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AN 5.138

Eating Food

Bhattādakasutta

from: 14. Kings

Eating Food

“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. What five? It’s when a royal bull elephant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. 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.

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. What five? It’s when a mendicant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. 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.”

Translation: German (Ayyā Sabbamittā), English (Bhikkhu Sujato). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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