Offering Food

Five Contemplations before Meals

1. I contemplate how much positive potential I have accumulated in order to
receive this food given by others.
2. I contemplate my practice, constantly trying to improve it.
. I contemplate my mind, cautiously guarding it from wrongdoing, greed,
and other defilements.
!. I contemplate this food, treating it as wondrous medicine to nourish my
body.
". I contemplate the aim of #uddhahood, accepting and consuming this food
in order to accomplish it.
Offering $erses before %ating
Imagine the food as blissful wisdom nectar inside a vast &eweled vessel, and
recite, 'om ah hum' three times to consecrate the food. Offer it to a small
#uddha visuali(ed at your heart cha)ra.
*reat compassionate +rotector,
,ll-)nowing .eacher,
Field of positive potential and good /ualities vast as an
ocean --
.o the .athagata, I bow.
.hrough purity, freeing from attachment,
.hrough virtue, freeing from the lower realms,
0ni/ue, supreme ultimate reality -
.o the 1harma that is peace, I bow.
2aving freed themselves, showing the path to freedom too,
3ell established in the trainings,
.he holy field endowed with good /ualities --
.o the 4angha, I bow.
.o the supreme teacher, the precious #uddha,
.o the supreme practice, the holy precious 1harma,
.o the supreme guides, the precious 4angha,
.o all the ob&ects of refuge we ma)e this offering516.
May we and all those around us never be separated from the .riple *em in
any of our lives. May we always have the opportunity to ma)e offerings to
them. ,nd may we continuously receive their blessings and inspiration to
progress along the path.
#y seeing this food as medicine, I will consume it without attachment or
hatred, not to increase my arrogance, strength, or good loo)s, but solely to
sustain my life.
,s you eat, imagine that 4ha)yamuni #uddha at your heart e7periences
bliss. 2e radiates light that fills your entire body.
$erses after 8unch
om utsita bandi ashibya soha 5to offer to the pretas6
I bow to the bhagawan, the tathagata, the arhat, the fully accomplished
#uddha $ictor of +recious 8ight, #rightly 4hining Fire 8ight
59atnaprabhara&a :valana)arapra)atita6.
2
nama samanta prabhara &aya tathagataya arhate samya)sam buddhaya namo
man&ushriye )umara bhutaya bodhisattvaya mahasattvaya maha )aruni)aya
tayata om niralambha nirabhase &aya &aye lambhe mahamate da)i da)enam
meparishvadha soha
May all those who offered me food attain happiness of total peace. May all
those who offered me drin), who served me, who received me, who honored
me, or who made offerings to me attain happiness which is total peace.
May all those who scold me, ma)e me unhappy, hit me, attac) me with
weapons, or do things up to the point of )illing me attain the happiness of
enlightenment. May they fully awa)en to the unsurpassed, perfectly
accomplished state of #uddhahood.
#y the positive potential of offering food, may they have a good
comple7ion, magnificence, and strength. May they find foods having
hundreds of tastes and live with the food of samadhi.
#y the positive potential of offering drin), may their afflictions, hunger, and
thirst be pacified. May they possess good /ualities such as generosity and
ta)e a rebirth without any sic)ness or thirst.
.he one who gives, the one who receives, and the generous action are not to
be observed as truly e7istent. #y giving with impartiality, may the
benefactors attain perfection.
#y the power of being generous, may they become #uddhas for the benefit
of sentient beings, and through generosity, may all the beings who have not
been liberated by previous con/uerors be liberated.
#y the positive potential of this generosity, may the naga )ings, gods having
faith in the 1harma, leaders who support religious freedom, benefactors, and
others living in the area live long, en&oy good health and prosperity, and

attain lasting happiness.

1ue to this virtue, may all beings complete the collections of positive
potential and wisdom. May they attain the two #uddha bodies resulting from
positive potential and wisdom526.
;ote<
516 For a shorter way to offer your food, recite this and the following verse.
526 For a shorter way to dedicate your food offering, recite &ust this verse.
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