The 4 nutriments feeding us

Augustus

Hi Everyone,

I currently read the introductory book about Buddhism from Thich Nhat Hanh (The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching), I had a question regarding the 4 nutriments that feed us and one needs to recognize for the understanding of the 2nd Noble Truth. I list them here:

1. Edible food
2. Sense impressions
3. Volition, intention, will
4. Consciousness

I have problem in understanding why consciousness 'feeds' us as the 4th nutriment. In his explanation the author says :"We can nourish our consciousness by practicing the 4 Immeasurable Minds of love, compassion, joy and equanimity[...]Our consciousness is eating all the time, day and night, and what it consumes becomes the substance of our life"...

Is there not a confusion between what feeds and what is fed?
If you could shed light on this topic for me, I would appreciate very much your help...

Chrysalid

Your confusion comes from viewing consciousness as a solid form, something that is fed. Consciousness is not a discrete entity but the result of our perceptions and analysis, it is the mechanism via which we react to stimuli.

So, consciousness feeds our actions. Our thoughts, emotional states and beliefs produce our actions, and vice versa our actions impact the future nature of our thoughts, emotions and beliefs.

We need edible nutrients to power our chemical reactions.
We need senses to grant awareness of our surroundings.
We need intention to engender reaction to external stimuli.
And we need consciousness to manifest the intended reaction.

Augustus

Hi,

Thank you, Chrysalid, for your explanation, if I undestand well consciousness is the mechanism that makes us react to stimuli, but then what do we mean by 'volition or intention' (being the 3rd nutriment). Do we not repeat ourselves in asserting a 4th nutriment?... What makes them different then?

By the way, for me the consciousness is what defines us together with the 'it' and the 'unconsciousness' as defined by Freud, it defines ourselves.

Chrysalid

Augustus wrote: »

Thank you, Chrysalid, for your explanation, if I undestand well consciousness is the mechanism that makes us react to stimuli, but then what do we mean by 'volition or intention' (being the 3rd nutriment). Do we not repeat ourselves in asserting a 4th nutriment?... What makes them different then?

Intention is simply the reasoning behind why you do something, it's not identical with consciousness which is an ongoing process, constantly changing with the input and output of fresh data.
You need intention, reasoning, to give your actions purpose and direction. Consciousness is the method our minds use to arrive at the intended goal.

Augustus wrote: »

By the way, for me the consciousness is what defines us together with the 'it' and the 'unconsciousness' as defined by Freud, it defines ourselves.

And yet your consciousness is different and new with every passing moment. You cannot distill a person's "essence" or consciousness from their body, because as soon as you identify that essence it has already annihilated and something else has arisen in it's place.

Augustus

Later on in the book, the author speaks about the consciousness as a kind of granary containing many seeds... We can choose to water and nurture wholesome seeds (e.g. the capacity to become enlightened which is in everyone of us) or to water unwholesome seeds... Can we say that the nutriments from are consciousness are indeed these seeds the author refer to?