Kumar Pannha

Summary: This article summarizes the questions by Buddha and their answer by a young renunciate Sopaka.

Introduction

Also known called as  śrāmaṇera pannha, it is a collection of questions and answers. The words kumar/sramanera refers to a young renunciate, and pannha means questions.  Thus Kumar pannha is a collection of ten questions asked to a seven year old boy named Sopaka. Lord Buddha asks the questions and Sopaka answers them. 

There is an interesting story about Sopaka. According to it a low caste poor lady was in labour, but she died before giving birth. Family members took her to cemetery to burn. But, it started raining, and family members returned home. In the meantime because of the rain she did not burn, instead she came back to life and gave birth to the young child. After giving birth she died. The cemetery watchman looked after the child and since the child belonged to low caste, he named him Sopaka. 

When Sopaka was seven years old, Buddha came there. Sopaka took refuge in Buddha and got himself ordained at a young age of seven. When he was ready to be declared Arahat, Lord Buddha came and asked him these questions.

1. Ekaṃ nāma kiṃ? Sabbe sattā āhāraṭṭhitikā.

Ekaṃ: One; nāma: called, name; kiṃ: what; Sabbe: All; sattā : attached to;  āhāra: food; ṭhitikā: lasting, dependent on, living on

What is called one? All (beings) depend on food.

Buddha asks here what is that one, one that is most important?. Sopaka replies back that all depend upon food. According to buddhist texts foods are of four types [1], kabalinkarahara, the ordinary food,  phassahara, sense organs through sense objects (contact), viññanahara: consciousness and manasañcetanahara, the mental volition. Thus, the only one thing that if one does right will bring him to the perfect goal is food. Eat right food, give your senses the right stimulant, give the consciousness the right thoughts, and give the mind the right sanskara. If only this is done all is done. 

Dve nāma kiṃ? Nāmañca rūpañca.

Tīṇi nāma kiṃ? Tisso vedanā.

Cattāri nāma kiṃ? Cattāri ariyasaccāni.

Pañca nāma kiṃ? Pañcupādānakkhandhā.

Cha nāma kiṃ? Cha ajjhattikāni āyatanāni.

Satta nāma kiṃ? Satta bojjhaṅgā.

Aṭṭha nāma kiṃ? Ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo.

Nava nāma kiṃ? Nava sattāvāsā.

Dasa nāma kiṃ? Dasahaṅgehi samannāgato “arahā”ti vuccatīti.

References

1. The Four Nutriments of Life by Nyanaponika Thera, Wheel No. 105/106, Buddhist Publication Society, (BPS) Kandy, Sri Lanka.