Overcoming Illusory Hunger to Master Feelings and Win Over Oneself

In the Pāli Canon, the Buddha uses terms such as khudā (hunger), pipāsā (thirst), and khuppipāsā (hunger and thirst) to describe the fundamental suffering of beings—especially in the realm of hungry ghosts (peta), where they are tormented by endless craving and deprivation. These terms appear in several discourses, including Majjhima Nikāya I, 85 and the Petavatthu, where hunger and thirst are listed among the “armies of Māra,” representing the forces of desire, fear, and affliction.

📖 The Context in Which the Buddha Spoke About Hunger and Thirst
• Khuppipāsā (fem.) means “hunger and thirst.”
• In the Sutta Nipāta and Petavatthu, hunger and thirst are personified as soldiers in Māra’s army, symbolizing the torment caused by craving and lack.
• In Majjhima Nikāya I, 85, the Buddha uses the image of a person tortured by hunger and thirst to illustrate the suffering inherent in conditioned existence.
• In the Petavatthu, hunger and thirst are defining characteristics of the peta realm: “Petas are tormented by hunger and thirst.”

📜 Dhammapada Connections
• Dhammapada 8: One who lives with mindfulness (sati), restraint (indriya-saṃvara), and moderation in eating (bhojane mattaññutā) is unshaken by Māra, joyful like radiant light.
→ Overcoming hunger is not merely physical—it is the mastery of the mind.
• Dhammapada 92: The wise (paṇḍito) do not hoard, eat with clear understanding, and live unattached (anissita), like birds leaving no tracks in the sky.
→ The wise are not enslaved by food or driven by hunger.
• Dhammapada 203: Hunger (jighacchā) is the greatest illness; conditioned existence (saṅkhārā) is the greatest suffering. One who sees this as it truly is (yathābhūtaṃ ñatvā) realizes the supreme peace of Nibbāna.
→ The Buddha directly identifies hunger as a major affliction and points to wisdom as the path to freedom.

🌿 Dry Fasting, Science, and Rừng Gọi Purification
• Dry fasting (no food, no water for a set period) is a form of “modern noble ascetic practice” emphasized in the Rừng Gọi community.
• Scientific perspective:
• Short-term dry fasting activates autophagy, the body’s natural cleansing mechanism.
• It reduces inflammation, clears toxins, and enhances mental clarity.
• Dhamma perspective:
• Facing hunger and thirst is an opportunity to observe feelings directly, seeing them as mere phenomena—not “me” or “mine.”
• As Dhammapada 203 teaches, hunger is a great illness, but when met with mindfulness, it becomes a doorway to liberation.
• Rừng Gọi purification:
• Dry fasting is a method to purify both body and mind.
• It is not self-torture but a practice of mindfulness—seeing each arising feeling and letting it go.
• This is true asceticism: keeping pure conduct and allowing the mind to become light like a falling leaf.

✨ Integrated Teaching
• Pāli: Khudā rogo mahā, khuppipāsā dukkhā mahā. Yo taṃ pajānāti, nibbānaṃ paramam sukhaṃ.
• English: “Hunger is the greatest illness; thirst is the greatest suffering. One who understands this as it truly is realizes the supreme bliss of Nibbāna.”
• Application: Dry fasting in the spirit of Rừng Gọi is not about enduring pain—it is a practice of mindfulness, seeing hunger and thirst as natural processes. Through this, body and mind are purified, becoming lighter, clearer, and more joyful.

🌸 Recommendation for Balanced Eating
Mindful eating—one meal a day—is both aligned with the Buddha’s Middle Way and supported by modern science. As shown in the Japanese medical approach One Meal a Day, eating once daily promotes health, longevity, and mental clarity.
For those who overeat or accumulate excess fat, toxins, or water, fasting—especially dry fasting—becomes a powerful reset. Dry fasting and one-meal-a-day are two sides of the same coin: after a period of purification through fasting, returning to a stable one-meal-a-day routine offers long-term health, balance, and inner peace.