[UncoonsKala]

i) How the edible food should be understood?

The following part is from Puttamamsa Sutta (Son's Flesh) in Samyutta Nikaya

Monks, how should hard and soft eatable food be known?

Monks, a couple had come to a desert path with little provisions and they have a single dearly loved son.

Monks, the little provisions that this couple had brought, dwindled and finished. They had the desert path yet to cross.

Monks, it occurred to this couple, the little provisions that we have brought, has dwindled and finished, there is the desert path yet to cross. What if we killed our dearly loved, only son prepared dried flesh and peppered meat and while eating the flesh of the son crossed the dessert, so that all three of us would not die.

Monks, then the couple killed their dearly loved, only son prepared dried flesh and peppered meat and while eating the flesh of the son crossed the dessert. While eating the flesh of the son, they beat their breast and lamented. `Where is our dearly loved only son?'

Monks, did they eat that food for pleasure, for intoxication, for adornment or for the sake of beauty?

Venerable sir, it's for none of these.

Isn't it to cross the dessert, that they ate that food?

Yes, it is, venerable sir.


Monks, I say, hard and soft eatables should be known in this manner.
Monks, when hard and soft eatables are thoroughly known, the greed for the five strands of sense desires are thoroughly known When greed, for the five strands of sense desires are thoroughly known, the noble disciple has no bonds to return to this world again.