, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?13.2Atthi, bhikkhave, kāyapassaddhi, cittapassaddhi.There is tranquility of the body and of the mind.13.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to that13.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā passaddhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of tranquility, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

14.1Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā samādhisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of immersion, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?14.2Atthi, bhikkhave, samathanimittaṁ abyagganimittaṁ.There are things that are the basis of serenity and freedom from distraction.1014.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to them14.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā samādhisambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā samādhisambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of immersion, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

15.1PTS 5.67Ko ca, bhikkhave, āhāro anuppannassa vā upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā?And what fuels the arising of the awakening factor of equanimity, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it?15.2Atthi, bhikkhave, upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṭṭhānīyā dhammā.There are things that are grounds for the awakening factor of equanimity.1115.3Tattha yonisomanasikārabahulīkāro—Frequent rational application of mind to them15.4ayamāhāro anuppannassa vā upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa uppādāya, uppannassa vā upekkhāsambojjhaṅgassa bhāvanāya pāripūriyā.fuels the arising of the awakening factor of equanimity, or, when it has arisen, fully develops it.

16.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, ayaṁ kāyo āhāraṭṭhitiko, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhati, anāhāro no tiṭṭhati;This body is sustained by food. It depends on food to continue, and without food it doesn’t continue.16.2evameva kho, bhikkhave, ime satta bojjhaṅgā āhāraṭṭhitikā, āhāraṁ paṭicca tiṭṭhanti, anāhārā no tiṭṭhantī”ti.In the same way, the seven awakening factors are sustained by fuel. They depend on fuel to continue, and without fuel they don’t continue.”

16.3Dutiyaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. For the phrase “sustained by food” see DN 33:1.8.2, AN 10.27:10.5, AN 10.28:4.5, Kp 4:1.2 and notes. The word āhāra, literally “intake”, may be translated as “food” or “fuel” depending on context.

    ↩ sn46.2:1.2

  2. This passage can be seen as an expansion of the fourth satipaṭṭhāna, “observation of principles”, where the “principles” underlying the rise and fall of the hindrances and awakening factors are investigated. Similar teachings recur throughout this section, for example SN 46.51.

    ↩ sn46.2:1.3

  3. “Feature of beauty” is subhanimitta. In early Pali, nimitta is used for a feature or quality of the mind that, when focused on, promotes the growth of similar or related qualities. Thus focusing on beauty fosters the desire for that beauty. (See MN 5:6.1).

    ↩ sn46.2:2.2

  4. “Irrational” attention sees the beauty as something to be held on to and appropriated. The flaw lies not in the object, but in the response.

    ↩ sn46.2:2.3

  5. Worrying about anxiety makes the mind even more anxious.

    ↩ sn46.2:5.2

  6. Such as what the nature of the correct path (AN 3.65:3.8), the various wrong views (SN 24.1:5.1), the status of a saint after death (SN 44.9:5.2), or the reality of kamma (SN 42.13:21.2).

    ↩ sn46.2:6.2

  7. These include the meditations listed in the Satipaṭṭhana Sutta (MN 10).

    ↩ sn46.2:9.2

  8. Discrimination between good and evil is the foundation of wisdom.

    The phrase sappaṭibhāgā, which appears here in a stock phrase, is given three mutually exclusive explanations in the commentary (see Bodhi’s note on this sutta). I think the commentary is influenced by the later sense of paṭibhāgā as a technical meditation term meaning “counterpart”. This sense is, however, absent from Sanskrit, where pratibhāga means “portion, share” (Rig Veda 8.99.3, Manu 8.307). The sense would then refer to individuals “with a portion” of dark or bright qualities. This is, in fact, the theme of the only other passage in Pali that uses this term (AN 6.62:10.2).

    ↩ sn46.2:10.2

  9. These are the things that bring wholesome joy to the mind, in and out of meditation.

    ↩ sn46.2:12.2

  10. The includes peaceful meditations such as mindfulness of breathing.

    ↩ sn46.2:14.2

  11. This includes the development of absorption, which is the basis for the equanimity of the fourth absorption, as well as the development of insight into attraction and repulsion (see MN 152).

    ↩ sn46.2:15.2