Monks who eat once a day and not in the afternoon? (What is that about?)

DaltheJigsaw

Can a layperson do that as well?
Is it bad to eat once a day?
I just wanted to know more about this practice.

being

I believe the purpose of this is to keep ones mind clear. The more often we do something, that can be considered pleasurable, the bigger the chance that we get attached to it. Also it's better to practice mindfulness, when we aren't constantly feeling filled up.
In general I don't think it's bad to eat once a day. Many do it and live as long lives as everyone else. The human body is awesome at adapting to different conditions.

SherabDorje

I read somewhere that it was to keep the whole alms process with the donors confined to one period in the morning, so as not to cause excess bother for those giving alms. And also to keep the monks from "going back for seconds".

being

Yes, SherabDorje. Now that you mention it, I'm reminded of this also. I guess the origin of this tradition is basically the idea of keeping life as simple as possible.

Sabre

Apart from the mentioned reasons, I think digesting food also makes you a little less energetic (I often feel sleepy after eating).

But it isn't essential to become enlightened, obviously. So you can do it as a little practice if you like. But if you have a physically heavy job, maybe it's better you don't.

fivebells

I've done that a few times, for a couple of months each time. Energetically, it's very feasible. Socially, it's a bit awkward. One benefit is that it gives you more time to sit.

compassionate_warrior

Does this apply to all traditions? I've heard that the Zen tradition is to have soup or broth as the evening meal.

upekka

kitagiri sutta - majjima nikaya is relevant to this discussion

SherabDorje

I don't think this is adhered to strictly in Vajrayana.

Dakini

I've heard/read that in Vajrayana monasteries, they get 2 meals a day, mostly, my impression was, due to shortage of financial resources--otherwise they'd have 3/day. not sure.

Vangelis

This is usually adhered to in the Theravada tradition. All the meditation retreats that I have been to have been just one main meal a day (retreatants get breakfast as well but no eating after middday). I've done this myself - only having lunch and foregoing dinner for periods of about a week and it's definitely doable. The body adjusts. I also made me realise how gluttonous we tend to be without really realising it. The body doesn't really need as much food as we shove down its gullet. :eek:

federica

Human beings are the only free-living animals on the planet who actively choose to eat "3 meals a day".
The saying goes "breakfast like a King, lunch like a lord, sup like a pauper".

In fact, the best way to eat would be to 'graze'. That is, eat when you're actually hungry. Don't - when you're not.
Problem is, we've 'trained' our stomachs and digestive systems to function and thrive on 3 bouts of food a day, and many people who work during the day, actually have a small breakfast and a big dinner.
It takes about 4 weeks of dedicated effort to break the regimen habit, give or take a day or 2... One of our members, wishing to ordain, attempted a period of abstinence (that is, a monastic dietary regime) but found that it was impossible to implement. Had their perseverance been stronger, over a slightly longer period of time, they might have been successful.
But some folks can cut it, others find it harder.

About 10 years ago, I went through a 3-week cleanse, which did me a power of good, and I thoroughly enjoyed.
I'm trying to find the impetus to repeat the exercise, but strangely, it seems elusive.....
:scratch:

Vincenzi

I felt better with a variation on this diet (breakfast, lunch and a snack but not too late)... and am trying to return to that diet.

Disney

Foods comes from hard labor of farmers and other preparations, more meals means more hardship of others. For instance, monastery of the great old days used to do crop farming for own consumption, the more one consumed, the more energy has to work on farming As for meat eaters, more meals on meats means more animals murdered on the basis of tongue, and resulted into more grievances of them, and it leads to conflict & vengeance on next life. Normally, number of meals correspond to pure meditation mind :vimp:

YahooSerious

I try to be mindful that one is literally consuming resources when eating. It seems wise to consume only what we need to sustain but for me, alas, it is still a challenge.

Concerning eating meat...How do the various branches of buddhism regard it's consumption?

DaltheJigsaw

Human beings are the only free-living animals on the planet who actively choose to eat "3 meals a day".
The saying goes "breakfast like a King, lunch like a lord, sup like a pauper".

In fact, the best way to eat would be to 'graze'. That is, eat when you're actually hungry. Don't - when you're not.
Problem is, we've 'trained' our stomachs and digestive systems to function and thrive on 3 bouts of food a day, and many people who work during the day, actually have a small breakfast and a big dinner.
It takes about 4 weeks of dedicated effort to break the regimen habit, give or take a day or 2... One of our members, wishing to ordain, attempted a period of abstinence (that is, a monastic dietary regime) but found that it was impossible to implement. Had their perseverance been stronger, over a slightly longer period of time, they might have been successful.
But some folks can cut it, others find it harder.

About 10 years ago, I went through a 3-week cleanse, which did me a power of good, and I thoroughly enjoyed.
I'm trying to find the impetus to repeat the exercise, but strangely, it seems elusive.....
:scratch:

Interesting.
How often do you eat?
And what do you eat?
If you don't mind sharing...

DaltheJigsaw

What do you guys eat in the morning and for lunch and dinner?

federica

Interesting.
How often do you eat?
And what do you eat?
If you don't mind sharing...

I sometimes eat 3 times a day, sometimes 7, sometimes twice, and on rare occasions, I eat nothing at all, I just drink.

I drink loads of water every day, up to around 2 litres.

I was born with impaired liver function and was severely jaundiced. Normally babies will spend anything between 2 to 4 days receiving light treatment. I was given light treatment over a period of 2 weeks.
It's not a problem now, except that every now and then, my liver protests, and I have to go on a liver cleansing diet. (see attachment).
I'm currently honing my dietary regime in line with this cleansing diet.
I've been on it for around a week, and I feel really great on it!

federica

Hmmm.... odd..... file won't attach..... :scratch:

SherabDorje

Concerning eating meat...How do the various branches of buddhism regard it's consumption?

I would suggest that you do a site search for threads on this topic. There have been a lot, even recently.

All the best.

DaltheJigsaw

Interesting.
How often do you eat?
And what do you eat?
If you don't mind sharing...

I sometimes eat 3 times a day, sometimes 7, sometimes twice, and on rare occasions, I eat nothing at all, I just drink.

I drink loads of water every day, up to around 2 litres.

I was born with impaired liver function and was severely jaundiced. Normally babies will spend anything between 2 to 4 days receiving light treatment. I was given light treatment over a period of 2 weeks.
It's not a problem now, except that every now and then, my liver protests, and I have to go on a liver cleansing diet. (see attachment).
I'm currently honing my dietary regime in line with this cleansing diet.
I've been on it for around a week, and I feel really great on it!

Thank you for sharing!

compassionate_warrior

Is it bad to eat once a day?

I sometimes eat 3 times a day, sometimes 7, sometimes twice, and on rare occasions, I eat nothing at all, I just drink.

I would think that one meal/day would be for those who are young, in good health, with stable blood sugar. Many doctors and nutritionists advocate 7 modest meals/day, about one every 3 hours, to keep blood sugar stable. I think that's why the European custom of having 3 meals plus two "tea-times", which are a mini-meal, per day evolved.

fivebells

This has nothing to do with Buddhism, but...

Breakfast is still my main meal. It evolved out of the times I was doing the one-meal-a-day thing. I have two eggs, a big bowl of oatmeal with honey, an apple, and orange and an avocado. Usually lots and lots of tea, too.

DaltheJigsaw

Is it bad to eat once a day?

I sometimes eat 3 times a day, sometimes 7, sometimes twice, and on rare occasions, I eat nothing at all, I just drink.

I would think that one meal/day would be for those who are young, in good health, with stable blood sugar. Many doctors and nutritionists advocate 7 modest meals/day, about one every 3 hours, to keep blood sugar stable. I think that's why the European custom of having 3 meals plus two "tea-times", which are a mini-meal, per day evolved.

But with tea breaks they also eat sweets?
How does that work?

DaltheJigsaw

This has nothing to do with Buddhism, but...

Breakfast is still my main meal. It evolved out of the times I was doing the one-meal-a-day thing. I have two eggs, a big bowl of oatmeal with honey, an apple, and orange and an avocado. Usually lots and lots of tea, too.

Wow!
Good breakfast.
For eggs were they boiled or scrambled?

SherabDorje

But with tea breaks they also eat sweets?
How does that work?

Little sandwiches sometimes too. Fed would know better than me though, and all those other Limeys and Royal Subjects.

compassionate_warrior

But with tea breaks they also eat sweets?How does that work?

C'mon, Leon, you know how it is: tea is a mini-meal. If taken at work, I'm thinking of Russia now, everyone chips in: some vegetable or cucumber, meat or cheese, a couple of hard-boiled eggs, whatever each member of the work group can spare. It's all divided up so everyone shares. I've never seen sweets as part of чай (tea-time), except occasionally bakery goods. In England where I've observed it, it can be similar: bread, cheese (or little sandwiches), yogurt, fruit or "biscuits" (cookies). Empty calories are kept to a minimum, nutrition is the emphasis, IME.

Cloud

I eat when I'm hungry, but catch myself craving to eat when I'm not. The craving comes from memory of the taste of the food, not from the body itself.

Dakini

I eat when I'm hungry, but catch myself craving to eat when I'm not. The craving comes from memory of the taste of the food, not from the body itself.

ooooooh, Attachment City! *DANGER* *DANGER*

Cloud

The trick's to recognize the difference between genuine hunger, an indication from the body, and mental craving.

Dakini

haha! yes, so I gather! Keep up the good work. (That pesky mental craving...!)

DaltheJigsaw

I eat when I'm hungry, but catch myself craving to eat when I'm not. The craving comes from memory of the taste of the food, not from the body itself.

Very interesting!
Thanks!

Vincenzi

hunger is when you drink and still feel hungry.

federica

He has a point.... many people confuse the body's need for water, with need for nourishment...
if you're hungry, drink a glass of water. if, after five minutes, you're still hungry - you're hungry.
But Cloud's caveat is also worth remembering:
Are you hungry (REALLY hungry) or are you just craving something between your teeth.....?

federica

Let's try this file attachment again...

Edit:
Success!

predominantly it's a method of ridding your own gall bladder of gallstones.
my mother did this, and succeeded in passing 43 of them.
When she presented them to her doctor who had scheduled her operation, he nearly fell off his chair in astonishment....

The remaining 'diet' is very good for those who wish to liver cleans, though.

DaltheJigsaw

Let's try this file attachment again...

Edit:
Success!

predominantly it's a method of ridding your own gall bladder of gallstones.
my mother did this, and succeeded in passing 43 of them.
When she presented them to her doctor who had scheduled her operation, he nearly fell off his chair in astonishment....

The remaining 'diet' is very good for those who wish to liver cleans, though.

Thank you so much!