The Four Nutriments: How they are necessary to sustain life

The Buddha stated, "When something has come to be, we have to acknowledge its presence and look deeply into its nature. When we look deeply, we will discover the kinds of nutriments that can lead to our happiness or our suffer" (Hahn 31). Buddha understood that every action we take, every thought we think, basically anything and everything  we do, say, believe, either effects our happiness or suffering. The four nutriments are the main categories he used in order to display his knowledge. The four nutriments are; edible food, sense impressions, intention, and consciousness.

The first nutriment is edible food and Buddha told a story of a young couple and a newborn. They were trying to cross the desert, ran out of food, and eventually were on the brink of starvation. In order to survive the couple ending up eating their newborn and Buddha then asked his followers "Dear friends, do you think the young man and woman enjoyed eating their sons flesh?" (Hanh 32). As many would expect they all cried out stating of course they didn't how could anyone enjoy eating another human being let alone their son. Buddha rebutted with "Yet many eat the flesh of their parents, of their children and of their grandchildren and do not know it" (Hanh 32). The idea being that suffering comes from not eating mindfully. Not only should individuals eat healthy, but understand how the food is grown, where it comes from, and what ingredients are in it are just as important. Taking that a step further certain actions can cause the eating of our own organs. For instance people who smoke end up eating their lungs and heart (because those organs end up deteriorating from the nicotine from the cigarettes), similar to the way alcoholics eat their liver by destroying it to the massive my amount of alcohol consumed. Relating directly to my life my mother has a severe poultry allergy (she is allergic to any type of bird, eggs, etc...). Although I don't have this allergy and I am allowed to eat eggs, chicken, etc... in my home I have to be very mindful to wash each dish or utensil extensively in order to ensure my mom doesn't accidentally ingest something that i had cooked. 

The second nutriment is sense impression; which focuses our six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) that interact with the outside world. All of these organs are in constant contact objects. "When we drive through a city...pick up a magazine, the articles and advertisements are food for our consciousness. Advertisements that stimulate our craving for possession sex and food can be toxic" (Hanh 32-33). With great "help" from the media we are constantly faced with an overwhelming amount of stimulation to our consciousness. Food, cloths, games, movies, hairstyles, sex appeal, the list goes on and on, which is why it is becoming more and more important that we as individuals can be mindful of whether or not what we are ingesting is a toxin causing "fear, hatred and violence or eating foods that encourage understanding, compassion, and determination to help others" (Hanh 33). The idea behind this is only choose to look, taste, hear, feel, "ingest" things that positive or safe. Not allowing yourself to be sucked in by advertisements which are there to lure you in and may end up bringing about fear, violence, harsh cravings etc... I myself have fell victim to the dangers of this nutriment by joining the majority in new trends that i would not normally do if not for the media and this "push" from others around me.

The third nutriment is volition, intention, or will; "the desire in us to obtain whatever it is that we want" (Hanh 34). This promotes the idea of striving for goals, achieving dreams, and working hard. Well that's what it should promote, but their are always consequences and negative reactions involved when your intentions go wrong. Buddha advised that we "look deeply into the nature of our volition to see whether it is pushing us in the direction of liberation, peace, and compassion or in the direction of suffering and unhappiness" (Hanh 35-36). We must be mindful of our goals and intentions and make sure we are achieving them for the right reasons. Obtaining monetary wealth, fame, possessions may bring us happiness but that happiness is almost like a mask that will fade over time. This idea that the only way to be happy is to accumulate more and more (possessions, wealth, fame, friends etc...) could actually be the greatest obstacle preventing our happiness. For instance I was very shy up until really my senior year of high school/first year of college. I never spoke up in class and didn't talk to many people because I didn't want to say my opinions or give anyone a reason to dislike me. I was obsessed with this idea that it's better to say nothing than give a possible unpopular opinion. I soon realized though not speaking up or trying to engage with anyone didn't make me happy. That instead it was preventing my happiness because I wasn't allowing myself to make new friends, or start relationships in fear of being rejected. 

The fourth and final nutriment is our consciousness, "which is composed of all the seeds sown by our actions and past actions of our family and society" (Hanh 36). Our conscious is always eating nonstop. It's constantly thinking and consuming information all around us day and night. It relives past events and ponders future ones. You're conscious never sleeps and ingests all information and objects good or bad; thus whatever it consumes becomes the substances of our existence. The idea is extended further when you examine how others effect your state of mind. When you are around others who are happy and positive you in turn have an elevated mood and tend to be happier (regardless of other factors that could be putting you down). For instance in my life whenever I am in a bad mood my girlfriend/friends immediately picks up on it and if they are happy will generally elevate my mood because of it. I myself generally try to hang around positive people because when you surround yourself with unhappy/depressed/negative individuals you tend to become more cynical, and negative as well. Furthermore, when I am consciously aware that I am happy or in a good mood i tend to be more productive, willing to help others, and less shy (more interactive with people).

Overall understanding and applying the Buddhist principle to my life will greatly enhance it, and lead to less suffering and greater happiness. As long as I am mindful and consciously aware of all the things I do, I am sure to live a happy, prosperous life. 

                                                            References

Nhá̂t, Hạnh. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy & Liberation : The Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and Other Basic Buddhist Teachings. New York: Broadway, 1999. Print.