Meals
May I receive this food with gratitude and appreciation of the sufferings that it entailed.
May I be mindful that this meal may be my last and not allow it to go to waste.
May I eat not in pursuit of the pleasure of taste but simply as fuel for this body.
I honor all beings whose suffering and efforts brought this food before me.
May the strength acquired by eating this meal be used for the benefit of all.
Wisely reflecting I eat this food
Remembering with gratitude where it comes from
And how many people have had no food or too little.
Guarding my mind against indulgence
Mindful of each mouthful
I take into this body what it needs
To support me on the path.
-Ajahn Jayasaro
Esta comida que vamos a recibir proviene del esfuerzo de numerosos seres.
Reflexionamos si nuestras virtudes y praćtica son dignas de esta ofrenda.
Consideramos la gula como obstáculo para la libertad de la mente.
Agradecemos recibir la comida como nutrición y medicina para nuestra práctica.
Ofrecemos sus virtudes y sabores al Buda, al Dharma y a la Sangha como a la vida en todos los reinos de la existencia.
Que todos los seres estén suficientemente nutridos.
-Treeleaf (Spanish Translation)
This food is the gift of the whole universe —
the Earth, the sky, and much hard work.
May we eat in mindfulness so as to be worthy to receive it.
May we transform our unskilled states of mind
And learn to eat with moderation.
May we take only foods that nourish us and prevent illness.
We accept this food to realize the path of understanding and love.
-THE FIVE CONTEMPLATIONS FROM PLUM VILLAGE
Compassionate Lord,
All-knowing Guide,
Field of merit and ocean of qualities,
Tathagata, to you I pay homage.
Through purity free of attachment,
Through virtue free of the lower realms,
Uniquely ultimate supreme,
Peaceful Dharma, to you I pay homage.
Showing the path which frees those seeking freedom,
Well established in the trainings,
Pure among fields possessing qualities:
To the Sangha, I also pay homage.
To the principal Buddha homage.
The Dharma, which protects homage.
To the Sangha assembly homage.
Homage to the three always.
The qualities of Buddha are inconceivable.
The qualities of the Dharma are inconceivable.
The Arya Sangha are inconceivable.
Through generating faith in the inconceivable,
The karmic ripening result will also be inconceivable:
May we be born in the pure realm.
To the precious Buddha, peerless guide,
To the precious Dharma, peerless refuge,
To the precious Sangha, peerless liberators:
We offer to the three jewels of refuge.
This food with a hundred of flavours,
Which is mouth-watering and well made,
To the Conqueror and his children we offer with faith.
By this, may all migrators become wealthy,
And enjoy the food of concentration.
Seeing this food as medicine,
We eat it without attachment or hatred,
Not to have an enviable body, not out of pride,
Not to look strong, only to sustain the body.
Through the connection of making charity
To the sentient beings living in my body,
May they become human beings and I will reveal to them the
Dharma and lead them to enlightenment.
For this purpose I am going to enjoy this food.
We receive this food in gratitude
From all beings who helped to bring it to our table,
And vow to respond in turn to those in need
With wisdom and compassion.
-SHORT MEAL GATHA EXCERPT FROM THE MOUNTAINS AND RIVERS ORDER
Work
May this work be done in the spirit of generosity
May this work not be motivated by greed, hatred or delusion
May kindness sustain us,
May compassion guide us and lead us to understanding,
May we rejoice in the successes of others
May we remain unshaken by praise and blame.
Death
Earth returns to earth, fire returns to fire, wind returns to wind, water returns to water, space returns to space, consciousness returns to consciousness. The path of liberation plunges into peace.
Annicā vata sankhārā,
Uppāda vaya dhammino.
Uuppajjitvā nirujjhanti
Tesam vūpasamo sukho.
All things are impermanent,
They arise and pass away.
Having arisen, they come to an end,
Their coming to peace is bliss.
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