loathsomeness in food

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
Ceisiwr
Posts: 22391
Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:36 am
Location: Wales

loathsomeness in food

Post by Ceisiwr »

Greetings


Does anyone have any information on this meditation/recollection? Ive never heard it discussed much

Does one approach it the same way as foulness of body or like a death recollection?



Metta
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
User avatar
retrofuturist
Posts: 27848
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:52 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: loathsomeness in food

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Craig,

Do you have the Visuddhimagga? I'm pretty sure there's guidance there.

As for the Buddha's approach to food in general, see:

SN 12.63: Puttamansa Sutta (A Son's Flesh)
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nypo.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
rowyourboat
Posts: 1952
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: loathsomeness in food

Post by rowyourboat »

This meditation is advanced practice and not for beginners!
(read no further if you are likely to gross out!)

what we use is to first imagine the food in front of you
understand that it is made up of the four elements which are impermanent
imagine what is like seconds after when it is being chewed and mixed with saliva, broken down -like dog vomit
now you know what it is like if someone opens their mouth and shows it to you!
now imagine a plate of that next to the unchewed food
now imagine it going down the gullet into your stomach
there it will get mixed with stomach acid- you know what that tastes like when you get reflux
you know what it looks like after a while when you vomit- you know what it smells like, looks like- compare it next to the food
then later bile will get added to it
then even later it will turn into faeces- remember the look, smell, texture and compare it next to the food
understand that all of the absorbed stuff gets turned into the foul body - solid and liquid components

what you will see is that often people are left with a craving for food even if they manage to get rid of craving for the body- so this specific method if quite helpful when an ariya is practicing for very high stages of the path.
With Metta

Karuna
Mudita
& Upekkha
Post Reply