Why Does Diet Affect Buddhist Practice?

Question: Why does consuming the five pungent vegetables lead to the arousal of lust and anger, and what is their relationship with the Tathāgatagarbha?

Answer: All our food and drink contain the seeds of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind. The proportions of these four elements vary in different foods and drinks, resulting in different nutritional values and distinct effects on the body’s utilization and well-being. When the body absorbs these varying elements, it produces diverse physiological reactions. The components of the five pungent vegetables, whether raw or cooked, also differ in the proportions of the four elements. Different elements and nutrients produce different effects on the body, and some of these substances have the property of causing sentient beings to develop lust and anger. For instance, the five pungent vegetables, when eaten raw, arouse lust, and when cooked, increase anger. Both are dietary hindrances to spiritual practice, preventing the mind from being tamed.

The process of consuming these foods—from ingestion, chewing, swallowing, digestion, absorption, to excretion—is all related to the Tathāgatagarbha. Every bodily reaction is connected to the Tathāgatagarbha, as it manifests phenomena in accordance with various conditions and causal factors. Not only do the five pungent vegetables produce specific adverse effects on the body and physiology, but smoking, drinking alcohol, drug abuse, and similar activities also harm the body and physiology. These substances contain stimulating components, and the composition of their four elements differs from that of other substances. When the body absorbs these elements, abnormal emotional states arise, making them difficult to regulate. Consequently, psychological states deteriorate, potentially obstructing the birth of wisdom and leading to the karmic retribution of ignorance.