4.
The Discourse on the Presence of Lust
64.
He was dwelling at Sāvatthī, etc.
"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."
"If, monks, regarding edible food there is lust, there is delight, there is craving, consciousness is established there and has grown. Where consciousness is established and has grown, there is a descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is a descent of mentality-materiality, there is growth of activities. Where there is growth of activities, there is the production of rebirth in the future. Where there is the production of rebirth in the future, there is birth, ageing and death in the future. Where there is birth, ageing and death in the future, that, monks, I say is with sorrow, with anguish, with tribulation.
"If, monks, regarding contact as nutriment, etc. if, monks, regarding mental volition as nutriment, if, monks, regarding consciousness as nutriment there is lust, there is delight, there is craving, consciousness is established there and has grown. Where consciousness is established and has grown, there is a descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is a descent of mentality-materiality, there is growth of activities. Where there is growth of activities, there is the production of rebirth in the future. Where there is the production of rebirth in the future, there is birth, ageing and death in the future. Where there is birth, ageing and death in the future, that, monks, I say is with sorrow, with anguish, with tribulation.
"Just as, monks, a washerman or a painter, with dye or lac or turmeric or indigo or crimson, on a well-polished board or wall or cloth, might create a woman's form or a man's form complete with all major and minor limbs; so too, monks, if regarding edible food there is lust, there is delight, there is craving, consciousness is established there and has grown. Where consciousness is established and has grown, there is a descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is a descent of mentality-materiality, there is growth of activities. Where there is growth of activities, there is the production of rebirth in the future. Where there is the production of rebirth in the future, there is birth, ageing and death in the future. Where there is birth, ageing and death in the future, that, monks, I say is with sorrow, with anguish, with tribulation.
"If, monks, regarding contact as nutriment, etc. if, monks, regarding mental volition as nutriment, if, monks, regarding consciousness as nutriment there is lust, there is delight, there is craving, consciousness is established there and has grown. Where consciousness is established and has grown, there is a descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is a descent of mentality-materiality, there is growth of activities. Where there is growth of activities, there is the production of rebirth in the future. Where there is the production of rebirth in the future, there is birth, ageing and death in the future. Where there is birth, ageing and death in the future, that, monks, I say is with sorrow, with anguish, with tribulation.
"If, monks, regarding edible food as nutriment there is no lust, there is no delight, there is no craving, consciousness there is unestablished, not grown. Where consciousness is unestablished, not grown, there is no descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is no descent of mentality-materiality, there is no growth of activities. Where there is no growth of activities, there is no production of rebirth in the future. Where there is no production of rebirth in the future, there is no birth, ageing, and death in the future. Where there is no birth, ageing, and death in the future, that, monks, I say is without sorrow, without anguish, without despair.
"If, monks, regarding contact as nutriment, etc. if, monks, regarding mental volition as nutriment, If, monks, regarding consciousness as nutriment there is no lust, there is no delight, there is no craving, consciousness there is unestablished, not grown. Where consciousness is unestablished, not grown, there is no descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is no descent of mentality-materiality, there is no growth of activities. Where there is no growth of activities, there is no production of rebirth in the future. Where there is no production of rebirth in the future, there is no birth, ageing, and death in the future. Where there is no birth, ageing, and death in the future, that, monks, I say is without sorrow, without anguish, without despair.
"Just as, monks, a pinnacle building or a pinnacle hall with windows on the northern or southern or eastern side, when the sun is rising, having entered through the window, where would the ray be established?" "On the western wall, venerable sir." "If, monks, there were no western wall, where would it be established?" "On the earth, venerable sir." "If, monks, there were no earth, where would it be established?" "In water, venerable sir." "If, monks, there were no water, where would it be established?" "Unestablished, venerable sir." "So too, monks, if regarding edible food as nutriment there is no lust, there is no delight, there is no craving... etc.
"If, monks, regarding contact as nutriment... if, monks, regarding mental volition as nutriment, If, monks, regarding consciousness as nutriment there is no lust, there is no delight, there is no craving, consciousness there is unestablished, not grown. Where consciousness is unestablished, not grown, there is no descent of mentality-materiality. Where there is no descent of mentality-materiality, there is no growth of activities. Where there is no growth of activities, there is no production of rebirth in the future. Where there is no production of rebirth in the future, there is no birth, ageing, and death in the future. Where there is no birth, ageing, and death in the future, that, monks, I say is without sorrow, without anguish, without despair." The fourth.