Experiencing "peace" by investigating aahara or food

A week back, along with watching breath and seeing it’s uppada, titi and bhanga (arising, staying and passing away), wanted to investigate even more further through anicca, dukkha and anatta as a sword to observe heart beats and how blood is flowing.

This time around, took anatta for contemplation since the heart beat is something anyone cannot do anything about it with relation to speed, quantity of blood flowing etc., and thus investigating “anatta” which one can see how helpless a person is.

This inturn made to turn towards dukkha since watching the heart beat is “suffering” and so also if blood were to become thicker, else blood were to rush faster and break some blood vessels, how that feeling is going to be, what if that is my last breath and I’ve not prepared for it etc.,

This investigation led me to a profound experience of “vibration” or kampana all over my body seeming like small balls were to be thrown over me and how that feeling were to be. Or another example is water droplets coming over throughout my body.

After having soaked in this, wanted to investigate on the “aahara” or food which is cause of dukkha. Started investigating on both material food and mental food which I’m laying out below:

Material food consisting of suddhastaka made up of pathavi, tejo, vayo, apo, rasa, gandha, vanna and ojha. Out of this tejo – the heat element is there throughout the body and is the conditioner which keeps on engulfing the kaya and the fuel is the ojha which is the oil and nutrients which is there in the body.

Every few hours, we need to replenish this ojha where we have tanha towards rasa, vanna and gandha and that is the fuel for the tejo to burn the food and become pachaka or digestive fire. Once this is completely burnt out, again the fire of hunger burns until the heart and one can see how the blood boils for food and water and becomes extremely unbearable.

I was reading a book by Ledi Sayadaw, the Burmese Thero on Aahara Dippani which became a catalyst for me to experience Four noble truth and completely eliminate thoughts of kama and patigha and instead filled with karuna and metta for all beings since everything is getting burnt by way of heart beat and heat generated every moment and the kaya of everyone is getting engulfed in fire of raga, dvesha and moha as regards to food – both material and mental on one side and being’s desire to sustain the living by giving fuel all the time which seems like a stable outcome below an unstable environment which is burning the being through the 6 senses and it’s faculty.

Here is one of the key message from Buddha with relation to ahara.

“Kabaḷīkāre, bhikkhave, āhāre pariññāte pañcakāmaguṇiko rāgo pariññāto hoti. Pañcakāmaguṇike rāge pariññāte natthi taṃ saṃyojanaṃ yena saṃyojanena saṃyutto ariyasāvako puna imaṃ lokaṃ āgaccheyya.” (Nidanā-Vagga Saṃyutta)

Dear monks (bhikkhave); the four nutrient factors of food (kabaḷīkāre āhāre) — that are to be eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted — are to be thoroughly known by penetrative knowledge (pariññāte).

If the lust (rāgo) for the five strands of sensual pleasures (pañcakāmaguṇiko) — sights, sounds, odours, tastes, and touches — is (hoti) thoroughly known (pariññāto); entangled by sensual pleasures (saṃyutto) by that fetter (yena saṃyojanena) by which one may come by means of conception (āgaccheya) again (puna) to this world (imaṃ lokaṃ); the noble disciple (ariyasāvako)

— who has already cut the lust that is attached to the five sensual pleasures — does not have (natthi) that fetter (taṃ saṃyojanaṃ) to be reborn in the sensual planes of desire.”

Contemplating on the above, gave me following results:

1. Deeper penetration into anicca:

By observation of ojha or aahara on how these bring out arising of conditions and how they pass away once the conditions are met as in hunger and thirst for matter. If food is not given, both material and mental, then there is so much discomfort to the level of dying for it.

1. Expecting the results results only in Dukkha and nothing else. This is due to following:

   rupa -> anicca – what is the cause of rupa to arise, stay and pass away is not due to my liking, but feel that it can be sustained

   vedana -> anicca – the feelings I’m getting out of that rupa which is arising, staying and passing away is not due to my liking, but feel that it can be sustained

   sanna -> anicca – the perception I’m getting out of that rupa which is arising, staying and passing away is not due to my liking, but feel that it can be sustained

   sankhara -> anicca – I’m taking enough efforts to make the condition work to my favor, but the actual fact is not due to one’s wishes but due to conditions, which I’m not willing to accept

   vinnana – > anicca – Have a “chiththa vipalassa” (thought hallucination, defied mind) that what I wish is what I want

Due to above khandas which are treated as “real” and “sustainable” results in Dukkha

1. Anatta – Food which is grown and to what quantity and quality, how it is going to be with my body in terms of acceptance and nourishment cannot be said as “known before” nor can be “manipulated” to one’s advantage. This means, the person is helpless of food ( body and mind) and what it is going to bring as a result.

Also, the 20 kind of kaya parts based upon pathavi and 12 kind of kaya parts based upon apo are not in anyone’s command and is not there due to my wish, but due to conditions. These will change and creates adinava at one time or other, causing diseases and pains which one has to undergo due to one’s attachment to these body parts.

Thus, cakku – rupa ; sota – sabda ; jivha – rasa ; ghana – gandha; kaya – potthaba ; mano – dhamma are in no one’s control on when and how they arise, and how they pass away and cannot be conditioned by one’s will and thus anatta

Mental food that catches one’s attention are:

1. Phassa aahara
2. Vinnana aahara
3. Manosanchetana aahara

With this understanding on aggregates, senses and food ( mind and body), I’m feeling very relieved as though a big burden has been removed from my shoulders and for last 3 days, not seeing human with interest and desire but with compassion and kindness since that very body is conditioned by aahara which is creating cycle of existence and unfortunately, I’m not able to provide with Buddha Dhamma to make them come out of these conditions.

Could see lot of changes in oneself and thanks to Buddha Dhamma and dedication of Lal and other’s in this forum and also Thero’s of Dharmayai Obai, many kalyanamittra’s and Wakaraka Temple to provide me with this gift.