[244] "And how, bhikkhus, should the nutriment of consciousness (viññāṇāhāra) be seen? Suppose, bhikkhus, having seized a bandit, an evildoer, they showed him to the king, saying: 'Sire, this is a bandit, an evildoer. Impose upon him whatever punishment you wish.' The king would say to them: 'Go, sirs, and in the morning strike this man with a hundred spears.' And in the morning they would strike him with a hundred spears. Then at midday the king would say: 'Sirs, how is that man?' 'Sire, he is still alive.' The king would say to them: 'Go, sirs, and at midday strike that man with a hundred spears.' And at midday they would strike him with a hundred spears. Then in the evening the king would say: 'Sirs, how is that man?' 'Sire, he is still alive.' The king would say to them: 'Go, sirs, and in the evening strike that man with a hundred spears.' And in the evening they would strike him with a hundred spears.
"What do you think, bhikkhus? Would that man, being struck during the day with three hundred spears, experience suffering (dukkha) and grief on that account? Bhikkhus, being struck with even a single spear he would experience suffering and grief on that account — what need is there to speak of his being struck with three hundred spears? In just this way, bhikkhus, I say, should the nutriment of consciousness be seen. When the nutriment of consciousness is fully understood, bhikkhus, name-and-form (nāmarūpa) is fully understood; when name-and-form is fully understood, there is nothing further that a noble disciple needs to do — so I say."
The Third.
[Variant readings noted in the Siam edition: ¹ M., Yu.: evaṃ hi. ² M., Yu.: dasseyyuṃ.]
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.