Food That Nurtures the Body and the Mind

The Four Kinds of Food in Buddhism

We eat in order to live. By doing so, we absorb nutrients that keep our bodies and minds functioning.

Overeating is a different matter, however, and one that Shakyamuni strictly rebuked in the Dhammapada: “Sluggish fools, who like to gorge themselves and go to sleep, wallow in their beds like pigs that have guzzled down slop.” Shakyamuni teaches us to “eat in moderation and not overeat,” as Buddhism places importance on gratefully receiving moderately portioned meals. That kind of gratitude helps us become good at not wasting the ingredients brought to us by myriad karmic connections and leads to the mind of revering life.

Another distinctive feature of Buddhism is its view that food, which keeps the body and mind healthy, is not limited to food and drink consumed through the mouth.

If this is the case, what other things, besides those we eat and drink, are called “food” in Buddhism?

One item is called “the food of information,” which our bodies and minds receive through the six sense organs—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Depending on how we receive information, it can either increase the mind of desire and the mind of anger or become nourishment that cultivates a tranquil mind. Another item is the intention and will that thinks “I want to do that” or “I wish I could be like this,” which is called “the food of volition.” Just as positive actions are born from positive intentions, our minds and actions change depending on what kind of intentions and motivations we have. In addition to these two things, another form of food for the mind is “the food of consciousness,” which is rooted in experience and customs, as well as consciousness based on knowledge handed down to us from our ancestors.

When we add the food we eat to the three foods just described (information, volition, and consciousness), we call them “the four kinds of food” in Buddhism. The Buddhist point of view is that we exist thanks to the food we eat that makes up our bodies, in addition to the food that develops our minds with the various types of information and sensations perceived through our bodies and minds.

The Verse of Five Contemplations, which is chanted before meals in Zen and other schools of Buddhism, ends with the phrase “In order to accomplish the Way, I now receive this food.” Of course, here the word “food” refers to food and drink that help maintain a healthy body. But if we interpret this in light of “the four kinds of food,” in order to be a human being capable of always showing consideration for others, it is absolutely important that we consume good quality “food” that helps maintain a healthy mind.

In Everything We Do, We Need Balance

Because we care about our physical health, we avoid eating things that are bad for our bodies. Similarly, the things we should—and should not—consume, for the sake of a healthy mind, are important. So what do you think those things are? Let’s think about what we see, hear, and talk about on a daily basis that upsets our minds, and what kind of people, words, and sights we encounter that makes us feel at ease.

Masaharu Taniguchi (1893–1985), the founder of the Japanese new religion Seichō-No-Ie, wrote, “Eating should be the most solemn ceremony of making an offering to the god dwelling inside yourself.” To put this in Buddhist terms, the “food” that brings out the buddha nature in yourself and others—namely, words full of gratitude and consideration and kind deeds that comfort people—is food for the mind that helps you live a better life as a human being.

However, in reality, we may say or be spoken to with words that fuel our minds with anger and hatred, and we may also be stimulated by information that increases our desires. Therefore, in order to prevent, as much as possible, the poisons of excessive desire and self-centered viewpoints from entering our bodies and minds, it is important that we exercise the same care with food for the mind as we do with the food we eat, being moderate and balanced in everything we do, regardless of whether we like it.

Human beings have the privilege of living in health and happiness, rather than merely living. Shakyamuni demonstrated this fact in the best sense when he said, “Truth (teaching the Dharma) is the sweetest nectar of all drinks, and people who live according to clear wisdom are said to lead the best lives.” By learning the teachings of the Buddha, sharing them with others, and living with gratitude for everything we receive, we can lead healthy and happy lives. We can say that one example of fostering such lives is the moment when we put our hands together reverently and say itadakimasu, “I gratefully receive this meal,” before we eat.