..续本文上一页ehended by comprehension as abandoning (pahaana-pariññaa).

　　For explaining the same statement in the discourse, that is, "If the nutriment edible food is comprehended, the lust for the five sense-objects is thereby comprehended," there is another set of three kinds of comprehension, namely: single comprehension (eka-pariññaa), total comprehension (sabba-pariññaa) and root-comprehension (muula-pariññaa).

　　1. What is single comprehension

　　 If a monk fully understands the single (fact of) craving for taste occurring at the sense-door of the tongue, thereby (all) lust for the five sense-objects is comprehended. Why

　　 Because that craving arises (on that occasion) at the five sense doors. This very craving when arising at the eye door, is called "lust for visual objects" (ruupa-raaga); when arising at the door of the ear, etc., it is called "lust for sounds," etc. It is as with a robber who does his misdeeds on five roads; if he is caught on one of these roads and subsequently beheaded, then all five roads will be safe. Similarly, if the craving for taste is comprehended at the tongue sense-door, the entire lust for the five sense-objects is thereby comprehended. This is the single comprehension.

　　2. What is total comprehension

　　 In a single food morsel that has been placed into the monk”s almsbowl, all fivefold sense-desire obtains. How

　　 By first looking at the food”s clean, bright appearance, there is lust for visual objects. When hot ghee is poured over it, there is a sizzling sound; or when chewing hard food, there is also a sound; and when enjoying such sounds, there is lust for sounds. When enjoying the food”s smell, there is lust for odors. Through its pleasant taste there is lust for taste objects. When enjoying the softness of the food, there is lust for touch objects. When in such a way the food is considered with mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-sampajañña), and is being eaten without greed and attachment, then there is a total comprehension of it.

　　3. What is root comprehension

　　 The nutriment edible food is the root or basis of the lust for the five sense-objects. Why

　　 Because when the former exists, the latter arises. It is told that (in Ceylon) during the famine at the time of the brahman Tissa”s rebellion, for twelve years husband and wife did not even look at each other with sensuous thoughts. And why

　　 Because of the scarcity of food. But when the famine had subsided, the whole isle of Ceylon was like a single large festival of children”s birth celebrations. If nutriment is thus comprehended as being the root, also the lust for the five sense-objects is hereby comprehended. This is root comprehension.

　　2. The Nutriment Sense-Impression

　　Just as the skinned cow, exposed to the danger of being attacked by the creatures living in various places, has no wish for honor and attention paid to her, nor for bodily care given to her by cleaning her back and massaging — similarly the monk, considering that he is exposed to the danger coming from those devouring creatures, the mental defilements, that are rooted in the nutriment sense-impression, has no desire for the sense-impressions of the three planes of existence.

　　Here, too, there are three comprehensions:

　　1. In this case, sense-impression represents the formation aggregate (sankhaara-khandha); the feeling conjoined with it is the feeling aggregate; perception is the perception aggregate; consciousness (citta) is the consciousness aggregate (viññaa.na-kkhandha); the (respective) organ base and its objects are the corporeality aggregate (ruupa-kkhandha). Such correct understanding of mind-and-matter with its condition is "comprehension as the known."

　　2. The application to it of the three…

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