초기불교의 음식과 수행의 관계에 대한 고찰 = A Study of the Relations between Food and Meditation in the Early Buddhism

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The present paper is aimed at examining the relations between food and mediation in the early Buddhism. Except for some cases, Buddhist monks ate almost all food which lay followers did in the time of the Buddha. In those foods, fish and meat are included which are considered improper in Northern Buddhist tradition. The Buddha experienced the problematic practices of the other religious sects during his ascetic practices before his enlightenment. He realized that those religious practices caused the problems of health and the worst thing of the practices is that those ascetic practices do not lead to the elimination of suffering and the status for which religious practitioners aim at attaining. Therefore, it is realized by the Buddha that maintenance of health of religious practitioners and helping to pure life is the purpose of eating food. the ascetic practices through food is considered as a kind of extreme view by the Buddha. It is frequently mentioned to moderate food and eliminate craving for food in the Buddhist literature. It shows that excessive nutrition rather than extremely decreasing food is major problem in the Buddhist sa gha. It is considered by the Buddha that craving for the taste of food and overeating is the other extreme against the ascetic practices for food. The view for food by the Buddha is closely associated with the Buddhist meditations, and the food is for the health of religious practitioners and energy for meditations. Therefore, the Buddhist view of food is likened to flesh of son which is not craving for the taste or excessive nutrition. It is said that the Buddhist view of food is achived through 13 Dhutas and the Practice of perception of repulsiveness in nutriment in the early Buddhist literature. Among the Dhutas, 5 dhutas are relative to the method of receiving food and those practices is aimed at eliminating the negative attachment to food, The Practice of perception of repulsiveness in nutriment is for removing craving for taste of food and sensual desire. The practice for food is classified as the Access meditation which is preliminary meditation for the jhana practices. Hence, it is frequently mentioned with the control of 6 physical faculties and the establishment of sati which are essential factors for achievement to the First jhana.