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87When the earth’s nectar had vanished, ground-fungus appeared to those beings. “Fungus” is pappaṭaka (Sanskrit parpaṭaka). At Bu Pj 1:2.2.5, Moggallāna suggests that, to alleviate famine, the monks might eat the pappaṭakojaṁ (“fungus-nutrition”) under the earth. Given that it is compared to a mushroom, I think it is the fungal mycelia of a mycorrhizal network. Such fungi spread like tendrils underground, sometimes appearing above the surface, sharing nutrients and information between organisms. It appeared just like a mushroom. It was beautiful, fragrant, and delicious, like ghee or butter. And it was as sweet as pure dwarf-bee honey.
Then those beings started to eat the ground-fungus. With that as their food and nourishment, they remained for a very long time. But so long as they ate that ground-fungus, their bodies became more solid and they diverged in appearance; some beautiful, some ugly. And the beautiful beings looked down on the ugly ones: ‘We’re more beautiful, they’re the ugly ones!’ And the vanity of the beautiful ones made the ground-fungus vanish.
Then those beings started to eat the ground-fungus. With that as their food and nourishment, they remained for a very long time. But so long as they ate that ground-fungus, their bodies became more solid and they diverged in appearance; some beautiful, some ugly. And the beautiful beings looked down on the ugly ones: ‘We’re more beautiful, they’re the ugly ones!’ And the vanity of the beautiful ones made the ground-fungus vanish.