AN.5.138. Bhattādakasutta ("Eating Food")

Aṅguttara Nikāya ("Collections of Numbered Discourses")

“Mendicants, a royal bull elephant with five factors eats food, takes up space, drops dung, and takes a ticket, yet is still considered to be a royal bull elephant. What five? It’s when a royal bull elephant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. A royal bull elephant with these five factors eats food, takes up space, drops dung, and takes a ticket, yet is still considered to be a royal bull elephant.

In the same way, a mendicant with five qualities eats food, takes up space, tramples beds and chairs, and takes a ticket, yet is still considered to be a mendicant. What five? It’s when a mendicant can’t endure sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. A mendicant with these five qualities eats food, takes up space, tramples beds and chairs, and takes a ticket, yet is still considered to be a mendicant.”



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