Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation homepage > Notebooks of Paul Brunton

---

It has been asked why the Pythagorean teaching interdicted the use of beans in a vegetable diet. Having sojourned and studied in India, Pythagoras was well acquainted with the Bhagavad Gita's rule that the yogi's food should be light and easily digestible. He gave exactly the same rule to his followers. Dried beans fell under the ban because they were then, as now--because of their tough skins--notoriously indigestible. A further reason was his belief, also picked up in India, that all large and medium size beans contain an ingredient which is harmful to the body. The very small bean called "gram" in India and "Mung bean" in China does not fall under the ban: it is harmless, nourishing, and palatable."

-- Notebooks Category 5: The Body > Chapter 3 : Diet > # 168