[241] "And how, bhikkhus, should the nutriment of edible food (kavaḷīkāra āhāra) be seen? Suppose, bhikkhus, a couple, husband and wife, having taken limited provisions, were to set out along a desert road; and they had with them a single little son, dear and beloved. Then, bhikkhus, while those two, husband and wife, were travelling through the desert, their limited stock of provisions would run out and be exhausted, while a stretch of the desert would remain, not yet crossed. Then, bhikkhus, it would occur to those two, husband and wife: 'Our limited stock of provisions has run out and been exhausted, and this stretch of the desert remains, not yet crossed. Suppose we were to kill this single little son of ours, dear and beloved, and prepare dried meat and roasted meat, and, eating our son's flesh, the two of us might in that way cross over the remainder of the desert—if not, all three of us shall perish.' Then, bhikkhus, those two, husband and wife, would kill that single little son, dear and beloved, prepare dried meat and roasted meat, and, eating their son's flesh, would in that way cross over the remainder of the desert. And as they ate their son's flesh, they would beat their breasts, crying: 'Where is our only little son? Where is our only little son?'
"What do you think, bhikkhus? Would they take that food for amusement, or take that food for intoxication, or take that food for adornment, or take that food for beautification?"
"Surely not, venerable sir."
"Would they not, bhikkhus, take that food solely for the sake of crossing over the desert?"
"Yes, venerable sir."
"In just the same way, bhikkhus, I say that the nutriment of edible food should be seen. Bhikkhus, when the nutriment of edible food is fully understood, lust connected with the five cords of sensual pleasure (pañcakāmaguṇa) is fully understood; when lust connected with the five cords of sensual pleasure is fully understood, there exists no fetter (saṃyojana) bound by which a noble disciple might come again to this world."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.