Take the Proper Amount of Food

Many people have a problem with being overweight.

There are many people whose blouses and pants are so tight and look as though they might rip at anytime. Newspapers, T.V., and magazines advertise weight-loss. Stores sell non-fat milk, diet soda, and other sugar-less foods.

Being over-weight has been a problem for many centuries. Even a Buddhist scripture admonishes the heavy eaters. One day, King Pasenadee called on the Buddha. The King had shortness of breath. When the Buddha asked the reason, the King answered that he had a bad habit of over-eating. He had just finished a big meal, and his stomach was too full.

The Buddha watched the King's belly with a smile and stated the phrase:

"One should take care of their body, should know the amount of food for it, and should eat properly. Then one will suffer less, get old more slowly, and will live longer." The King was glad to hear this, and he ordered his attendant to memorize the phrase and chant it at the King's every meal.

My father used to say, "Eating eight-tenths full of your stomach is the best for the body." But for growing children, the old saying was not very appreciated.

Many overweight people say, "Even if I drink water, I gain weight." It may be so. However, if one drinks water only, without any food, how can he or she gain weight? They eat ice cream, a piece of cake, or some other goody even though their stomachs are really full. They say, "It goes into a different part of the stomach." If they do this often, they will suffer from being overweight.

Depending on one's work, age, and body, the amount of food for each person should be different. The Buddha's words, "Know the proper amount of food and eat properly," is for everyone who wishes to live more healthily and longer.

Feb. 16, 1987