The Consequences of Gluttony

In the earliest period of the Earth's formation, there were as yet no sentient beings and no humans. The devas of the Light-Sound Heaven (Ābhāsvara) in the second dhyāna heaven flew to the surface of the Earth. After landing, they saw the thick layer of earth-cream covering the ground and found it delicious. Out of curiosity, each of these devas took a taste. As a result of those one or two bites of deliciousness, their bodies became heavy—some could no longer fly, and some could no longer fly high or far. The more they ate, the heavier their bodies became and the less they could fly. So this group of devas stayed on Earth, unable to return to heaven. Being few in number and afraid of loneliness, they called over their other deva companions. Once those companions arrived on Earth and tasted the earth-cream, none of them could fly back either. Thus, humans gathered on Earth in ever greater numbers, and these beings became the first humans on Earth.

Whom can you afford to owe? What can you afford to crave? Once a karmic affinity is formed, you become bound together, and the tie can no longer be severed. Some people's outlook on life is simply: eat whatever can be eaten, eat whatever you want to eat—no harm in eating for free. Do you know the consequence of such craving?