Verses on Dhamma 6.5.p19

6.5.p19

Tatridaṃ pucchāvissajjanaṃ – satthā kira naṃ āha – ‘‘sāriputta, kiṃ te laddha’’nti? ‘‘Āhāro, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Āhāro nāma kiṃ āharati, sāriputtā’’ti? ‘‘Vedanaṃ, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Vedanaṃ kiṃ āharati, sāriputtā’’ti? ‘‘Rūpaṃ, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Rūpaṃ pana kiṃ āharati, sāriputtā’’ti? ‘‘Phassaṃ, bhante’’ti. Tatrāyaṃ adhippāyo – ‘‘jighacchitena hi paribhutto āhāro tassa khuddaṃ pariharitvā sukhaṃ vedanaṃ āharati. Āhāraparibhogena sukhitassa sukhāya vedanāya uppajjamānāya sarīre vaṇṇasampatti hoti. Evaṃ vedanā rūpaṃ āharati. Sukhito pana āhārajarūpavasena uppannasukhasomanasso ‘idāni me assādo jāto’ti nippajjanto vā nisīdanto vā sukhasamphassaṃ paṭilabhatī’’ti.

This is the meaning of these questions: When a hungry man eats food, the food banishes his hunger and brings a pleasurable sensation. As a result of the pleasurable sensation which comes to a man who is satisfied by the eating of food, his body takes on a beautiful color; and for this reason it is said that sensation produces material form. Now the man who is satisfied by the material form which is the product of the food he has eaten, that man is filled with joy and delight; and with the thought in his mind, “Now I have attained happiness,” whether he lies down or sits down obtains pleasurable contact.