在第一地，即欲界，所有的五識都起作用。在第二地，眼、耳、身識起作用，但鼻識與舌識不存在。因為在初禪境界，味覺與嗅覺不存在；與味覺相應的「段食」亦不存在。因為在初禪，人是觸食的，而非一摶一摶地段食（四種食的第一種）。
通常我們認為日常飲食的攝取，是滋養身體的唯一途徑；但在佛法中卻認為「食」有四種：
（一）段食：唯獨此食涉及舌鼻。食物之感知通過嗅、味、觸來進行。通常滋身營養的食物會變異、腐敗。段食可粗可細，也可以是固體的。段食只見於欲界。
（二）觸食：受用此食是靠身體與愉悅之境界相觸。換言之，前六識（見、聞、嗅、味、觸、知覺），均有其作為食物的特殊價值。但觸食不能離開第四種食而獨存。（請看下文）。
（三）思食：與第六識相關聯時，思可以起食物的作用。其特點是，由心思念而五根助之去達到目的。這種食在三界都有，但不能離開第四種食而獨存。因此，第六識有作為食物的特殊價值。
（四）識食：依大乘佛教的道理，這是指第八識。它表示第八識可以滋養有情眾生個體的生命。第八識是生命的原動力，生命依之而存。當這股生命能量耗盡時，死亡就來臨了。
這裡有一基本道理：食的方式是與有情生命的生命力及層次相應的。粗食可滋養粗的有情生命；但對於精細的生命沒有價值。生命層次、意識層次越高，所需的食物也越精。然而，在這個有為世界，最精細、最高層次的生命也離不開「吃」。
初禪天以上，亦即從三地至九地，前五識根本不起作用。
識所生之地
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All five consciousnesses function in the realm of desire, that is, on the first ground. On the second ground eye-, ear-, and body-consciousness function, but nose-consciousness and tongue-consciousness do not function, because at that level (i.e., at the level of the first dhyana), the smell and taste objects of perception do not exist, nor does the type of morsel-nourishment which is connected with smell and taste. In the first dhyana nourishment takes place through contact rather than through the eating of meals comprised of morsels of food (the first of the four types).
Ordinarily we think only of nourishing our bodies through the intake of ordinary food and drink; however, the Buddhadharma distinguishes Four Kinds of Nourishment:
1) Mouthfuls. This kind is distinguished by the nose and tongue. Its substance is perceived through smell, taste, and contact. This ordinary food, bodily nutriment, changes and decays. It can be gross, solid, or fine. This kind of nourishment takes place only in the realm of desire.
2) Mental Contact. This kind nourishes the body by contact with joyous situations. In other words that the first six consciousnesses--seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and cognizing--can have special value as food. Nourishment by contact does not exist independent of the fourth kind of nourishment (see below).
3) Volition. When associated with the sixth consciousness, volition can function as food. It is characterized by desire for perceptual objects, thus aiding the five perceptual organs in attaining their objects. It occurs in all three realms, but does not exist independent of the fourth kind of nourishment. Therefore, the sixth consciousness in itself can have special value as food.
4) Consciousness. According to the Mahayana it refers to the eighth consciousness. It indicates that consciousness is capable of nourishing the bodily life of sentient beings. Life feeds off the eighth consciousness, the basic life force or life energy. When that life-energy is exhausted, death occurs.
One of the basic ideas here is that the nourishment needed by a being corresponds to its level of vital and conscious life. Coarse food is effective nourishment for a coarse organism but is of no use for a fine one. Higher and higher levels of life and consciousness must be fed with progressively finer and finer kinds of nourishment. Yet in the conditioned world even life on the finest and highest level of consciousness must “eat”.
Beyond the first dhyana, that is, on the third through ninth grounds, none of the five consciousnesses arise.
The Grounds on Which the Consciousnesses Arise
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