Buddha's Fasted Until They Attained Enlightenment
GUIDE TO BUDDHISM A-Z
To fast (upavasa or anasana) is to go without food for an extended period. Fasting is practised for religious, for health or for medical reasons. Fasting, even extreme fasting, formed a part of the self-mortification (attakilamathāna yoga) practised by ascetics during the Buddha's time. During the six years the Buddha (or more correctly, the Bodhisattva) was learning from other teachers and experimenting with various ascetic practices he to underwent long fasts. As a result of these and other fasts the Buddha’s body became extremely emaciated. After attaining enlightenment there is no record of the Buddha fasting himself or recommending fasting. [link]
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| Fasting Buddha (Emaciated Buddha), Kushan Dynasty, Gandhara (Pakistan), 2nd-3rd century, schist. Lahore Museum, Punjab, Pakistan |