Reflections on Alms Food

Another training the Buddha described with regard to food is that to eat appropriately you should eat one mouthful at a time. That may not strike you as a novel concept. It means you eat the mouthful of food that is in your mouth, without lining up the next spoonful in a holding pattern like a plane hovering round an airport or waiting for take-off on a runway. Instead, simply be with the mouthful you are eating. The Buddha also recommended that when five more mouthfuls would be enough, you should stop eating and finish off with a drink of water.

Now, you might think: how do you know when five more mouthfuls will be enough? It is interesting that, if you pay close attention, you’ll see your body does actually know how much is enough. If you are able to lay your eating habits and preoccupations to one side and listen to the body, there’s a moment when you know, when intuitive wisdom tells you: ‘That’s enough.’ When gauging how much food is the right amount, the most reliable judge is our own intuitive wisdom. So just pay attention and feel it. Bring the mind to what you’re doing and then pay attention to what you notice. The real problem is putting down the spoon or fork when you’ve had that ‘this is enough’ feeling, because there may be a voice saying: ‘I should just tidy up my plate. I don’t want to leave any leftovers. Wouldn’t want it to go to waste.’ Which is a reasonable intention, but just see if you can listen to what is the ‘right amount’ and leave it at that.

This reflection by Ajahn Amaro is from the book, Don’t Push Back, Just Use the Weight of Your Body, pp. 48 -49.