Living a Scientifically Guided Life: Everyday Wisdom for Health and Happiness

Human life is rare, and we have obtained this precious life through the Buddha’s compassionate help. The various blessings we enjoy today—each meal, each garment, and every provision—are all gifts from the Buddha. Feeling grateful for the great kindness of the Buddha, this was my initial understanding of “eating the Buddha’s food.”

After listening to the Master’s teachings, I gained a new understanding of this phrase: to live under correct scientific guidance is to achieve the wisest life. The Buddha understood the true meaning of the universe and life. By following the Buddha’s guidance, life becomes scientific, meaningful, and fulfilling, leading to happiness. This is what it means to eat the Buddha’s food.

“Eating the Buddha’s food” encompasses every aspect of life, including clothing, food, shelter, and daily activities. Previously, I did not approach life scientifically, thinking that exercising the body was enough and ignoring the details. For example, eating fruits without washing them, thinking that eating unclean food would not harm a strong body, or eating spoiled food in the name of saving resources. These are outdated practices and have nothing to do with scientific living and exercise. Now, I am truly fortunate to receive very scientific life guidance.

The Venerable Master has taught us many everyday life tips. These scientific pieces of knowledge sound simple, but they are closely related to our lives and are tightly connected to our health and happiness. For example, many plant-based foods today are treated with fertilizers and pesticides, while animal-based foods may contain hormones harmful to humans. Many people love eating tomatoes. How can we eat tomatoes in a healthier way? One method is to soak them multiple times in saltwater to dilute and wash away harmful substances, leaving us with delicious and healthy tomatoes.

It’s not just about food; life involves many aspects with useful tips, which should not be underestimated. Below are some life tips I’ve learned, which I hope will be useful to everyone.

1. It is best to wake up at around 3 or 4 o’clock; avoid sleeping in.

2. Make sure the bedding is neatly folded, and the bed should only have the necessary items like blankets and pillows.

3. After waking up, brush your teeth, wash your face, rinse your mouth, and exercise.

4. Eat until you are about 70% full.

5. Avoid idle chatter and refrain from gossiping.

6. Do not take afternoon naps.

7. Keep your wardrobe organized and do not leave dirty clothes.

8. Bathe frequently and change clothes often.

9. Pay attention to home hygiene, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

10. Do not speak or do anything else while using the restroom; keep your mouth closed.

11. Avoid browsing meaningless websites.

12. After intense exercise, do not drink cold water, especially during hot weather, avoid eating cold food, and do not take cold showers.

13. Teach children to develop good habits of discipline from an early age.

There are many such pieces of wisdom, and I have only listed a few here. I hope everyone can live a scientific life and achieve a healthy and happy life.

(Author: Layperson Cao)