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Four Nutriments of Life
An Anthology of Buddhist Texts
By Nyanaponika Thera

All beings subsist on nutriment” — this, according to the Buddha, is the one single fact about life that, above all, deserves to be remembered, contemplated and understood.
If understood widely and deeply enough, this saying of the Buddha reveals indeed a truth that leads to the root of all existence and also to its uprooting. Here, too, the Buddha proved to be one who “saw to the root of things” (múla-dassávì). Hence, it was thought useful to collect his utterances on the subject of nutriment (áhára), together with the instructive explanations by the teachers of old, the commentators of the Páli noscriptures.

Free download available:
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Big Buddhas of Wat Pha Sorn Kaew Buddhist temple, Phetchabun, Thailand symbolizing the five Buddhas of the past and future, Krakucchanda Buddha, Konagamana Buddha, Kassapa Buddha, Gautama Buddha and Metteya Buddha.

Dhammapada Verse 303
Cittagahapati Vatthu

Saddho silena sampanno
yaso bhogasamappito
yam yam padesam bhajati
tattha tattheva pujito.

Verse 303: He who is full of faith and virtue, who also possesses fame and fortune, is held in reverence wherever he goes.

The Story of Citta, the Householder

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (303) of this book, with reference to Citta, a householder of Macchikasanda town.

Citta, after hearing the Dhamma expounded by the Venerable Sariputta, attained Anagami Magga and Phala. One day, Citta loaded five hundred carts with food and other offerings for the Buddha and his disciples, and left for Savatthi, accompanied by three thousand followers. They travelled at the rate of one yojana a day and reached Savatthi at the end of a month. Then Citta went ahead with five hundred of his companions to the Jetavana monastery. While he was paying obeisance to the Buddha, masses of flowers dropped miraculously from above like showers of rain. Citta stayed at the monastery for one whole month, offering alms-food to the Buddha and the bhikkhus and also feeding his own party of three thousand. All this time, the devas were replenishing his stock of food and other offerings.

On the eve of his return journey, Citta put all the things he had brought with him in the rooms of the monastery as offerings to the Buddha. The devas then filled up the empty carts with various items of priceless things. The Venerable Ananda, seeing how Citta's riches were being replenished, asked the Buddha, "Venerable Sir! is it only when Citta approached you that he is blessed with all these riches? Is he similarly blessed when he goes somewhere else?" To him the Buddha replied, "Ananda, this disciple is fully endowed with faith and generosity; he is also virtuous and his reputation spreads far and wide. Such a one is sure to be revered and showered with riches wherever he goes."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 303: He who is full of faith and virtue, who also possesses fame and fortune, is held in reverence wherever he goes.

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Ajahn Chah, Buddhist teacher of Thai forest meditation of Theravada Buddhism channel:


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Phra Phuttha Mahanawamintra Sakayamunee Sri Visejchaicharn, Big Buddha at Wat Muang temple in Ang Thong Province, Thailand

Jack Kornfield

Instructions for Metta Meditation

Jack Kornfield on beginning the time-honored, heart-opening practice of metta (loving-kindness) meditation.


In our culture, people find it difficult to direct loving-kindness to themselves. We may feel that we are unworthy, or that it’s egotistical, or that we shouldn’t be happy when other people are suffering. So rather than start loving-kindness practice with ourselves, which is traditional, I find it more helpful to start with those we most naturally love and care about. One of the beautiful principles of compassion and loving-kindness practices is that we start where it works, where it’s easiest. We open our heart in the most natural way, then direct our loving-kindness little by little to the areas where it’s more difficult.

First, sit comfortably and at ease, with your eyes closed. Sense yourself seated here in this mystery of human life. Take your seat halfway between heaven and Earth, as the Buddha did, then bring a kind attention to yourself. Feel your body seated and your breath breathing naturally.

Think of someone you care about and love a lot. Then let natural phrases of good wishes for them come into your mind and heart. Some of the traditional ones are, “May you be safe and protected,” “May you be healthy and strong,” and “May you be truly happy.”

Then picture a second person you care about and express the same good wishes and intentions toward them.

Next, imagine that these two people whom you love are offering you their loving-kindness. Picture how they look at you with concern and love as they say, “May you too be safe and protected. May you be healthy and strong. May you be truly happy.”

Take in their good wishes. Now turn them toward yourself. Sometimes people place their hand on their heart or their body as they repeat the phrases: “May I be safe and protected. May I be healthy and strong. May I be truly happy.”

With the same care let your eyes open, look around the room, and offer your loving-kindness to everyone around you. Feel how great it is to spread the field of loving-kindness.

Now think of yourself as a beacon, spreading the light of loving-kindness like a lighthouse around your city, around the country, around the world, even to distant planets. Think, “May all beings far and near, all beings young and old, beings in every direction, be held in great loving-kindness. May they be safe and protected. May they be healthy and strong. May they be truly happy.”

The Buddha said that the awakened heart of loving-kindness and freedom is our birthright as human beings. “If these things were not possible,” he said, “I would not teach them. But because they are possible for you, I offer these teachings of the dharma of awakening.”
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Jack Kornfield is a founding teacher of the Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock Center and one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. He is a former Buddhist monk, a clinical psychologist, and a husband and father.
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Words of the Buddha channel:

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Dhammapada Verse 25
Culapanthaka Vatthu

Utthanena' ppamadena
samyamena damena ca
dipam kayiratha medhavi1
yam ogho2 nabhikirati.

Verse 25: Through diligence, mindfulness, discipline (with regard to moral precepts), and control of his senses, let the man of wisdom make (of himself) an island which no flood can overwhelm.


Rajoharanam...
"It is not the piece of cloth alone that is made dirty by the dust; within oneself also there exist the dust of passion (raga), the dust of ill will (dosa), and the dust of ignorance (moha), i.e., the ignorance of the Four Noble Truths. Only by removing these could one achieve one's goal and attain arahatship".

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Mahasatipatthana sutta
by U Jotika and U Dhamminda

Please practise in accordance with this Mahàsatipathàna Sutta so that you can see why it is acknowledged as the most important Sutta that the Buddha taught.
Try to practise all the different sections from time to time as they are all useful, but in the beginning start with something simple such as being mindful while walking, or the mindfulness of in and out breathing. Then as you practise these you will be able to practise the other sections contained within this Sutta and you will find that all the four satipathànas can be practised concurrently.
A sutta should be read again and again as you will tend to forget its message. The message here in this Sutta is that you should be mindful of whatever is occurring in the body and mind, whether it be good or bad, and thus you will become aware that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, unsatisfactory and not-self.
The original Pali text of this Sutta can be found in Mahà-vagga of the Digha Nikàya.

Free download here:

https://static.sariputta.com/pdf/tipitaka/787/maha-satipatthana-sutta-translated-by-u-jotika-u-dhammindapdf.pdf
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Dhammapada Verse 304
Culasubhadda Vatthu

Dure santo pakasenti
himavantova pabbato
asantettha na dissanti
rattim khitta yatha sara.

Verse 304: Like the Himalayas, the good are visible even from afar; like arrows shot in the night, the wicked are not seen even though they may be near.

The Story of Culasubhadda

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (304) of this book, with reference to Culasubhadda the daughter of Anathapindika.

Anathapindika and Ugga, the rich man from Ugga, studied under the same teacher when they were both young. Ugga had a son while Anathapindika had a daughter. When their children came of age, Ugga asked for the consent of Anathapindika to the marriage of their two children. So the marriage took place, and Culasubhaddi, the daughter of Anathapindika, had to stay in the house of her parents-in-law. Ugga and his family were followers of non-Buddhist ascetics. Sometimes, they would invite those non-Buddhist ascetics to their house. On such occasions, her parents-in-law would ask Culasubhadda to pay respect to those naked ascetics, but she always refused to comply. Instead, she told her mother-in-law about the Buddha and his unique qualities.

The mother-in-law of Culasubhadda was very anxious to see the Buddha when she was told about him by her daughter-in-law. She even agreed to let Culasubhaddha invite the Buddha for alms-food to their house. So, Culasubhadda prepared food and collected other offerings for the Buddha and his disciples. She then went up to the upper part of the house and looking towards the Jetavana monastery, she made offerings of flowers and incense and contemplate the unique qualities and virtues of the Buddha. She then spoke out her wish, "Venerable Sir! May it please you to come with your disciples, to our house tomorrow. I, your devoted lay-disciple, most respectfully invite you. May this invitation of mine be made known to you by this symbol and gesture." Then she took eight fistfuls of jasmin and threw them up into the sky. The flowers floated through the air all the way to the Jetavana monastery and lay hanging from the ceiling of the congregation hall where the Buddha was expounding the Dhamma.

At the end of the discourse, Anathapindika, the father of Culasubhadda, approached the Buddha to invite him to have alms-food in his house the following day. But the Buddha replied that he had already accepted Culasubhadda's invitation for the next day.

Anathapindika was puzzled at the reply of the Buddha and said,"But, Venerable Sir! Culasubhadda does not live here in Savatthi; she lives in Ugga at a distance of one hundred and twenty yojanas from here." To him the Buddha said, "True, householder, but the good are clearly visible as if they are in one's very presence even though they may be living at a distance".

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 304: Like the Himalayas, the good are visible even from afar; like arrows shot in the night, the wicked are not seen even though they may be near.

The next day, the Buddha came to the house of Ugga, the father-in-law of Culasubhadda. The Buddha was accompanied by five hundred bhikkhus on this trip; they all came through the air in decorated floats created by the order of Sakka, king of the devas. Seeing the Buddha in his splendour and glory, the parents-in-law of Culasubhadda were very much impressed and they paid homage to the Buddha. Then, for the next seven days, Ugga, and his family gave alms-food and made other offerings to the Buddha and his disciples.


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Giant reclining Shwethalyaung Buddha statue, Shwethalyaung temple, Bago, Myanmar.

Wat Rong Kun, the White Temple, Chiang Rai, Thailand, known for the depiction of the hell realms below the entrance bridge.

The Crystal Sanctuary (Hall of mirrors) at the Crystal Temple, Wat Tha Sung Buddhist temple complex, Uthai Thani, Thailand.

Story of Angulimala

So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Savatthi in Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s monastery.

Now at that time in the realm of King Pasenadi of Kosala there was a bandit named Angulimala. He was violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings. He laid waste to villages, towns, and countries. He was constantly murdering people, and he wore their fingers as a necklace.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Savatthi for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he set his lodgings in order and, taking his bowl and robe, he walked down the road that led to Angulimala.

The cowherds, shepherds, farmers, and travelers saw him on the road, and said to him, “Don’t take this road, ascetic. On this road there is a bandit named Aṅgulimāla. He is violent, bloody-handed, a hardened killer, merciless to living beings. He has laid waste to villages, towns, and countries. He is constantly murdering people, and he wears their fingers as a necklace. People travel along this road only after banding closely together in groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty. Still they meet their end by Aṅgulimāla’s hand.” But when they said this, the Buddha went on in silence.

For a second time … and a third time, they urged the Buddha to turn back.

But when they said this, the Buddha went on in silence.

The bandit Aṅgulimāla saw the Buddha coming off in the distance, and thought, “Oh, how incredible, how amazing! People travel along this road only after banding closely together in groups of ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty. Still they meet their end by my hand. But still this ascetic comes along alone and unaccompanied, like a conqueror. Why don’t I take his life?”

Then Angulimala donned his sword and shield, fastened his bow and arrows, and followed behind the Buddha. But the Buddha used his psychic power to will that Aṅgulimāla could not catch up with him no matter how hard he tried, even though the Buddha kept walking at a normal speed.

Then Angulimala thought, “Oh, how incredible, how amazing! Previously, even when I’ve chased a speeding elephant, horse, chariot or deer, I’ve always caught up with them. But I can’t catch up with this ascetic no matter how hard I try, even though he’s walking at a normal speed.”
He stood still and said, “Stop, stop, ascetic!”

“I’ve stopped, Angulimala —now you stop.”

Then Angulimala thought, “These Sakyan ascetics speak the truth. Yet while walking the ascetic Gotama says: ‘I’ve stopped, Angulimala —now you stop.’ Why don’t I ask him about this?”

Then he addressed the Buddha in verse:

“While walking, ascetic, you say ‘I’ve stopped.’ And I have stopped, but you tell me I’ve not. I’m asking you this, ascetic: how is it you’ve stopped and I have not?”

“Angulimala, I have forever stopped—I’ve laid aside violence towards all creatures. But you can’t stop yourself
from harming living creatures;
that’s why I’ve stopped, but you have not.”

“Oh, at long last a renowned great seer, an ascetic has followed me into this deep wood. Now that I’ve heard your verse on Dhamma, I shall live without evil.”

With these words,
the bandit hurled his sword and weapons
down a cliff into an abyss. He venerated the Holy One’s feet, and asked him for the going forth right away.

Then the Buddha, the compassionate great seer, the teacher of the world with its gods, said to him, “Come, monk!” And with that he became a monk.

Excerpts from Majjhima Nikaya 86: Angulimala sutta
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Dhammapada Verse 305
Ekaviharitthera Vatthu

Ekasanam ekaseyyam
eko caramatandito
eko damayamattanam
vanante ramito siya.

Verse 305: He who sits alone, lies down alone, walks1 alone, in diligent practice, and alone tames himself should find delight in living in the forest.

1. All these postures are connected with the cultivation of Insight Development. (The Commentary)

The Story of the Thera Who Stayed Alone

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (305) of this book, with reference to a bhikkhu who stayed by himself. Because he usually stayed alone, he was known as Thera Ekavihari.

Thera Ekavihari did not mix much with other bhikkhus, but usually stayed by himself. All alone, he would sleep or lie down, or stand, or walk. Other bhikkhus thought ill of Ekavihari and told the Buddha about him. But the Buddha did not blame him; instead he said, "Yes, indeed, my son has done well; for, a bhikkhu should stay in solitude and seclusion".

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 305: He who sits alone, lies down alone, walks alone, in diligent practice, and alone tames himself should find delight in living in the forest.

End of Chapter Twenty-One: Miscellaneous


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