CHAPTER 3

INSTRUCTION ON HEALTH MATTERS

3:1 The Importance of Health

Health is as important as economic prosperity, because an unhealthy person

cannot enjoy his economic prosperity to the fullest extent. His wealth will not prosper

any longer and his mental health will also deteriorate. Surely, he is deficient in holy as

well as secular merits due to his bad health. Nor can he do anything for the good of

present and future existences. He is hopeless in every respect. His education, economy,

and meritorious deeds are all abound to decline.

No matter how educated and wealthy he may be, an unhealthy person is not

entitled to his wealth and education. A healthy person can work and learn education. As

long as he is healthy, he can work his businesses, educational pursues, and religious

services.

In the Lokaniti, the importance of health is highlighted as follows:1

“Five persons are declared to be ‘dead’, though still alive … and these persons are

a poverty-stricken person, a diseased person, a fool, a person in debt and a king’s

servant.”

The second person, namely a diseased person, is an unhealthy person who is

regarded to be ‘dead’, although he is still alive, just because he is deficient in every

benefit – economic, social and educational. Therefore, health is of paramount importance

to living beings. The importance attached to health is described in the sayings as well,

one of which runs, ‘Aroja parama labha (Health is a blessing).’2

Health is important not only for the secular benefits but also for the holy benefits.

For one who aspires for the Paths, the Fruitions and Nibbana, he has to fulfill the

padhaniyanga or ‘elements of efforts’ which are the following five qualities:3

1. faith (in the Buddha),

1 Lokaniti §1412 Dhp.A.II.1733 A.II.57

2. health,

3. sincerity,

4. energy, and

5. wisdom (in seeing the phenomena of mind and matter).

Since a person can aspire for the Paths and Fruitions only when he is healthy and

free of diseases, one can imagine the importance of health for human beings.

Naturally, valuable things are difficult to obtain in this world. Health is also

difficult to be possessed because it is a valuable thing. A person who is hundred percent

healthy is very rare. With respect to this, the Buddha pointed out, in the Kutthadhamma

Sutta, the ten things that are difficult to obtain but desirable.4 They are as follows:

1. Wealth

2. Good looks

3. Health

4. Virtue

5. Good conduct

6. Good friend

7. Knowledgeableness

8. Wisdom

9. Lawfulness

10. Celestial Abodes

These ten things are ones that people want, like and admire. Among them, good

health is desirable but difficult to obtain because it pleases people who cannot have a

good time without it.

3:2 Causes for Good Health

Health is the most important thing for a long life. Health and longevity are closely

linked. No one will want the state of an unhealthy and diseased person. Instead, they want

to live healthy. The causes for good health are described as follows:5

1. There is some relationship between health and breathing (respiration or the

respiratory system).4 A.III.3645 Vsm.I.228

2. There is some relationship between health and the four postures (i.e., walking,

standing, sitting and lying down).

3. There is some relationship between health and the weather (heat and cold or room

temperature).

4. There is some relationship between health and the four main elements (i.e.,

‘earth’, ‘water’, ‘fire’ and ‘wind’).

5. There is some relationship between health and food (nutrition or digestive system

or metabolism).

Most living beings depend on respiration for life. Either if one cannot breathe the

air in after he has breathed it out or if he cannot expire the breath he has inspired, he must

meet death or near-death. Thus, breathing is connected with life.

The living beings need to balance their four postures of walking, standing, sitting

and lying down so that their health is in a good condition and they have a long life. If one

exceeds the limits of these postures, let’s say, he over-walks or over-stands, then his

healthy condition is disturbed and his life-span will shorten. Thus, the balance of the four

postures is required for sound health.

The weather conditions or the thermal conditions of a situation has effects upon

its inhabitants. So the weather condition needs to be favourable to the human beings:

either over-heat or over-cold can cause their death. Thus, the weather condition plays a

vital role in a person’s healthy life. Either if one meets an unfavourable weather or if he

lives in an ecologically hostile region, then his health will be disturbed. Some people will

become severely diseased. To show the importance of weather conditions to good health,

therefore, the Buddha said referring to the inhabitants of the Kuru states:6

“Thanks to the fulfillment of favourable weather conditions and a good climate,

the inhabitants of the Kuru states are always healthy, mentally as well as

physically.”

This remark reminds us of the fact that the equilibrium of weather conditions or

seasons can bring good health to beings.

6 M.A.I.232

Furthermore, the equilibrium state of the four elements, viz., ‘earth’, ‘water’,

‘fire’ and ‘wind’, is important for longevity. A person can live as long as his four

elements are in an equilibrium state. If one of them is disturbed, then the person’s health

will also be disturbed. Thus, longevity and good health are linked with the four elements.

Just as the weather conditions are important for health, so food is important for

health. Every living being depends on food, that is, nutrition.7 Without food, no one can

live. With malnutrition or depletion of nutritious food, one’s health will be disturbed.

In the Visuddhimagga (the Path of Purity) Commentary,8 it is stated that:

“Life remains only when food is partaken of in time. Death is near either when

food is not taken in time or when an unsuitable food is taken.”

Let alone for human beings, food is important for celestial beings, as well. It is

described in the Canon that:9

“The divine beings called ‘Khiddapadosika’ are playful. As they indulge

themselves in games, they pass the time of food and meet death.”

Thus, it is necessary for us to take food timely. This is a cause for good health and

longevity.

In spite of the importance of food for health, food should not be taken as far as

one’s relish goes. The reasonable amount of food is only needed. Unfavourable foods

must be avoided and only suitable foods must be eaten.

It is often said that food must be taken by (suitable) measurement. The following

Myanmar adages focus the importance of a suitable amount of food:

]xifwdkif;vnf; rqdkESifh? 0ifwdkif;vnf; rrsdKESifh} [Don’t

say as much as you think; don’t swallow as much as it enters (your mouth).]

]toufOmPfapmifh? OpömuHapmifh} [Life is protected by

wisdom; wealth is protected by Kamma (or one’s accumulated merit).]

7 A.I.2978 Vsm.I.2289 D.A.I.104

Indeed, ‘a suitable amount’ is needed everywhere, more than the case for food.

But it is especially needed for food because one can die even with a morsel of unsuitable

food as in the saying ]tpm;rawmf wpfvkwf? toGm;rawmf wpfvSrf;} [A morsel can be dangerous of unsuitable food; a step can be dangerous of an unsuitable

journey.] With respect to this, the Buddha said thus:10

“Knowing the correct amount of food without lingering attachment is good for

those who do not are prone to the misdeeds under the influence of ‘rasa-tanha’

(lust for taste). And thus they are easily drowned in the four woeful states. In

contrast, those who know the correct amount gain benefits in this life and lives

hereafter.”

The Visuddhimagga (the Path of Purity) Commentary describes, as follows, the

five individuals who have to meet perils due to eating without measurement:11

1. Some eat voraciously so much so that people have to help them to stand

up. Such gourmands are called ‘aharahatthaka’ (eater who needs a

helping hand).

2. Some eat voraciously so much so that they cannot wear their sarongs any

longer because their stomach is very full of food. Such gourmands are

called ‘alamsataka’ (eater who cannot wear his sarong).

3. Some eat voraciously so much so that they cannot stand nor remain still

and they fall at their eating spot. Such gourmands are called

‘tattravattaka’ (eater who falls at the very spot).

4. Some eat voraciously so much so that the food they have eaten overflows

their mouth and crows can snatch this food. Such gourmands are called

‘kakamasaka’ (eater the food from whose mouth is taken by crows).

5. Some eat voraciously so much so that the food cannot be contained in the

stomach and has to be vomited out. Such gourmands are called

‘bhuttavamika’ (eater who has to vomit out). 10 J.I.72, J.A.II.26611 Vsm.I.31

Such gourmands are those who do not know the correct measurement of food they

should take in. Such habits are harmful to health, and so one should avoid such a manner

of eating without measurements.

With regard to this, the Theragatha (the Psalms of the Elders) also states as

follows:12

“Stop eating when one is full, and in place of four or five morsels of food that

remain to be eaten, drink water. Such a habit is good for health and most suitable

for those diligent meditators who aspire for Nibbana.”

A suitable amount of food is more than food. It is also a medicine, because it is

helpful to good health. Concerning good health, the following causes for longevity are

also noteworthy:13

1. doing the suitable things

2. knowing the (proper) measurements in these suitable things

3. eating the easily digestible food

4. going only at suitable times

5. following the Brahma practice, i.e., avoidance of sexual pleasures

Here, digestible food is of great help to health. There are some occasions when

one happens to eat too hard, too oily, or too dry food which tastes nice to him. On these

occasions, food often turns to be a danger to health because it is indigestible. Thus, one

needs to eat soft, and mild food that is easily digestible.

The advantageous and healthful effects of rice-gruel, which is a kind of digestible

food, are given as follows:14

1. It wards off hunger. (‘Khuddam patihanati’)

2. It wards off thirst. (‘Pipatam patihanati’)

3. It regulates ‘wind’. (‘Vatam anulometi’)

4. It cleanses the urine. (‘Vatthim sodheti’)

12 Th.34313 A.II.12814 A.II.218-9

5. It digests the food that remains undigested in the stomach. (‘Amavasesam

paceti’)

The discussions I have made so far concern food that is helpful to health.