You may sometimes feel isolated and disconnected especially after the pandemic. But you can also feel supported and connected immediately. Today I introduce one thing from what Zen monks do.
You might think Zen monk’s training is tough and difficult, but not always so. Actually bringing awareness and mindfulness into daily activities is the key of Zen training. Making meals and eating are a very important part of Zen training.
Before every meal, they chant a sutra called “Gokan no Ge (五観偈).” It consists of five sentences. This is the "Gokan no Ge" I wrote ↓.
The first sentence makes us feel connected to the world, let us feel supported by a lot of people, and makes us feel grateful for food and being alive.
Of course, the other sentences are as important as the first one, but here I introduce the first one today.
It goes like this (my translation).
No.1 We reflect on how this food comes to us, how many people are involved, how many people have done a lot of hard works on the way for the food to come here.
For example, this morning, I made a glass of green drink. I used kale, apple, lemon and turmeric. The kale is from Australia. For the kale to come to my home, those who are involved are farmers, transporters from an Australian farm to the airport in Australia, a pilot of the cargo airplane, those who are working at the airports in Australia and Singapore, transporters from the airport in Singapore to the supermarket, and even those who produce jet fuel, those who transported jet fuel to the airport, those who constructed oil tankers, those who are working at supermarket in Singapore… actually endless. Numerous people are involved in just kale. The same can be said for apple, lemon and turmeric. And don’t forget about the kale itself which became my food instead of pursuing its life in the farm.
When we reflect on those people, we feel grateful for the situation that we have food, and we can feel the connection to those people and to the world. I realize I am supported by a lot of people, which makes me feel safe and secure.
And I can tell you when we thank for something, we will get more. You may have some experience around that. When you give your friend a birthday gift, and he or she thank you, you will give him/her another gift next year, right? But if they don’t appreciate what you give them, you may not send them any gifts any more.
Okay, now I will go through the rest of the sutra.
No. 2 We reflect on our behavior.
Are we behaving right? Are we helping other people? Do we deserve this meal, which is a result of a lot of hard work of a lot of people.
No. 3 We eat this meal to be conscious about our faults in our mind, to observe and avoid the three poisons (greediness, anger and ignorance)
No. 4 We eat this meal as medicine to keep our health.
(So please don’t put garbage inside of you)
No. 5 We eat this meal to live right as a human being.
LET’S DO THIS
Today before you eat anything, think about the people who helped bring the food in front of you, and thank them. And notice how you feel.
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