| | | One
friend asked, `is it possible to change myself or shall I for ever continue as
before?" I said, "Change is the law of the world we live in. Man can
be transformed. If one does want to change, it is certainly possible. It is not
possible for those who do not want to change." "Change is the eternal
law. Every material object undergoes some kind of change every minute. However,
it is the special characteristic of man to bring about a change in a particular
direction, if he so desires. You can also change." He further asked, "How
can I change? Kindly teach me the way. Is it possible to change habits?"
I said, "Sure, they can be changed. If we cannot change our habits, all talk
of salvation is futile. Then existence has no purpose whatsoever.
Everything
becomes meaningless if man does not or cannot change. Diligence is extolled because
through it the seemingly impossible is rendered possible. To change one's habits,
one has to change one's diet." He said, "This sounds strange. What has
diet to do with the transformation of habits? I eat because I like to eat, for
taste, for the gratification of the palate. How is it connected with habits at
all? There does not seem to be any relation between diet and habits." I said:
This is what our imperfect mind decree. But the fact is that a man, who cannot
control his diet, cannot change his habits-there is an intimate relation between
the two. Habits originate from the very fountainhead of the centres of consciousness.
There are located in the brain innumerable centres of consciousness. It is these
centres, which determine man's nature. A man enjoys sleeping; the control centre
of sleep is located in the brain.
A man laughs, weeps, things and deliberates.
All these activities have different centres of their own. There is the centre
of memory, of imagination, of intelligence. All the mental disposition have their
centers in the brain. The nature of a man is determined by the centers that are
awakened and get activated. The centres that are awakened and get activated. These
centres are stimulated by electrical and chemical changes produced in the brain
itself. Like the body, the brain too requires nutrition. There are tonic for the
body; the brain too requires nutrition. There are tonics for the body; the brain
too demands its own tonic. Modern scientists are busy evolving newer and better
tonics for the brain. Esoteric men of ancient times made a great many discoveries
in this field. Ayurvedic books are replete with the accounts of these. There are
available in these ancient tomes full-scale descriptions of materials that nourish
and strengthen or starve and weaken the brain and the nervous system. The brain
works though electrical and chemical energy. Chemicals are formed by the food
we take in. Food then becomes a factor in the activity of the brain and the formation
of habits. The quality of the food taken determines the quality of the chemicals
produced, which in turn affect the activity of the brain.
The activity
of the brain determines our behaviour, thought and habits. So, without understanding
food, we cannot change habits. Without effecting refinement in food, one's nature
remains gross. Whatever other changes one may introduce in one's life, without
a change in food habits, no real transformation of oneself is possible. The two
are vitally related. Accordingly, we must, first of all, consider the food we
take in. Food here is used in its most comprehensive meaning- not only the food
that goes in through the mouth, but whatever our organism accepts from outside.
The air we breathe in through our nostrils is also food. Likewise the language
particles, which make up our speech; also thought particles, which we gather for
reflection. The vital breath, language and thought particles, etc., are all included
under food. The food we take in greatly affects the quality of our brain. A man
downs a glass of wine at a stretch. Immediately, control over the brain is relaxed.
The man gets drunk. What disturbed the equilibrium of the brain? The drink he
consumed. Wine, too, is a kind of food. Another man takes hemp. The earth and
the sky seem to mingle into one, and the world around him starts whirling. This
because of the food he took in-hemp, too, is a kind of food. We are well acquainted
with the effects of intoxicating drugs. Someone has a weak memory. He makes use
of brahmi and shankhpushpi; his memory improves.
The scientists today are
engaged in research to discover different kind of chemicals, which help improve
memory; at the same time chemicals, which weaken or destroy it. They work on the
premise that intelligence and memory is not necessary for every one. If those
who indulge in theft, loot or murder, and those who are ferocious, are divested
of their memory, it will certainly help curb crime. It is to reduce the incidence
of crime that the scientists are working on drugs that would weaken memory. Simultaneously,
they are also working on drugs that would increase memory. In the Ayurvedic system
of medicine, there are many substances, which advance memory- gorakh-mundi, satavari,
brahmi, shankhpushpi, etc. Modern scintists are concentrating upon the qualities
of various substances and they are busy developing different kinds of drugs.
The Ayurvedic masters discovered many substances and laid down procedures to convert
these substances into chemical fluids. The process and the fundamental aim is
the same in each case-to discover materials and develop from these, syrups and
tonics that would increase mental capacity. Of course, both alternatives are available:
mental power can be increased as well as decreased. There has been a good deal
of research into the effects of various kinds of food on the body. However, research
into the ways and means of bringing about a fundamental transformation in human
character has not been so extensive, both in Ayurved and Allopathic. Nevertheless,
the Ayurved masters have spoken of different kinds of food-vital, nutritive, stimulating,
restorative. There are vital foods that strengthen and help maintain life; potent
foods that increase the potency of the body; fiery foods that greatly stimulate
the body; and there are foods that restore energy, and there are many other kinds.
There are three kinds of substances-those that tranquillize, those that
excite and stimulate, and those, which help, keep the balance.
There are substances, which suppress the wind, the bile and the phlegm; others,
which stimulate these; and still others, which maintain the wind, the bile and
the cough in a balanced condition, in equipoise. They do not allow the equilibrium
to be disturbed. Substances, which stimulate the bile, also provoke anger. The
bile and anger are intimately connected. A man with augmented bile cannot but
be angry. A man with augmented phlegm cannot but be greedy. Some people are greedy.
Even after listening to spiritual discourses hundreds of times, their avaricious
mentality remains unchanged. But what are these poor souls to do? As long as the
phlegm is dominant in them, how can they get rid of their greedy disposition?
Their mental condition is not changed. However, the moment the fury of the phlegm
slackens, their greedy mentality undergoes a transformation. There is an intimate
relationship between greed and the phlegm. Again, substances, which provoke the
wind, also give rise to despondency.
The man with too much of wind is
always sunk in despair, deeply depressed, afflicted with mental langour. There
is an intimate relationship between the wind and all these bad humours. Man's
life is bound up with food. Hospitality too begins with food. Wherever two men
or women get together, they talk of food. Once a man invited a friend of his to
dinner. "There is a marriage," he said, "You must come to dinner."
The friend reached the house at the appointed hour. He found his host vigorously
brushing his donkey's skin and giving the animal a thorough bath. He was somewhat
nonplussed and demanded, "What are you doing?" The host replied, "This
donkey of mine is going to be married today. I am, therefore giving it a bath."
"O," said the friend, "So, it is this donkey's marriage! Was it
for this you invited me to dinner? Well what are you feasting us with? The host
replied, "O dear, don't be so impatient! Whatever the bride groom eats, you
will also eat." Nothing in the world is discussed so much as food.
Four
kinds of tales are found in Jain literature-tales relating to women, to
devotees, to the country and to the king. Tales relating
to devotees are tales relating to food. These are not idle tales, without a cause.
Man is bound up with nothing so much as food. Food helps form the body, the blood,
the flesh, and all other constituent elements of the body. Beyond the usual seven
constituent elements is vigour or virility, which also owes its being to food.
The last named quality is also known as electricity in today's language. All the
bodily chemicals are derived from food. The whole cycle of life is kept going
by food. Our very disposition is determined by the food we taken in. It is possible
to evaluate the personality of a man on the basis of the food he eats. The man,
who has not factually analysed the food he takes, will not be able to understand
his own unique individuality. How can such a man analyses or change his habits?"
The questioner further said, "After this elaborate discussion, it is fairly
clear that purity of food is necessary for changing one's habits. But what does
this purity of food imply?" I said, "Not in my words, but in the words
of the book entitled Manonushasanam pure food means wholesome, frugal and right
food. The food which is beneficial in quality and quantity and unadulterated is
clean food. That is what purity of food implies." The questioner was not
yet satisfied. Many doubts assailed him still. The questioner is free, not so
the respondent: the latter is bound by the former. The questioner further asked?
"How do you define `beneficial food'?" I said, "What is beneficial
is too big a subject to enter into right now. What determines after all whether
something contributes to our well-being?
Our body has many important parts-the
brain, the heart, the liver, the lungs, the spleen and the kidneys: the sense
organs: the eye, the ear, the nose, the tongue and the skin-these too are significant.
The whole of the nervous system has its own importance; it is not possible to
define what is beneficial for all. Some substances are good for the brain; others
are useful for the nervous system. Substances, which are good for the sensory
nerves, may not be so good for the motor nerves. One substance may be good for
the heart, while quite a different substance may be useful for the eye. It requires
tremendous knowledge to determine what substance is good for what limb? Some people
accept a partial view of what is useful. Some physicians have said that pippal
(pulp of the pippal tree) is very useful. It is true that in a case of low vitality,
of weak digestion, the use of pippal is effective. But the excess of everything
is bad. In a case of low vitality one may take pippal with advantage. But afterwards,
when vitality is restored, and digestion no more a problem, the continued use
of pippla can prove harmful. What is useful is determined by place, time and quantity.
Without reference to place, time and quantity, all take of what is useful is redundant.
In a particular situation, taking salt may be necessary. But if a man continues
taking salt thoughtlessly, he may be afflicted with various ailments.
According
to Ayurvedic system of medicine, heart disease is caused by excessive use of salt.
An excessive salt-eater becomes bald; the salt also weakens the kidneys. In various
diseases of the heart, the salt turns out to be a powerful cause. There is a saying
in Ayurved to the effect that pippal, jaggery and salt must never be taken in
excess. All these are useful, when taken in moderate quantities. All three becomes
harmful, when taken beyond a limit. In ancient literature there occurs the mention
of the people of Saurashtra eating too much salt. They used salt in place of sugar.
They would put salt even in milk. That is why lost their virility and also feel
and easy victim to heart disease. Here and there we find people preparing a vegetable
dish just out of salt. Just as we prepare dishes of green vegetables like peas
and bottle gourd, those people prepare dishes made up of nothing but salt and
water. And they put spices into them too. An attempt is made to make salt saltier.
And such a preparation is eaten with much relish, though it can never be useful
from any point of view. It may be tasty, but not at all beneficial. The non-vegetarians
take a lot of salt. They require more salt to digest the meat.
Thus non-vegetarianism
becomes an open invitation to various diseases. What is beneficial or harmful
is not determined on the basis of a one- sided view. Various aspects have to be
taken into consideration. Beneficial in what way? With reference to the country?
Or time? Or age? A child needs proteins most. It also needs milk. But after an
individual has crossed from childhood into youth, and he still continues to take
proteins to the same extent, he is simply inviting trouble. Any substance used
in moderate quantity and with due respect to age, time and the obtaining situation
is beneficial.
Milk is a useful food. But if taken immoderately
without reference to time and quantity, even this best of foods becomes harmful;
nectar turns into poison. The second question is, what is a `frugal' diet? Not
only useful, but also moderator. That `moderate' refers to quantity. It is essential
to know fully what food should be taken and in what quantity. Immoderation is
eating is a fault in an ascetic. It is a demerit in him to consume food beyond
a certain measure. According to Ayurved, immoderate eating constitutes a serious
fault, for a compulsive eater involuntarily invites a number of diseases. There
are two kinds of diet-light and heavy. In light food, the wind is dominant; it
contains more of the fire-element, and is, therefore, easily digestible. Heavy
food is water-dominated. Neither wind nor fire is dominant there. It is therefore
indigestible. Eating heavy food in excessive measure creates disorders and perversions |
