Grace

A number of years ago, my mother invited our extended family over for Thanksgiving. My step father got to work organizing the menu (he is a fantastic cook) and my mom worried about cutlery and seating. My task was to come up with some sort of "grace" to say before the meal. Sounds simple enough, and it would be in most families, but not in mine. We have an odd mix of lesbians and republicans, vegetarian hemp-wearing animal activists and good old boys, atheists, Buddhists, and Mormons. I wanted to say something meaningful without offending the Christian set. I spoke from the heart about gratitude and interdependence and when I finished there was a dead silence in the room. "Well this is awkward",  I thought. I then asked if anyone else wanted to say something, thinking the Mormons might want to thank God for the abundance before us. My cousin piped up, "Wow, how can any of us say anything after that?" We then began to eat with gratitude in our hearts (at least I hope so, they may have just been stunned). Below is something similar to what I said that night. Wouldn't it be great if we took the time to think of this before each meal every day? I am going to try to do so more often.

A Buddhist "Grace"

Today a great meal is on the table before us. Aren't we fortunate? Think of all the effort that has gone into the preparation of this meal for us. Wow, what kindness we have received! We can think of the people who planted the seeds, nurtured them and harvested the crops, for us. The minute beings who helped the plants grow and those who gave their lives in the process of growing and harvesting them. The people who prepared the goods for sale and those who transported them. The people in the supermarket chain who prepared and delivered them. Those who stocked the supermarket shelves and those who sold them to us. Even those who baked and stirred and minced and mashed them into a meal today. Beyond these easy to see kindnesses there are more, as we are all connected in the web of interdependence. The farmers and the supermarket workers would not be able to do their work if they did not have homes made for them by builders or farm equipment manufactured by factory workers. The seeds themselves would not be present if there weren't plants before them, similarly cared for by those who grew them. The truck drivers could not transport the produce if it weren't for the truck manufacturers or the road crew who built the highways. And all of these beings would not be able to do the great work that they do if it weren't for their parents who gave them life (and perhaps the doctor who saved it as well) and their parents, and their parents, and so on. When we look further we will see that every single sentient being has put great effort into the preparation of the meal before us. Let us be grateful and endeavor to repay the kindness we have received. Let us eat the food before us to gain energy to do good work in the world with an aim to benefit all sentient beings.

Practice: This week let's try to stop before putting anything into our mouths. Let's pause and think of all of the effort put into creating the food or drink we are about to consume. We can then generate a mind of gratitude aimed at benefiting others. Let me know how it goes!

Here are a few new links and tidbits to explore...

A World of Grace (a beautiful poster of examples of grace from cultures around the world)

Practicing Buddhism in Daily Life by Ven. Thubten Chodron

Exploring the 8 R's of Meditation: 

The Value of Nothing (from a yogic perspective rather than a Buddhist one):

Buddhist Blessing for Food
by Annie B. Bond

Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space
combine to make this food.
Numberless beings gave their lives
and labors that we may eat.
May we be nourished
that we may nourish life.

Have a great  week!

Metta,

Dharma Mama