1.
The Discourse on Nutriment
11.
Thus have I heard -
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's park... etc.
said this -
"Monks, there are these four nutriments for the presence of beings or for the support of those seeking birth.
Which four?
Edible food -
gross or subtle, contact is the second, mental volition is the third, consciousness is the fourth.
These, monks, are the four nutriments for the presence of beings or for the support of those seeking birth."
"These four nutriments, monks, what is their source, what is their origin, what gives birth to them, what is their production? These four nutriments have craving as their source, craving as their origin, craving gives birth to them, craving is their production. And this craving, monks, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? Craving has feeling as its source, feeling as its origin, feeling gives birth to it, feeling is its production. And this feeling, monks, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? Feeling has contact as its source, contact as its origin, contact gives birth to it, contact is its production. And this contact, monks, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? Contact has the six sense bases as its source, the six sense bases as its origin, the six sense bases give birth to it, the six sense bases are its production. And these six sense bases, monks, what is their source, what is their origin, what gives birth to them, what is their production? The six sense bases have mentality-materiality as their source, mentality-materiality as their origin, mentality-materiality gives birth to them, mentality-materiality is their production. And this mentality-materiality, monks, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? Mentality-materiality has consciousness as its source, consciousness as its origin, consciousness gives birth to it, consciousness is its production. And this consciousness, monks, what is its source, what is its origin, what gives birth to it, what is its production? Consciousness has activities as its source, activities as its origin, activities give birth to it, activities are its production. And these activities, monks, what is their source, what is their origin, what gives birth to them, what is their production? Activities have ignorance as their source, ignorance as their origin, ignorance gives birth to them, ignorance is their production.
"Thus indeed, monks, with ignorance as condition, activities; with activities as condition, consciousness; etc. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering. But from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of activities; from the cessation of activities comes the cessation of consciousness etc. thus is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering." The first.