LIVING by VOW: The Meal Chants- pp 98 to 109 (Stop before Verse of Food for Spirits)

[AlanLa]

"Giver, receiver, and gift" is a very nice and simple way to be more mindful about food.

I would like to point out how perfect it is that Shugen is leading this discussion forum on food. After all, this is part of his signature:

please take everything I say with a pinch of salt

[Tairin]

knowing how much is enough

Gassho
Warren
Sat & LAH today

[M.C. Easton]

The section on ōryōki exemplifying the Middle Way really brought it all together for me. It isn't about not enjoying our food or seeing it only as a means to an end (our practice). I finally realized that is just part of it. I know Okumura has been saying it throughout the chapter, but I finally understood that food is dharma.

Doing the meal chants for Ango has been even more helpful than I hoped. I feel a kind of gratitude and grace towards my food and all the lives who have brought it to me. This is entirely new.

As someone said earlier, my relationship with food also has been more about the idea of food. Due to my health, I have to maintain a rigid meal schedule, eating 5 small meals every day. It is also a struggle to stave off weight loss--and the resulting consequences when I drop into the underweight category.

I love food, but I hadn't noticed until working towards mindful eating that my relationship with food is tinged with resentment--resentment that it constantly interrupts my day and relationships (I have multiple alarms to remind me to eat), that it requires so much time to prepare and to eat (I am a slow eater), and that it has to occupy so much of my mental space if I'm responsible about my health. It may sound ridiculous, but in all the effort to keep myself functioning, I have forgotten that food is keeping me alive. It is wonderful to discover this enormous space in my life for gratitude.

Thank you, sangha.
Gassho,
Melanie
SatToday

P.S. I am a big fan of kitty time-outs, too!

[Kokuu]

Hi all

The notion of 'just enough' can be found in the teachings of the Buddha. In one short Pali sutta, Shakyamuni advises King Pasenadi on the importance of not overeating.

The King Pasenadi of Kosala dined off a tubful of rice. Then the King, replete and puffing, went to see the Blessed One, saluted him and sat down to one side. And the Blessed One, observing how he was replete and puffing, at once uttered this verse:

Those who always dwell in mindfulness,
Observing measure in the food they eat,
Find that their discomfort grows the less.
Aging gently, life for them is long.

Now just then Prince Sudassana was standing behind the king. And the king said to him:

"Come, my dear Sudassana, learn this verse from the Blessed One and recite it to me when you bring me my dinner, and I will arrange for you to be paid a daily allowance of a hundred pence in perpetuity."

"Very well, Your Majesty," said Sudassana [and did as he was told.]

After that the king made it a rule to eat no more than a quarter of a tubful of rice. Thus it came about that on a later occasion King Pasenadi, his body in good shape, stroked his healthy limbs and fervently exclaimed: "Truly the Blessed One has doubly shown compassion for my welfare, both in this life and in the life to come!"

-- Samyutta Nikaya 3:13 'A Heavy Meal'


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Jakuden]

Hi all

The notion of 'just enough' can be found in the teachings of the Buddha. In one short Pali sutta, Shakyamuni advises King Pasenadi on the importance of not overeating.

The King Pasenadi of Kosala dined off a tubful of rice. Then the King, replete and puffing, went to see the Blessed One, saluted him and sat down to one side. And the Blessed One, observing how he was replete and puffing, at once uttered this verse:

Those who always dwell in mindfulness,
Observing measure in the food they eat,
Find that their discomfort grows the less.
Aging gently, life for them is long.

Now just then Prince Sudassana was standing behind the king. And the king said to him:

"Come, my dear Sudassana, learn this verse from the Blessed One and recite it to me when you bring me my dinner, and I will arrange for you to be paid a daily allowance of a hundred pence in perpetuity."

"Very well, Your Majesty," said Sudassana [and did as he was told.]

After that the king made it a rule to eat no more than a quarter of a tubful of rice. Thus it came about that on a later occasion King Pasenadi, his body in good shape, stroked his healthy limbs and fervently exclaimed: "Truly the Blessed One has doubly shown compassion for my welfare, both in this life and in the life to come!"

-- Samyutta Nikaya 3:13 'A Heavy Meal'


Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

Wow, that's actually rather extraordinary that they understood this so long ago! Anyone around here care to recite me this little poem at mealtimes? :-)

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Shokai]

Anyone around here care to recite me this little poem at mealtimes? :-)

would I get room and board?

gassho, Shokai

[Jakuden]

would I get room and board?

gassho, Shokai

Unfortunately all we have is a couch in the basement and we tend to eat a lot of breakfast cereal (I just had rice krispies for dinner). Probably not worth it ;-)

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Shokai]

(I just had rice krispies for dinner). Probably not worth it ;-)

The reciting job or the rice crispies Sounds like you really could use a 'reciter'
hey but, not me; the commute is to long, sorry

gassho, Shokai

sat/LAH