AN 3.16 STED eating
Kathañ-ca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu |
"And-how, monks, {does a} monk |
bhojane mattaññū hoti? |
eat (in) moderation ****? |
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu |
Here, monks, a-monk |
paṭisaṅkhā yoniso āhāraṃ āhāreti: |
reflecting carefully (on) food (he) consumes: |
‘neva davāya |
'not (for) amusement, |
na madāya |
not (for) intoxication, |
na maṇḍanāya |
not (for) beautification, |
na vibhūsanāya, |
not (for) attractiveness, |
yāva-deva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya |
only-for this body's maintenance (and) nourishment, |
vihiṃs-ūparatiyā |
injury-avoidance [from under eating], |
brahmacariy-ānuggahāya, |
[for] assisting (the) holy-life, |
iti purāṇañca vedanaṃ paṭihaṅkhāmi, |
[thinking:] thus old feelings [of hunger] I-will-terminate, |
navañca vedanaṃ na uppādessāmi, |
new feelings [of overeating] I-will-not-arouse, |
yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca |
{and} healthy I will-become, blamless and |
Phāsu-vihāro cā’ti. |
(in) comfort (I) dwell ****. |
Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu |
Thus indeed, monks, a-monk |
bhojane mattaññū hoti. |
eat (in) moderation ****. |
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SN 35.239, EA 21.6: adds 2 similes to the STED formula from AN 3.16
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SN 35.239 |
EA 21.6, || to SN 35.239 |
(AN 3.16 STED eating formula) |
“How is a monk moderate in eating? In this regard he takes his food, thinking where it has come from, and not in order to become plump and beautiful. He eats only with a view to supporting the body and keeping the four physical elements in shape, reflecting: Now I should check former pangs of hunger and prevent new ones from arising, letting the body have enough strength to practise the Noble Path and lest the holy life be impeded; |
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Just as a person anoints a wound only for the purpose of enabling it to heal, |
take for example a bad abscess that has developed on a man or woman’s body to which a salve is applied for the sole purpose of occasioning a cure. Similarly, O monks, a monk is moderate in eating, thinking where the food that he is taking has come from; he does not take it in order to become stout … and he eats only with a view to supporting the body … lest the holy life be impeded. |
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or just as one greases an axle only for the sake of transporting a load, so a bhikkhu, reflecting wisely, takes food … for assisting the holy life. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu is moderate in eating. |
Take again for example, a cart carrying heavy loads. Its wheels are greased for the sole purpose of delivering heavy loads at their destinations. Similarly, a monk is moderate in eating, thinking … he does not take food in order to become stout … Thus a monk is moderate in eating. |
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AN 5.207 Rice Porridge
(B.Bodhi trans.)...five benefits in rice porridge...
(1) It stills hunger,
(2) dispels thirst,
(3) settles wind,
(4) cleans out the bladder,
(5) and promotes the digestion of the remnants of undigested food.
AN 5.208 Brushing your teeth
(B.Bodhi trans.)...five dangers in not brushing one’s teeth...
(1) It is bad for one’s eyes;
(2) one’s breath stinks;
(3) one’s taste buds are not purified;
(4) bile and phlegm envelop one’s food;
(5) and one’s food does not agree with one.
{... 5 benefits listed are the opposite ... }
AN 8.41 arahant eating once per day, 8 precepts
“(6) “‘As long as they live the arahants eat once a day, abstaining from eating at night and from food outside the proper time.
Today, for this night and day, I too shall eat once a day, abstaining from eating at night and from food outside the proper time.
I shall imitate the arahants in this respect and the uposatha will be observed by me.’ This is the sixth factor it possesses.”
MN 3 valuing practice over eating
3. “Now, bhikkhus, suppose that I had eaten, refused more food, had my fill, finished, had enough, had what I needed, and some almsfood was left over to be thrown away. Then two bhikkhus arrived [13] hungry and weak, and I told them: ‘Bhikkhus, I have eaten…had what I needed, but there is this almsfood of mine left over to be thrown away. Eat if you like; if you do not eat then I shall throw it away where there is no greenery or drop it into water where there is no life.’ Then one bhikkhu thought: ‘The Blessed One has eaten…had what he needed, but there is this almsfood of the Blessed One left over to be thrown away; if we do not eat it the Blessed One will throw it away…But this has been said by the Blessed One: “Bhikkhus, be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things.” Now this almsfood is one of the material things. Suppose that instead of eating this almsfood I pass the night and day hungry and weak.’ And instead of eating that almsfood he passed that night and day hungry and weak. Then the second bhikkhu thought: ‘The Blessed One has eaten…had what he needed, but there is this almsfood of the Blessed One left over to be thrown away…Suppose that I eat this almsfood and pass the night and day neither hungry nor weak.’ And after eating that almsfood he passed the night and day neither hungry nor weak. Now although that bhikkhu by eating that almsfood passed the night and day neither hungry nor weak, yet the first bhikkhu is more to be respected and commended by me. Why is that? Because that will for long conduce to his fewness of wishes, contentment, effacement, easy support, and arousal of energy.52 Therefore, bhikkhus, be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things. Out of compassion for you I have thought: ‘How shall my disciples be my heirs in Dhamma, not my heirs in material things?’”
MN 12 eating too little not helpful
52. “Sāriputta, there are certain recluses and brahmins whose doctrine and view is this: ‘Purification comes about through food.’195 They say: ‘Let us live on kola-fruits,’ and they eat kola-fruits, they eat kola-fruit powder, they drink kola-fruit water, and they make many kinds of kola-fruit concoctions. Now I recall having eaten a single kola-fruit a day. Sāriputta, you may think that the kola-fruit was bigger at that time, yet you should not regard it so: the kola-fruit was then at most the same size as now. Through feeding on a single kola-fruit a day, my body reached a state of extreme emaciation. Because of eating so little my limbs became like the jointed segments of vine stems or bamboo stems. Because of eating so little my backside became like a camel’s hoof. Because of eating so little the projections on my spine stood forth like corded beads. Because of eating so little my ribs jutted out as gaunt as the crazy rafters of an old roof-less barn. Because of eating so little the gleam of my eyes sank far down in their sockets, looking like a gleam of water that has sunk far down in a deep well. Because of eating so little my scalp shrivelled and withered as a green bitter gourd shrivels and withers in the wind and sun. Because of eating so little my belly skin adhered to my backbone; thus if I wanted to touch my belly skin I encountered my backbone, and if I wanted to touch my backbone I encountered my belly skin. Because of eating so little, if I wanted to defecate or urinate, I fell over on my face right there. Because of eating so little, if I tried to ease my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell from my body as I rubbed.
...
56. “Yet, Sāriputta, by such conduct, by such practice, by such performance of austerities, I did not attain any superhuman states, any distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones. Why was that? Because I did not attain that noble wisdom which when attained is noble and emancipating and leads the one who practises in accordance with it to the complete destruction of suffering.
MN 27 eating as part of monastic training rules
He practises eating only one meal a day, abstaining from eating at night and outside the proper time.
MN 65 eating once per day preferred, twice if necessary
To Bhaddāli
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus.”—“Venerable sir,” they replied. The Blessed One said this:
2. “Bhikkhus, I eat at a single session. By so doing, I am free from illness and affliction, and I enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.660 Come, bhikkhus, eat at a single session. By so doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.”
3. When this was said, the venerable Bhaddāli told the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, I am not willing to eat at a single session; for if I were to do so, I might have worry and anxiety about it.”661
“Then, Bhaddāli, eat one part there where you are invited and bring away one part to eat. By eating in that way, [438] you will maintain yourself.”
“Venerable sir, I am not willing to eat in that way either; for if I were to do so, I might also have worry and anxiety about it.”662
MN 70 why you shouldn't eat after noon
At Kīṭāgiri
1. THUS HAVE I HEARD. On one occasion the Blessed One was wandering in the Kāsi country together with a large Sangha of bhikkhus. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus:
2. “Bhikkhus, I abstain from eating at night. By so doing, I am free from illness and affliction, and I enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come, bhikkhus, abstain from eating at night. By so doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.”696
“Yes, venerable sir,” they replied.
3. Then, as the Blessed One was wandering by stages in the Kāsi country, he eventually arrived at a Kāsi town called Kīṭāgiri. There he lived in this Kāsi town, Kīṭāgiri.
4. Now on that occasion the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka were residing at Kīṭāgiri.697 Then a number of bhikkhus went and told them: “Friends, the Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus now abstain from eating at night. By so doing, they are free from illness and affliction, and they enjoy health, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come, friends, abstain from eating at night. By so doing, you too will be free from illness and affliction, and you will enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding.” [474] When this was said, the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka told those bhikkhus: “Friends, we eat in the evening, in the morning, and in the day outside the proper time. By so doing, we are free from illness and affliction, and we enjoy lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Why should we abandon [a benefit] visible here and now to pursue [a benefit to be achieved] at a future time? We shall eat in the evening, in the morning, and in the day outside the proper time.”
5. Since the bhikkhus were unable to convince the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka, they went to the Blessed One. After paying homage to him, they sat down at one side and told him all that had occurred, adding: “Venerable sir, since we were unable to convince the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka, we have reported this matter to the Blessed One.”
6. Then the Blessed One addressed a certain bhikkhu thus: “Come, bhikkhu, tell the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka in my name that the Teacher calls them.”
“Yes, venerable sir,” he replied, and he went to the bhikkhus led by Assaji and Punabbasuka and told them: “The Teacher calls you, friends.”
“Yes, friend,” they replied, and they went to the Blessed One, and after paying homage to him, sat down at one side. The Blessed One then said: “Bhikkhus, is it true that when a number of bhikkhus went and told you: ‘Friends, the Blessed One and the Sangha now abstain from eating at night…Come, friends, abstain from eating at night [475]…,’ you told those bhikkhus: ‘Friends, we eat in the evening…Why should we abandon [a benefit] visible here and now to pursue [a benefit to be achieved] at a future time? We shall eat in the evening, in the morning, and in the day outside the proper time’?”—“Yes, venerable sir.”
“Bhikkhus, have you known me to teach the Dhamma in such a way as this: ‘Whatever this person experiences, whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase’?”698—“No, venerable sir.”
7. “Bhikkhus, have you not known me to teach the Dhamma in such a way as this: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase.699 Here, when someone feels a certain kind of painful feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of painful feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase. Here, when someone feels a certain kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish; but when someone feels another kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase’?”—“Yes, venerable sir.”
8. “Good, bhikkhus.700 And if it were unknown by me, unseen, unfound, unrealised, uncontacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish,’ would it be fitting for me, not knowing that, to say: ‘Abandon such a kind of pleasant feeling’?”—“No, venerable sir.”
“But because it is known by me, seen, found, realised, contacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of pleasant feeling [476], unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish,’ that I therefore say: ‘Abandon such a kind of pleasant feeling.’
“If it were unknown by me, unseen, unfound, unrealised, uncontacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels another kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase,’ would it be fitting for me, not knowing that, to say: ‘Enter upon and abide in such a kind of pleasant feeling’?”—“No, venerable sir.”
“But because it is known by me, seen, found, realised, contacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels another kind of pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase,’ that I therefore say: ‘Enter upon and abide in such a kind of pleasant feeling.’
9. “If it were unknown by me…But because it is known by me…contacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of painful feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish,’ that I therefore say: ‘Abandon such a kind of painful feeling.’
“If it were unknown by me…But because it is known by me…contacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels another kind of painful feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase,’ that I therefore say: ‘Enter upon and abide in such a kind of painful feeling.’
10. “If it were unknown by me…But because it is known by me…contacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels a certain kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states increase in him and wholesome states diminish,’ that I therefore say: ‘Abandon such a kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.’
“If it were unknown by me…But because it is known by me…contacted by wisdom thus: ‘Here, when someone feels another kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, unwholesome states diminish in him and wholesome states increase,’ that I therefore say: [477] ‘Enter upon and abide in such a kind of neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.’
11. “Bhikkhus, I do not say of all bhikkhus that they still have work to do with diligence; nor do I say of all bhikkhus that they have no more work to do with diligence.
MN 77 even in one meal, the buddha eats little
8. “Venerable sir, I see five qualities in the Blessed One because of which his disciples honour, respect, revere, and venerate him, and live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him. What are the five? First, venerable sir, the Blessed One eats little and commends eating little; this I see as the first quality of the Blessed One because of which his disciples honour, respect, revere, and venerate him, and live in dependence on him, honouring and respecting him.
SN 3.13 moderation in eating good for health
At Sāvatthī. Now on that occasion King Pasenadi of Kosala had eaten a bucket measure of rice and curries.
Then, while still full, huffing and puffing, the king approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side.
Then the Blessed One, having understood that King Pasenadi was full and was huffing and puffing, on that occasion recited this verse:
“When a man is always mindful,
Knowing moderation in the food he eats,
His ailments then diminish:
He ages slowly, guarding his life.”
SN 12.63 son's flesh, not for pleasure
And how is physical food to be regarded? Suppose a couple, husband & wife, taking meager provisions, were to travel through a desert. With them would be their only baby son, dear & appealing. Then the meager provisions of the couple going through the desert would be used up & depleted while there was still a stretch of the desert yet to be crossed. The thought would occur to them, 'Our meager provisions are used up & depleted while there is still a stretch of this desert yet to be crossed. What if we were to kill this only baby son of ours, dear & appealing, and make dried meat & jerky. That way — chewing on the flesh of our son — at least the two of us would make it through this desert. Otherwise, all three of us would perish.' So they would kill their only baby son, loved & endearing, and make dried meat & jerky. Chewing on the flesh of their son, they would make it through the desert. While eating the flesh of their only son, they would beat their breasts, [crying,] 'Where have you gone, our only baby son? Where have you gone, our only baby son?' Now what do you think, monks: Would that couple eat that food playfully or for intoxication, or for putting on bulk, or for beautification?
No, lord.
Wouldn't they eat that food simply for the sake of making it through that desert?
Yes, lord.
"In the same way, I tell you, is the nutriment of physical food to be regarded. When physical food is comprehended, passion for the five strings of sensuality is comprehended. When passion for the five strings of sensuality is comprehended, there is no fetter bound by which a disciple of the noble ones would come back again to this world.
Vinaya (Pācittiya) 37, eating after solar noon
eating at wrong time [after solar noon, before sunrise] against vinaya
pi-tv-bu-vb-pc37 (Pācittiya) 37
...The group of seventeen monks told this matter to the group of six monks.
“Then do you, your reverences, eat a meal at the wrong time?”
“Yes, your reverences.”
The group of six monks looked down upon, criticised, spread it about,...
arahant advice on proper way to eat
Walking meditation must be practiced in a calm, self-composed manner. Use mindfulness to focus your attention directly on the task you have set for yourself. If you’re investigating the nature of the khandhas or the conditions of the body, or simply concentrating on a specific Dhamma theme, then make sure mindfulness is firmly fixed on that object. Don’t allow your attention to drift elsewhere. Such negligence is characteristic of one having no solid spiritual basis to anchor him, and thus lacking a reliable inner refuge. Mindful awareness should attend each and every movement in all your daily activities. Don’t perform these actions as though you are so sound asleep that you have no mindful awareness of how your body tosses about, or how prolifically your sleeping mind dreams. Going on your morning almsround, eating your food, and relieving yourself: in all such basic duties you should adhere strictly to the traditional practices of the Lord Buddha’s Noble disciples. Never behave as though you lack proper training in the Teaching and the Discipline. Always conduct yourself in the manner of a true samaṇa27 with the calm, peaceful demeanor expected of one who ordains as a disciple of the Lord Buddha. This means maintaining mindfulness and wisdom in every posture as a way of eliminating the poisons buried deep within your heart. Thoroughly investigate all the food you eat. Don’t allow those foods that taste good to add poison to your mind. Even though the body may be strengthened by food that’s eaten without proper investigation, the mind will be weakened by its damaging effects. By nourishing your body with food that is eaten unmindfully, you will, in effect, be destroying yourself with nourishment that depletes your mental vitality.
A samaṇa must never endanger his own well-being or the well-being of others by shamefully accumulating kilesas; for, not only do they harm him, but they can easily mushroom and spread harm to others as well. In the view of the Buddha’s Noble disciples, all mental defilements are to be greatly feared. Utmost care should be taken to ensure that the mind does not neglect to check any outflow of the kilesas, for each one acts like a sheet of fire destroying everything in its path. The Noble Dhamma, practiced by all of the Lord Buddha’s Noble disciples, emphasizes scrupulous self-discipline at all times and under all conditions – whether walking, standing, sitting, lying down, eating or relieving oneself; and in all of one’s conversations and social interactions. Inattentive, undisciplined behavior is a habit of the kilesas, leading to unwholesome thoughts, and thus, perpetuating the cycle of birth and death. Those wishing to escape from the cycle of rebirth should avoid such deplorable habits. They merely lead deeper into the abyss, eventually causing one to become that most undesirable of persons – a wretched samaṇa. No one wishes to partake of wretched food; no one wishes to reside in a wretched house; and no one wishes to dress in wretched clothes, or even look at them. Generally, people detest and shun wretched things – how much more so a wretched person with a wretched mind. But the most abhorrent thing in the world is a wretched samaṇa who is ordained as a Buddhist monk. His wretchedness pierces the hearts of good and bad people alike. It pierces the hearts of all devas and brahmas without exception. For this reason, one should strive to be a true samaṇa exercising extreme care to remain mindful and self-disciplined at all times.
Even near death, one meal a day and walking almsround
As he finished speaking, he made a similar remark to the one he previously made at Wat Chedi Luang monastery in Chiang Mai. He said, in effect, that this talk would be the ‘final encore’ of his old age – never would he give another such talk. His words that night were prophetic, because from that day on he never gave another profound and lengthy exposition of Dhamma. One month later his illness began, and his health steadily declined until he finally passed away.
Despite the physical difficulties he suffered as a result of that degenerative disease, he insisted on making the effort to walk to the village for almsround and continued eating only one meal a day from his alms bowl, as he always had. He did not simply abandon these practices. Eventually, when he felt that he could no longer walk the entire distance, he made an effort to walk at least halfway through the village before returning to the monastery. Seeing that so much walking caused him great difficulty, lay supporters and senior monks conferred and decided to invite him to walk only as far as the monastery gate, where offerings of food would be placed in his bowl. Had they requested him to abstain altogether from going on almsround, he would surely have demurred – so long as he was still physically able, he felt obliged to continue. So everyone had to respect his wishes. They wanted to avoid doing anything that might conflict with his resolute temperament. He continued walking to the front gate for alms until he became too weak to make it there and back. At that point, he began walking only as far as the refectory to collect alms. Only when he could no longer walk at all did he stop going for alms. Even then, he continued to eat just one meal a day, which he took in his alms bowl. The rest of us had to respect his wishes each time. We were all amazed at the endurance of this noble sage who, refusing to forsake his fighting spirit, conceded nothing to the kilesas.
As for the rest of us, we would probably be so dispirited at the very first sign of sickness that someone would have to carry us to the refectory to eat. It is truly disgraceful: the kilesas always laughing at us as we lie hopelessly on their chopping block, waiting for them to shred us to pieces like so much raw meat. What a pathetic sight! Here we are full-fledged human beings willingly putting ourselves at the mercy of the kilesas. All of us who carry this shame on our conscience should stop and reflect on Ācariya Mun’s mode of practice. We can then adopt it to safeguard us in our struggle with these defilements. In that way, we will always remain faithful to our Buddhist principles – instead of just being the kilesas’ whipping boys.
Eventually, Ācariya Mun’s condition became so serious that the rest of us felt obliged to undertake certain precautions. We quietly arranged for groups of three or four monks to keep a vigil every night sitting beneath his hut. We arranged this ourselves without informing him, though he may have been intuitively aware of it. We were concerned he might forbid us to do it, reasoning that it was a burden on the monks and thus an unnecessary nuisance. Every night small groups of monks took turns, sitting silently beneath his hut in continuous shifts that lasted until dawn. Each group stayed for several hours until it was replaced by the next. This routine was already well established by the beginning of the rainy season retreat that year. When it became obvious that his illness had become very debilitating, we conferred among ourselves and decided to request his permission for two monks to be allowed to sit in meditation on his verandah. With his consent, two monks were always seated on his verandah from then on, and two more were seated down below. Besides the regular shifts of monks who kept watch on him, others were quietly overseeing the whole arrangement throughout the night.
{compassion for animals being eaten}
The end of the rains retreat saw an increasing number of senior disciples begin arriving from their own retreat locations to pay him their respects and help look after his needs. By that time his condition was critical, and becoming more and more unstable by the day. Eventually, he called all his disciples together one day to remind them of the proper way to handle his impending death.
“My illness has now reached its final stage. It is time to think about what will happen when I die – preparations must be made in time. As I’ve told you many times, I am going to die – this much is certain. My death is destined to be a major event affecting not only the general public, but animals as well. I want you to know that I do not wish to die here at Ban Nong Pheu. If I die here, it will be necessary to slaughter large numbers of farm animals in order to feed all the people coming to my funeral. I am only one dying person, but the death of this one person will in turn cause the deaths of a great many animals. Crowds of people will travel here to attend my funeral, but there’s no market in this village where foodstuffs can be purchased. Since ordaining as a monk I have never for a moment considered doing harm to any animal, to say nothing of killing them. Compassion has always been the foundation of my conscious existence. I am continuously extending the spirit of loving kindness and dedicating the fruits of my merit to all living beings without exception. I do not want to see any animal lose the life it cherishes so dearly. I could never countenance having my own death become a source of enmity between myself and the world’s animals.
“I want you to take me to Sakon Nakhon so I can die there. That town has a large marketplace, so my death should not affect the lives of so many animals. I have yet to die, but monks and lay people are already arriving here in a steady stream, their numbers increasing each day – clear evidence of the scale of the problem. Now think of how many people will come when I finally do die. Many people will mourn my death, but that is not my concern. I am ready for death – whenever and wherever it happens. I have no regrets about parting with my body. Having already investigated it thoroughly, I know that it is merely a combination of elements that have joined together temporarily, only to break apart again and revert back to their original elemental nature. What is there to be attached to? What I am concerned about is safeguarding the local farm animals so they won’t have to perish as well. I don’t want to see animal carcasses laid out for sale all up and down the roadsides here. That would be extremely regrettable. Fortunately, it’s not too late to remedy the situation. I am asking that you arrange for my departure as soon as possible for the sake of all those animals that would otherwise die as a result of my death. It is my express wish that their lives be protected. Does anyone have anything to say? If so, speak up now.”
Not a single person in the group spoke up. A atmosphere of quiet despair pervaded the assembly. As the Buddha said: yampiccaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ: not getting what one wants is truly a form of dukkha. Everyone realized that whether he went to Sakon Nakhon or remained at Ban Nong Pheu, in either case the situation was hopeless – he was going to die. So the meeting remained silent. There was just no way to resolve this dilemma. In the end, everyone willingly agreed to his request.