Moderation in eating
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:16 am
Hi all
It seems there is always a lot of discussion about vegetarianism in the online Dhamma groups, but I don't recall every having seen a thread about the aspect of eating that the Buddha mentions so often, moderation in eating. (For just one example, this verse from Dhammapada, "whoever lives contemplating pleasant things, with senses unrestrained, in food immoderate, indolent, inactive, him verily Mara overthrows, as the wind a weak tree." (verse 7)
I would appreciate discussing this a bit. It's ironic that I get such self-satisfaction about being a vegetarian, but wolf down food the way I do.
We have an expression here in Japan, hara hachi bu which means that one should ideally eat to 80% of the stomach's capacity, and then stop. I am currently incapable of this, but discussion with Dhamma friends would be a helpful conditioning factor!
metta,
phil
p.s worth noting that the Buddha teaches this to lay followers, not just monastics. One of the best examples is a short sutta in SN when he helps a king who eats "bucketful measures of curries" and is always huffing and puffing. The king overcomes this unwise way, and ...I forget the end of the story, but it is happy.
It seems there is always a lot of discussion about vegetarianism in the online Dhamma groups, but I don't recall every having seen a thread about the aspect of eating that the Buddha mentions so often, moderation in eating. (For just one example, this verse from Dhammapada, "whoever lives contemplating pleasant things, with senses unrestrained, in food immoderate, indolent, inactive, him verily Mara overthrows, as the wind a weak tree." (verse 7)
I would appreciate discussing this a bit. It's ironic that I get such self-satisfaction about being a vegetarian, but wolf down food the way I do.
We have an expression here in Japan, hara hachi bu which means that one should ideally eat to 80% of the stomach's capacity, and then stop. I am currently incapable of this, but discussion with Dhamma friends would be a helpful conditioning factor!
metta,
phil
p.s worth noting that the Buddha teaches this to lay followers, not just monastics. One of the best examples is a short sutta in SN when he helps a king who eats "bucketful measures of curries" and is always huffing and puffing. The king overcomes this unwise way, and ...I forget the end of the story, but it is happy.