sn.12.12 Saṁyutta Nikāya (Linked Discourses)

At Savatthī. “Bhikkhus, there are these four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings that have already come to be and for the assistance of those about to come to be. What four? The nutriment edible food, gross or subtle; second, contact; third, mental volition; fourth, consciousness. These are the four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings that have already come to be and for the assistance of those about to come to be.”

When this was said, the Venerable Moḷiyaphagguna said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, who consumes the nutriment consciousness?”

“Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “I do not say, ‘One consumes.’ If I should say, ‘One consumes,’ in that case this would be a valid question: ‘Venerable sir, who consumes?’ But I do not speak thus. Since I do not speak thus, if one should ask me, ‘Venerable sir, for what is the nutriment consciousness a condition?’ this would be a valid question. To this the valid answer is: ‘The nutriment consciousness is a condition for the production of future renewed existence. When that which has come into being exists, the six sense bases come to be; with the six sense bases as condition, contact.’”

“Venerable sir, who makes contact?”

“Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “I do not say, ‘One makes contact.’ If I should say, ‘One makes contact,’ in that case this would be a valid question: ‘Venerable sir, who makes contact?’ But I do not speak thus. Since I do not speak thus, if one should ask me, ‘Venerable sir, with what as condition does contact come to be?’ this would be a valid question. To this the valid answer is: ‘With the six sense bases as condition, contact comes to be; with contact as condition, feeling.’”

“Venerable sir, who feels?”

“Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “I do not say, ‘One feels.’ If I should say, ‘One feels,’ in that case this would be a valid question: ‘Venerable sir, who feels?’ But I do not speak thus. Since I do not speak thus, if one should ask me, ‘Venerable sir, with what as condition does feeling come to be?’ this would be a valid question. To this the valid answer is: ‘With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving.’”

“Venerable sir, who craves?”

“Not a valid question,” the Blessed One replied. “I do not say, ‘One craves.’ If I should say, ‘One craves,’ in that case this would be a valid question: ‘Venerable sir, who craves?’ But I do not speak thus. Since I do not speak thus, if one should ask me, ‘Venerable sir, with what as condition does craving come to be?’ this would be a valid question. To this the valid answer is: ‘With feeling as condition, craving comes to be; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.’

“But, Phagguna, with the remainderless fading away and cessation of the six bases for contact comes cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact, cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling, cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving, cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of existence; with the cessation of existence, cessation of birth; with the cessation of birth, aging-and-death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.”

At Sāvatthi. “Monks, these are the four kinds of food¹, which maintain beings that have come into existence and support those who are seeking existence. What four? Edible food, whether coarse or subtle; sense-contact is the second; mental volition is the third; consciousness is the fourth. Monks, these are the four kinds of food which maintain beings that have come into existence and support those who are seeking existence.”

When this was said, Venerable Moḷiyaphagguna said to the Blessed One, “Bhante, who feeds on consciousness-food?”

“That is not a valid question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘One feeds.’ If I said, ‘One feeds,’ then this would be a valid question: ‘Bhante, who feeds on consciousness-food?’ But I do not say that. Since I do not say that, if someone asked, ‘Bhante, what is consciousness food for?’ then that would be a valid question. And the proper explanation would be, ‘Consciousness is the food based on which there is the production of further existence in the future; and when that has come to be, then there are the six senses; and based on the six senses there is sense-contact.’”

“Bhante, who contacts?”

“That is not a valid question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘One contacts.’ If I said, ‘One contacts,’ then this would be a valid question: ‘Bhante, who contacts?’ But I do not say that. Since I do not say that, if someone asked, ‘Bhante, what is the condition for sense-contact?’ then that would be a valid question. And the proper explanation would be, ‘Based on the six senses there is sense-contact, and based on sense-contact there are feelings.’”

“Bhante, who feels?”

“That is not a valid question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘One feels.’ If I said, ‘One feels,’ then this would be a valid question: ‘Bhante, who feels?’ But I do not say that. Since I do not say that, if someone asked, ‘Bhante, what is the condition for feeling?’ then that would be a valid question. And the proper explanation would be, ‘Based on sense-contact there are feelings, and based on feelings there is craving.’”

“Bhante, who craves?”

“That is not a valid question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘One craves.’ If I said, ‘One craves,’ then this would be a valid question: ‘Bhante, who craves?’ But I do not say that. Since I do not say that, if someone asked, ‘Bhante, what is the condition for craving?’ then that would be a valid question. And the proper explanation would be, ‘Based on feeling there is craving, and based on craving there is grasping.”

“Bhante, who grasps?”

“That is not a valid question,” the Blessed One said. “I do not say ‘One grasps.’ If I said, ‘One grasps,’ then this would be a valid question: ‘Bhante, who grasps?’ But I do not say that. Since I do not say that, if someone asked, ‘Bhante, what is the condition for grasping?’ then that would be a valid question. And the proper explanation would be, ‘Based on craving there is grasping, and based on grasping there is existence.’² …this is how the entire mass of suffering arises.

“However, Phagguna, when through dispassion the six senses completely cease, then sense-contact ceases; when sense-contact ceases, feeling ceases; when feeling ceases, craving ceases; when craving ceases, grasping ceases; when grasping ceases, existence ceases; when existence ceases, birth ceases; when birth ceases, decay, dying, sorrow, lamentation, pain, depression, and anguish cease. This is how the entire mass of suffering ceases.”