Meal Offering

Meal Offering.

The Buddha told the assembly: while eating, observe the Five Contemplations. A scattered mind and confused talk make the offerings of the faithful hard to digest.

1. Consider the amount of work involved to bring the food to where it is eaten.
2. Consider whether or not one's virtuous conduct is sufficient to enable one to accept the offering.
3. Guard the mind from transgression, of which greed is the principle cause.
4. Properly taken, the food is like medicine, to keep the body from wasting away.
5. This food is accepted only in order to accomplish the way.