Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

A place to discuss health and fitness, healthy diets. A fit body makes for a fit mind.
rowyourboat
Posts: 1952
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:29 pm
Location: London, UK

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by rowyourboat »

Some people have told me that when they ate what they thought to be delicious food mindfully, it turned out to be less delicious than they thought- so even simply being mindful while eating helps. Overcoming senduality is a valid (albeit not popular) part of practice. :anjali:

With metta

Matheesha
With Metta

Karuna
Mudita
& Upekkha
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by ground »

rowyourboat wrote:Some people have told me that when they ate what they thought to be delicious food mindfully, it turned out to be less delicious than they thought- so even simply being mindful while eating helps. Overcoming senduality is a valid (albeit not popular) part of practice. :anjali:
That seems to be implied by appropriate practice of mindfulness:
unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"

Kind regards
User avatar
Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by Ben »

TMingyur wrote: Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"
Do you have anything to support this notion?
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by ground »

Ben wrote:
TMingyur wrote: Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"
Do you have anything to support this notion?
If you mean a sutta where the Buddha says "Attachment (clinging) is inhering in experiencing 'deliciousness'" then no, I do not have such a sutta reference.

Kind regards
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by tiltbillings »

TMingyur wrote:
Ben wrote:
TMingyur wrote: Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"
Do you have anything to support this notion?
If you mean a sutta where the Buddha says "Attachment (clinging) is inhering in experiencing 'deliciousness'" then no, I do not have such a sutta reference.

Kind regards
In other words, it is an idea of your making.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by ground »

tiltbillings wrote:In other words, it is an idea of your making.
What is not "an idea of our making" if expressed in words and terminology?

Actually I looked up the meaning of "deliciousness" in a vocabulary and presented my conclusion.


Kind regards
Sanghamitta
Posts: 1614
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:21 am
Location: By the River Thames near London.

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by Sanghamitta »

Its just not that complicated...sigh.
If you have a bowl of wholesome food that has been garnered with a minimum of suffering to sentient beings just eat it gratefully.

The centipede was happy , quite
until a toad in fun,
said "pray, which leg goes after which ? "
which worked his mind to such a pitch
he laid distracted in a ditch
considering how to run.

:anjali:
The going for refuge is the door of entrance to the teachings of the Buddha.

Bhikku Bodhi.
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by tiltbillings »

TMingyur wrote:Attachment (clinging) is inhering in experiencing 'deliciousness'
TMingyur wrote:
tiltbillings wrote:In other words, it is an idea of your making.
What is not "an idea of our making" if expressed in words and terminology?

Actually I looked up the meaning of "deliciousness" in a vocabulary and presented my conclusion.
There is no inherent reason that attachment must arise from the experience of "deliciousness." That would present some serious problems, if true.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
User avatar
Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by Ben »

TMingyur wrote:
Ben wrote:
TMingyur wrote: Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"
Do you have anything to support this notion?
If you mean a sutta where the Buddha says "Attachment (clinging) is inhering in experiencing 'deliciousness'" then no, I do not have such a sutta reference.

Kind regards
Tell me Ming, if one discerns a vedana as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, does it infer that one is experiencing clinging, aversion or indifference towards that vedana?

kind regards

Bne
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by ground »

Ben wrote:Tell me Ming, if one discerns a vedana as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, does it infer that one is experiencing clinging, aversion or indifference towards that vedana?

kind regards

Bne
No.

In the case of the experience of "deliciousness of food" as soon as vedana is discerned the "deliciousness of food" fades away which is simply because consciousness cannot have two objects (vedana and alleged delicious taste of food) at the same time.

Kind regards
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by ground »

But of course attachment may shift from the perceptual level of "taste of food" to the perceptual level of "vedana". "may" means "not necessarily 'does'".

Kind regards
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by tiltbillings »

On other words, this:

Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"

is wrong.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
User avatar
Ben
Posts: 18438
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:49 am
Location: kanamaluka

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by Ben »

TMingyur wrote:
Ben wrote:Tell me Ming, if one discerns a vedana as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, does it infer that one is experiencing clinging, aversion or indifference towards that vedana?

kind regards

Bne
No.

In the case of the experience of "deliciousness of food" as soon as vedana is discerned the "deliciousness of food" fades away which is simply because consciousness cannot have two objects (vedana and alleged delicious taste of food) at the same time.

Kind regards
I still don't understand how clinging comes about by discerning the pleasant nature of taste?
Can you explain it?
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by tiltbillings »

Ben wrote:I still don't understand how clinging comes about by discerning the pleasant nature of taste?
Can you explain it?
It is not just a matter of "attachment" coming about by, but he said it is 'attachment is inhering in experiencing "deliciousness,"' which says something a lot stronger than merely coming about by. If it may not come about by. But if it is inhering in the experience, it always comes about by.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
User avatar
ground
Posts: 2591
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:01 am

Re: Do you eat for taste or nutrition?

Post by ground »

tiltbillings wrote:On other words, this:

Attachment (clinging) thus is shown to be inhering in experiencing "deliciousness"

is wrong.
Since the context of this statement was experiencing "deliciousness" of food I cannot agree.

Kind regards
Post Reply