Buddhism defines food as traction, long-term nourishment and persistence. Food is not only an important element to maintain the life phenomenon, but also the most important force to attract all beings to come back to life after death, and it is also the driving force for the wise to complete the life level and get rid of the cycle of life and death. Therefore, Buddhism believes that an individual's diet will determine his mental state.
Buddhism believes that there are nine kinds of food, including four secular foods and five secular foods. As for the fourth generation's food, it refers to "temporary food", "touching food", "thinking food" and "knowing food", while the fifth generation's index finger refers to "Zen-pleasing food", "Faxi food", "craving food" and "releasing food". The so-called diet in modern nutrition is the "temporary diet" referred to in the food in the Buddhist world, which shows that the Buddhist concept of diet is really profound.
What are "secular food" and "secular food"
Most people don't understand what is secular food and what is secular food. The "world" here refers to time and migration, and the "space" refers to space and interval. To sum up, "the world" means destruction, vulgarity and vulgarity, and generally refers to all Vientiane and the world that are bound by troubles and unhappy. On the contrary, what can free people from trouble, pain or reincarnation is the so-called "eating out of the world."
It is particularly noteworthy that among the so-called "nine foods" in Buddhism, except for "short food", the other eight are spiritual foods related to the spiritual level. In the Buddhist view, material food can only enrich the body, while spiritual food can not only sublimate the soul, but also help the digestion of material food and improve its efficiency. It can be seen that Buddhism attaches more importance to spiritual food than material food.
● Four secular foods
Buddhism classifies four kinds of food as secular food: temporary food, timely food, timely food and timely food.
"Duan Shi" refers to a diet based on fragrance, taste and touch, which can benefit the physical body, such as rice, noodles, vegetables, water and fruits, so it is called Duan Shi.
"Touching food" means that the spiritual subject contacts the external environment through the sensory organs, which can nourish the feeling, will or body. If you come into contact with soft and beautiful scenery or educational books, it can make people happy and progress.
"Thinking about food" is the function of the will, expecting something you like to exist. If a disaster happens, a strong will to survive will have a greater chance of life.
"Knowing food" refers to the spiritual subject, which produces three industry of thought, language and behavior according to the influence of the first three foods. Every industry (action) will have consequences (reaction), forming the power of reincarnation after death, and maintaining a steady stream of body and life.
Five kinds of food in the world.
As for Buddhism, there are five kinds of worldly foods that can make people get rid of troubles, pains or life and death, including "Zen food", "love food", "desire food" and "liberation food".
"Zen Shi Yue" means that practitioners can calm down, benefit the mind and get the pleasure of meditation.
"Dharma delights in eating" means that practitioners listen to the scriptures and smell the Dharma, and learn the truth of the life universe, so that their hearts are happy, good roots grow, and their wisdom is wide open.
"Willing to eat" means that practitioners make big wishes, benefit all beings, break troubles, realize the Tao, hold themselves by their wishes, and always practice purity.
"Minding food" means that the practitioner is clear-headed, remembers and believes in the good dharma, does not reverse delusions, does not care separately, does not persist, and can transcend troubles.
"Relieving food" refers to the practice of spiritual liberation by practitioners, breaking the bondage of troubles and karma and not being forced by life and death.
◎ Five ways for practitioners to eat cleanly.
In ancient times when medicine and nutrition were underdeveloped, the concept of material food in Buddhism focused on the method of handling food and the mentality of using food, with the principle of helping practice.
Monks must eat clean. In modern language, it means keeping food hygienic and nutritious. There are five cleaning methods, which are in line with the modern concept of hygiene:
Method 1: "Wash food with fire": Food that should be cooked with fire must be cooked with fire before eating (to avoid leaving parasites or modern pesticides).
Method 2: "Wash the food with a knife": The fruit that should be peeled and pitted must be eaten with a knife (to avoid leaving dirt and modern pesticides).
Method 3: "Clean up the food with claws": the peeled fruit should be eaten by hand (to avoid leaving dirt and modern pesticides).
Method 4: "clean (withered) food": eat the withered fruit that can't be used as seeds (lest the fruit that can be used as seeds germinate or be moldy and toxic).
Method 5: "Birds peck clean food": Eat what birds peck (what birds peck must be non-toxic).
◎ Begging for food, breaking evil spirits, and dying.
Monks who practice Buddhism often beg for food. It is said that they can get rid of four kinds of bad lives and live a positive life. Good life is to make a living in the right way or occupation (in the right family), and bad life is to make a living in the wrong way or occupation (in the wrong family).
The evil life can be divided into the following four ways to make a living:
Eat: Farming, concocting soup and medicine to get enough food and clothing (Indian or Southern Buddhism monks beg for food for a living, eat whatever they ask for, and don't eat if they can't get food, so this rule is made to avoid increasing greed. This kind of precept does not conform to the custom of China, so Mazu built a jungle in the Tang Dynasty, and made 100 rules. He didn't eat for a day, advocated penance and didn't want to eat. The two ideas are different and should not be confused).
Eat from the sheep's mouth: look up at the stormy sky and seek food and clothing with the knowledge of skills and numbers (practice is to cultivate the mind and not seek external force, so as to avoid Machamp's confusion).
Fang Kou's family: Qu Mei is a powerful person who flatters the rich for food and clothing (don't please, don't make friends with powerful people, just stay away from financial power to avoid greed).
Defender: Learn incantations and predict good and bad luck to get food and clothing (avoid superstitions and rumors).
◎ Five commandments of Buddhism.
Monks who practice Buddhism have five precepts in diet:
Begging for food often: Going out to beg for food every morning can not only make contact with people and educate them, but also make contact with all kinds of people because of begging, cultivate tolerance and peace of mind, and even avoid increasing greed because of cooking. Begging for food is a great feat.
Second, begging: only seven families can beg for food every day. Don't single out rich or charitable people to increase equality; At the same time, please eat whatever you want. If you can't get it, you can't go to Bafu to beg for food, so as not to be insatiable.
A bowl of food: The size of the bowl depends on the amount of food you eat. You can only eat one bowl a day to avoid excessive consumption, which is in line with the modern hygiene principle of "only eating seven points full".
A food: every time you eat, you can't get up and get food after sitting down, so as not to be greedy.
Don't eat after noon: you must start eating before noon until you finish eating. You can only drink boiled water after noon, not even liquid.
◎ The importance of Buddhist "meditation" to "regulating diet"
The master of Tiantai wise men in Sui Dynasty mentioned the importance of "regulating food" to "meditation" in "The View of Filial Piety": "Eating is the law, and you want to learn by yourself. Eating too much will lead to shortness of breath, fullness, blocked pulse and anxiety. If you eat too little, your body and mind will hang, and your mind will not be solid. Both must be determined. If you eat unclean things, you will be unconscious; If you eat something inappropriate, you will get sick and commit four major violations. This is the beginning of review, so be careful. Therefore, as the saying goes, health is prosperous and diet is frugal. Always happy, quiet and diligent in leisure. This is a famous Buddhism. " "I don't want to eat during the day, and I don't want to sleep in bed at night." "Don't be greedy, and don't eat too much. Many patients, few people are hungry again, just for fun and not delicious. 」
This statement seems to coincide with the concept of health preservation advocated by modern people, and it is worth learning from food culture.
Clear mindfulness before and after eating.
Eating in China Zen Forest has the rules of the court. Before eating, you can meditate and digest food by secreting saliva. When eating, don't talk and look at the things in the bowl. Dragon Hanzhu (one hand holds the edge of the bowl with his thumb, and the other four fingers hold the bowl) and Phoenix nods (the other hand holds the chopsticks to hold the food, and no stirring is allowed). He holds his chest in his arm and can eat with his mouth, but not with his mouth. After dinner, chanting Hui Dai can cultivate gratitude and keep mindfulness.
Five views on food and storage: how much a person is worth and where he comes from.
Both of them feel that their virtue is lacking in confession.
The three prevent alienation, and greed governs.
These four kinds of medicines are all good medicines for withered.
Fifth, the road-building industry should be provided by them.
Eating porridge in the morning has ten advantages:
One is rich in color, good figure and rich face.
It not only strengthens strength, but also supplements weaknesses and increases strength.
The three can prolong life, replenish vitality and prolong life.
All four are happy, clean and soft, and the food is happy.
The five words are clear, the gas is not stagnant, and the words are clear and round.
Six people advocate, moisten the mouthpiece and discuss it, no problem.
Eliminate overnight food, warm the spleen and stomach, overnight food and digestion.
Eight, in addition to the wind, and benefit from it, in addition to the atmosphere.
If nine people eliminate hunger and fill their stomachs properly, hunger will be eliminated.
Ten people quench their thirst, their mouths moisten and their thirst disappears.
I read: "this food is delicious, with ten buddhas in the top, sages in the middle and six products in the bottom." There is no difference in giving, as you wish, so that today's givers can get infinite paramita. " Three virtues and six flavors are offered to Buddhists and monks, and the dharma circles are full of affection and mutual support. 」
In addition to supporting Buddhists, Bodhisattvas, and protecting monks, we should also recite the mantra of eating nectar water for the benefit of all beings.
Read before eating: "If you eat, you should wish all beings to eat in meditation, full of Dharma happiness. After the meal, I should say, "After the meal, I wish all beings everything, all Buddhism. 」
Fasting and vegetarianism
The fasting method popular in India since ancient times was originally the practice of yoga or other ascetic monks, and was later adopted by Buddhism. Especially tantric practitioners, fasting is to show sincerity, keep their bodies clean and avoid all kinds of filthy pollution. In addition to religious practice, fasting is often regarded as an important method to treat diseases or develop the potential of life.
As for the origin of vegetarian practice, it is related to Mahayana Buddhism in China, such as Mahayana Sutra, Shurangama Sutra, etc., which advocates that bodhisattvas and Taoists should practice compassion for a long time and constantly practice great compassion. At the same time, in order to strengthen your spiritual belief, you can't eat five spices, such as garlic, green onion, kind onion, green onion and apricot koji. However, the concept of vegetarianism in Buddhism is not static, and there are ways to deal with it under special circumstances. According to the precepts of primitive Buddhism and Southern Buddhism, monks should beg for food, so they can't be vegetarian, and they can also eat Sanjin meat (don't kill, don't smell, don't kill for me). Due to the influence of the natural environment, fruits and vegetables in Tibet are very scarce, so they are not vegetarian, but most practitioners are vegetarians. It can be seen that the Buddhist diet is also closely related to the beliefs of various sects and the local life and culture.
Modern medicine believes that alcohol can paralyze nerves, damage brain cells and affect the nature of sleep, so it is not appropriate to drink too much. Not drinking is one of the most basic five precepts of Buddhism, but not drinking is a cover-up, which means that drinking will cover up the nature and make people disorderly. But if you want to cure diseases or cook, you can still use wine. In order to socialize, family members don't have to give up drinking, but they can't exceed their own alcohol consumption, so as not to cause bad things.
Professor Zheng is currently the publisher of Convergence magazine and the president of Convergence Publishing House.
Education background: Graduated from Foreign Languages Department of Taiwan Province University, Master of Journalism Institute of Chengchi University.
Experience: During my college years, I was active in Buddhist societies and served as the president of Dawn Society of National Taiwan University. I have a close relationship with Dade, a Buddhist monk at home and abroad, especially benefiting from the teachings of Professor Li Bingnan, the mentor of Taichung Lotus Society, and Professor Zhou Xuande, the founder of Huiju. After graduating from graduate school, I have taught in universities, Buddhist societies and Buddhist research institutes. Shortly after serving as the vice chairman of Huiju United Organization, he actually managed administrative and editorial affairs, participated in the establishment of legal organizations such as Huiju Publishing House, Huiju News Agency and China Huiju Buddhist Society, and promoted the modernization, internationalization, academics and daily life of Buddhism. Various Buddhist lectures, workshops and meditation camps are often held in Taiwan Province Province, Southeast Asia, the United States and Canada.
Zheng Jushi studied Buddhism for more than 30 years. He is blessed with compassion, wisdom, understanding and practice. In his spare time, he goes to various Buddhist research institutes, Dojo, Buddhist study groups and other units to preach Buddhism, and the rain and dew of Buddhism are all stained with dew.
Zheng Jushi not only appreciates group classics, but also understands their meanings. Among them, his English attainments are also perfect. In addition to frequently published articles, it has also been translated into more than ten Buddhist masterpieces such as Burning a Torch, Watching Interest, Tips for Life, Learning from Buddhism to dispel doubts, Stories of Life and Death, and Spiritual Medicine. In addition, his interpretation skills are excellent. Worked as an impromptu translator for thich nhat hanh and Master Geyinka.