Saturday, August 1, 2015

"Next-to-no illness, next-to-no-affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding"

Thus I have heard. Siddhartha Gautama (aka, Sakyamuni Buddha) offered a straightforward prescription for "...next-to-no illness, next-to-no-affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding".
He was not suggesting any extracurricular training and exercises. He was not endorsing an elaborate nutritional program. He gave a direct, concise instruction with far-reaching benefits for health and well-being--by simply doing less of something. 

From the Kitagiri Sutta (translation by Thanisarro Bhikkhu):
Thus I have heard, "I abstain from the night-time meal. As I am abstaining from the night-time meal, I sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding. Come now. You too abstain from the night-time meal. As you are abstaining from the night-time meal, you, too, will sense next-to-no illness, next-to-no affliction, lightness, strength, and a comfortable abiding."


Advertisement in Pokhara, Nepal.."FOOD & SNAKES" -- not your everyday combination.
Photo by Alonzo Lyons

There are more attractive restaurant signs, but not 'meany' of them :) Photo by Alonzo Lyons

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