How much should we eat? That's a normal question and naturally attracts different answers from various quarters, not to forget preferences in terms of diet.
But what did people in ancient India follow as a rule regarding eating habits? In the following sutra, Vasista provides a simple rule-of-thumb like direction.
According to him, a sage is restricted to a minimum quantity of food, while a hermit almost gets to consume twice as much. A householder is allowed to consume more while it is the student who is allowed to eat to the heart's and the stomach's content.
If one probes a little, it may appear to make sense. A sage is someone who lives with a minimalist lifestyle and restricting oneself to minimum quantities of food, might prepare one to practice a diet fit for that way of life. A hermit, who resides in the forest, is bound to have more food, in comparison.
The householder is someone who is involved in work, throughout the day. It is only appropriate that he/she gets enough energy to continue to do the same. It is interesting to note that students are exempt from any rules, regarding consumption. As someone who is involved in studying most of the day, the dharmasutra directs the society to provide them with enough food, so that they continue to study well and be healthy, at the same time.
The sutra is as follows:
A sage's meal is eight mouthfuls
A forest hermit's sixteen
A householder's twenty-two
A student's an unlimited quantity
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