Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Subjects of Meditation 205Eightfold Path leads to the complete destruction of suffering. Thus thatyogin discerns the Four Noble Truths fully. At that time he sees the tribulationof suffering through impermanence, sorrow and not-self. Always attendingto these, his mind is undisturbed. He sees the merit of the destructionof suffering through wisdom, tranquillity and dispassion. In this way thatyogin, seeing the tribulation of suffering and the merits of cessation, dwellspeacefully endowed with the faculties, the powers and the factors of enlightenment.1 He makes manifest the consciousness that proceeds from perceptionof the formations and attains to the element of the most excellent. 2The determining of the four elements has ended.THE LOATHSOMENESS OF FOODQ. What is the perception of the loathsomeness of food? 3 What is thepractising of it? What are its salient characteristic, function, near cause 4 andmanifestation? What are its benefits? What is the procedure?A. The yogin, attending to the loathsomeness of what in the form ofnourishment is chewed, licked, drunk or eaten, 5 knows and knows well thisperception. This is called the perception of the loathsomeness of food. Theundisturbed dwelling of the mind in this perception is the practising of it.The understanding of the disadvantages of food is its salient characteristic.Disagreeableness is its function. The overcoming of desire is its manifestation.What are its benefits? The yogin can acquire eight benefits: He whodevelops the perception of the loathsomeness of food knows the nature ofmorsels of food; he understands fully the five-fold lust; he knows the materialaggregate; he knows the perception of impurity; he develops fully the mindfulnessas to the interior of his body; his mind shrinks from desiring whatis tasty; 6 he fares well; he approaches the ambrosial.What is the procedure? The new yogin enters into a place of solitude,sits down with mind composed and undisturbed, and considers the loathsomenessof what in the form of nourishment is chewed, licked, drunk or eaten asfollows: "Such and such are the several hundred sorts of tasty food cookedclean. They are relished of the people. Their colour and smell are perfect.They are fit for great nobles. But after these foods enter into the body, theybecome impure, loathsome, rotten, abominable".One develops the perception of the loathsomeness of food in five ways:through (the task of) searching for it; through (the thought of) grinding it;through receptacle; through oozing; and through aggregation.1. Indriya, bala, bojjhanga. 2. Sappi-manda dhatu.3. Ahdre patikkiila safind. 4. Not answered in comment.5. Khajja, leyya, peyya, bhojja.6. Cp. Th. 580: Rasesu anugiddhassa jhane na ramati mano.