..续本文上一页is about to fall, will not fall when supported by timber, so, O great king, is this body sustained by nutriment and persists because of nutriment" (Milindapañhaa).

　　Similarly it is by sustaining that the nutriment edible food fulfills its function of nourishing. In fulfilling that function, it is a condition to two kinds of corporeal continuity: that produced by nutriment (aahaara-samu.t.thaana) and that karmically acquired (upaadi.n.naka; due to clinging in a former life). For kamma-born (kammaja-upaadi.n.naka) corporeal processes, edible food is a condition by way of being their preserver (anupaalaka); and for those produced by nutriment, by way of being their originator (janaka).

　　The nutriment sense-impression, by establishing contact with an object that is the basis of pleasure, etc., makes for the sustenance of beings by causing the occurrence of pleasant feelings, etc.

　　The nutriment volitional thought, in accumulating wholesome and unwholesome kamma makes for the sustenance of beings by generating the root of existence.

　　The nutriment consciousness, in its cognizing function, serves the sustenance of beings by causing the occurrence of mind-and-body.

　　The Dangers

　　In these four nutriments, thus fulfilling their respective functions of sustaining, etc., there are four kinds of danger (bhaya) which should be known.

　　In the nutriment edible food, desire[22] is the danger; in sense-impression, approaching (an object)[23] is the danger; in volitional thought, accumulation (of kamma and rebirths) is a danger;[24] in (rebirth) consciousness, manifestation (of a new mind-and-body) is the danger.[25]

　　For what reasons are they danger

　　 Having desire for the nutriment edible food, people, taking up various crafts for the sake of food, undergo many hardships, like enduring cold, etc. Others, having become monks in this dispensation, seeking food in a way wrong for a monk, engage themselves in a physician”s work, etc., and thereby incur blame in this very life; and hereafter they become hungry monk-ghosts as described in the Lakkha.na-sa.myutta: "with his robe burning and ablaze." For these reasons, it should be understood that desire is an element of danger in edible food.

　　Those who are fond of sense-impressions, may, in their approach to sense-impression, offend against others” property which is under their guard and protection, or they may offend against the wives of others, etc. Then the owners of that property will seize the offenders and the goods (stolen), cut those thieves into pieces and throw them on the rubbish heap; or the owners will hand them over to the king who will punish them, inflicting various tortures on them. And after the break-up of the body, a bad destiny awaits the offenders. Thus all kinds of danger occur here and hereafter, which are rooted in fondness for sense impressions. For this reason, (active) approach is the danger in sense-impression.

　　All danger that occurs in the three states of existence, is rooted in the accumulation of wholesome and unwholesome kamma. Hence the danger in the nutriment volitional thought is the accumulation of kamma.

　　In whatever place rebirth-consciousness becomes manifest, there it arises along with the mind-and-body existing at the moment of rebirth. And with the arising of that mind-and-body, all dangers have arisen because they have their roots in it. It is for this reason that manifestation (in a mind-and-body) is the danger in the nutriment consciousness. Thus it should be understood.

　　1. The Nutriment Edible Food

　　The Simile of the Son”s Flesh

　　Based on the bare factual account (in the discourse), the meaning of the simile may in brief be explained as follows:

　　Once, it seems, a couple, husband and wife, together with their little son, set out for a journey through …

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