• Numbered Discourses 5.138 Aṅguttara Nikāya 5.138
  • 14. Kings 14. Rājavagga

Eating Food Bhattādakasutta

“Mendicants, a royal bull elephant with five factors eats food, takes up space, drops dung, and takes a ticket, yet is still reckoned a royal bull elephant. “Pañcahi, bhikkhave, aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo bhattādako ca hoti okāsapharaṇo ca laṇḍasāraṇo ca salākaggāhī ca rañño nāgotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. What five? Katamehi pañcahi? It’s when a royal bull elephant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. Idha, bhikkhave, rañño nāgo akkhamo hoti rūpānaṁ, akkhamo saddānaṁ, akkhamo gandhānaṁ, akkhamo rasānaṁ, akkhamo phoṭṭhabbānaṁ. A royal bull elephant with these five factors eats food, takes up space, drops dung, and takes a ticket, yet is still reckoned a royal bull elephant. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi aṅgehi samannāgato rañño nāgo bhattādako ca okāsapharaṇo ca laṇḍasāraṇo ca salākaggāhī ca, rañño nāgotveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

In the same way, a mendicant with five qualities eats food, takes up space, tramples beds and chairs, and takes a ticket, yet is still reckoned a mendicant. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu bhattādako ca hoti, okāsapharaṇo ca mañcapīṭhamaddano ca salākaggāhī ca, bhikkhutveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati. What five? Katamehi pañcahi? It’s when a mendicant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu akkhamo hoti rūpānaṁ, akkhamo saddānaṁ, akkhamo gandhānaṁ, akkhamo rasānaṁ, akkhamo phoṭṭhabbānaṁ. A mendicant with these five qualities eats food, takes up space, tramples beds and chairs, and takes a ticket, yet is still reckoned a mendicant.” Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu bhattādako ca hoti okāsapharaṇo ca mañcapīṭhamaddano ca salākaggāhī ca, bhikkhutveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.