Why one meal a day?

A place to discuss health and fitness, healthy diets. A fit body makes for a fit mind.
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Indrajala
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Re: Eating after midday.

Post by Indrajala »

BuddhaSoup wrote:It's still my view that the evolution away from the Vinaya precepts (and the Bodhisattva precepts for that matter) has been a primary cause of some of the dysfunction in Buddhist communities in the west.
Buddhism in the west is largely a fringe religion amongst native westerners, so it attracts fringe people, not ordinary folk. That's why you get a lot of crazies and unsettled people who with our without the Vinaya will cause trouble.
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lyndon taylor
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Re: Eating after midday.

Post by lyndon taylor »

Yeah we from time to time get them on these forums!!!
18 years ago I made one of the most important decisions of my life and entered a local Cambodian Buddhist Temple as a temple boy and, for only 3 weeks, an actual Therevada Buddhist monk. I am not a scholar, great meditator, or authority on Buddhism, but Buddhism is something I love from the Bottom of my heart. It has taught me sobriety, morality, peace, and very importantly that my suffering is optional, and doesn't have to run my life. I hope to give back what little I can to the Buddhist community, sincerely former monk John

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Indrajala
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Re: Eating after midday.

Post by Indrajala »

lyndon taylor wrote:Yeah we from time to time get them on these forums!!!
Guilty as charged. :toast:
SarathW
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Re: Eating after midday.

Post by SarathW »

Cittasanto wrote:
SarathW wrote:Q1:Will the lay Stream-winner eat after midday?
This question is based on :
===========================

Verse 11: Scrupulous Integrity
Another special quality of a Stream-winner is transparent honesty and scrupulous integrity. Although they are not yet free from greed, hatred, and delusion, Stream-winners are completely free from immorality. A monk who is a Stream-winner may sometimes fall into offences due to heedlessness, but when reminded that such an action is an offence against a training rule laid down by the Buddha, or realising this by himself on reflection, he does not conceal it, but makes amends in the prescribed way. One who wishes to attain Stream-winning should be equally scrupulous, seeing fear in the slightest fault.

For example: to eat after midday is an offence for a bhikkhu. Each mouthful taken is an offence to be confessed (pācittiya). If he thinks it is before midday when it is not, it is still an offence. If it is before midday, but he thinks it is after midday, or he is doubtful, it is an offence of wrong-doing (dukkata). A Stream-winner would not take a single morsel of food if he thought it was after midday, as to do so would be shameless. Due to unmindfulness he might do so, but afterwards he would confess his offence. Stream-winners have a keen desire to follow the training rules and readily confess their offences if they do fall into any — they are not disobedient.
http://www.aimwell.org/Books/Pesala/Ratana/ratana.html
yes if they have undertaken the eight precepts, but no if they have undertaken the five!

Thanks Cittasanto. I have some further questions.

Q2:Will the lay once returner (Sakdagami) eat after midday?
Q3:Will the lay Non returner (Anagami) eat after midday?
Q4)Will the lay Arahnat eat after midday?
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
primitiveresonance
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Re: Why one meal a day?

Post by primitiveresonance »

I don't think one meal a day is unhealthy. I think it is healthier than to have many meals a day. Of course some snacks may be needed if one is being very active physically.

I'm eating a good meal finishnig at 12:00am and having a salad in the evening. I have developed a clearer understanding about food and nutrition while following this one-meal-program (ok, I take the salad so it's not really only one meal). Food gives deeper satisfaction and I don't go after the taste (sensual craving) which is not the important part of eating. The actual substance that goes to the belly and is being digested is. One meal a day gives enough time for the digestion to finish the previous intake before next one. That's very good for health.

I have more energy because it is not wated in digesting too much food that would be the case with two or three daily meals. My mind/senses are more at ease and clear. Thinking is also more clear than with more food or with dead animals in my food.
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jungblood
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One meal a day... at night?

Post by jungblood »

Howdy folks,

So as I understand it, Buddha said that the Vinaya should be adapted as different times and contexts required, right? I'm a lay practitioner, but I like to incorporate the Vinaya into my life in my own modest and imperfect way... one way I'm doing this is by sticking to one meal a day... Though most monasteries take this meal between sunrise and noon, I'm having my daily meal in the evening instead... this is because I exercise in the morning before work, so I need to get some fuel the night before (otherwise I might have gone without food for 17 or 18 hours, and be barely able to run to the end of the street... :shrug:

Has anyone else sought to adapt Buddha's dietary guidance in this way? I'd love to hear the experience of others...

Deep bows,
Lucas
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fivebells
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by fivebells »

I know from experience that it's perfectly possible to run when you haven't eaten for 24 hours. I do it regularly. Have you experimented with that?
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cooran
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by cooran »

Hello jungblood,

My understanding is that The Vinaya contains the rules for ordained sangha members - unless you are a Bhikkhu, you can eat when you prefer.

With metta,
Chris
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retrofuturist
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Jungblood,

I used to do that at a time when I did not exercise. The reason I chose dinner time was because it was the one meal I would eat with my family during the week, whereas breakfast and lunch (and the decision whether to have them at all) were more personal decisions.

It worked well for me at the time, and I dropped from 85kg to 73kg at a rate of roughly 1.0 kg per week. Once I got to 73, I plateaud.

Now I'm actually physically active, I eat 2-3 meals a day, but always dinner. For a monk, once a day should be fine (especially given how much food they tend to get offered).

Metta,
Retro. :)
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kmath
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by kmath »

It's important to consider why monks only eat once a day. We're told it's so as to minimize strain on the lay people. If lay people are not supporting you, I don't see the rational for it.

Secondly, from a health standpoint, not eating after exercise can be counter-productive. Your body needs calories after a work-out otherwise it start breaking down muscle, which you don't want.

I'm speaking from experience here, I strongly advise you not to go down this road, especially at your age. You're still growing. You could end up with an eating disorder. People will disagree with me here but it's not a good idea.

:anjali:
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Sokehi
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by Sokehi »

kmath wrote:It's important to consider why monks only eat once a day. We're told it's so as to minimize strain on the lay people. If lay people are not supporting you, I don't see the rational for it.

Secondly, from a health standpoint, not eating after exercise can be counter-productive. Your body needs calories after a work-out otherwise it start breaking down muscle, which you don't want.

I'm speaking from experience here, I strongly advise you not to go down this road, especially at your age. You're still growing. You could end up with an eating disorder. People will disagree with me here but it's not a good idea.

:anjali:
very good posting.

At least you should prepare a (green) smoothie in the morning. I do so, drinking two liters of fruits, spinach with added soy milk from the morning to midday. Then in the afternoon you can have your one meal.

But still: the buddha developed this particular rule to minimize strain on the lay people. There is absolutely no point with regards to the buddhas teaching for you to do this unless you are a monastic.

Be nice to yourself.

:anjali:
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Zom
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by Zom »

For a long time I practise moderation in food this way: I eat once a day after ~5 hours after waking up. No matter when I wake up - at 6 am, at 9 am or at 1 pm ). This works perfect for me.

PS: Yes, I do agree that this practice should be undertaken with care and only when you are ready for it - that is - when you really feel comfortable with such schedule. Forceful suppression is not a way.
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jungblood
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by jungblood »

Thanks everyone for your input... some real food for thought (no pun intended).. I wasn't aware that the Vinaya guidelines on meals were intended to ease strain on lay supporters... in my case food is central sense pleasure fixation - though I'm lucky that I dont put on weight, I'm conscious that I eat for pleasure in a way that is not helpful in my spiritual practise, so I want to put some healthy discipline on the issue... I'm thinking I'll go for one small 'recovery' protein and vitamin meal after exercise, and my main meal late afternoon - that's what's best for my body.... :thanks:
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Wisely reflecting, I use this food not for fun, not for pleasure, not for fattening, not for beautification, but only for the maintenance and nourishment of this body, for keeping it healthy, for helping with the Spiritual Life; Thinking thus, I will allay hunger without overeating, so that I may continue to live blamelessly and at ease.

Paṭisaṅkhā yoniso piṇḍapātaṃ paṭisevāmi: neva davāya na madāya na maṇḍanāya na vibhūsanāya, yāvadeva imassa kāyassa ṭhitiyā yāpanāya vihiṃsūparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya iti purāṇañca vedanaṃ paṭihaṅkhāmi, navañca vedanaṃ na uppādessāmi, yātrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsuvihāro cā’ti.
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Re: One meal a day... at night?

Post by retrofuturist »

:goodpost:

Metta,
Retro. :)
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