OFFERING BEFORE FOOD

 

Grace in the Tibetan Mahayana Tradition

 

Dedicated to

 

TSAWI  LAMA

 

(Our Chief or Root Lama)

 

HIS HOLINESS GYALWA KARMAPA XVI

Rangjung Rikpi Dorje, of

Dharma Chakra Centre

Rumtek, Gangtok, Sikkim

(India)

 

In the early morning, at breakfast, we call the Buddha Sakyamuni to ask him to accept our offering.

 

 

THE GOLDEN BUDDHA

******************

 

Merciful, skilled in means

Is the Buddha,

Born of the Sakya Race.

 

By others undefeated but himself

The defeater of Mara

The hosts of delusion.

 

Like a heap of gold is your body,

O King of the Sakyas

At your feet I bow.

 

Or we can offer our first tea of food to the Guru Lama: H.H. Karmapa

THE CHIEF LAMA

******************

From the pure sphere of the Dharmadhatu

And the Ogmin, highest of all the heavens

Comes He who is the essence

Of the Buddhas of the Three Times - - -

Past, Present and Future.

 

O my Root Lama, who really shows my mind to be the

Dharma Body

To you I bow down

And make this offering.

 

For the main meal or at midday, we offer to the Triple Gem

 

THE THREE JEWELS

******************

 

The guide unequalled is the

Buddha Jewel

The protector unequalled is the

Dharma Jewel

The Saviour unequalled is the

Sangha Jewel:

To the transcending Triple Gem

I make this offering

 

(in Tibetan)

 

Ton pa la may Sanjay Rinpoche

Chob pa la may tamchü Rinpoche

Dren pa la may gendun Rinpoche

La may Konchok sum la

CHOD PA BUL           

 

OFFERING (FORMAL)

For a big meal presented by devotees (a dana) (for the useof the Sangha)

 

This delicious food with one hundred savours

So inviting

With these few choice words

I offer to the Victorious Ones

And to the Bodhisattvas

Who are their spiritual sons.

 

With faith in my heart I present it to them.

 

This is my prayer:

 

May all beings whatsoever

Attain to the realization.

 

By eating it may the higher yogas and the peace

Of  Samadhi increase.

 

(Follow this by Thanksgiving)

 

Thanksgiving after the meal. To be recited by the Sangha only.

 

For us the kind host(s) have offered food:

May the merit of it become vast.

 

For all beings may the conditions leading to Enlightenment arise.

As the Buddhas of old shared the merit

So I share it:

And by this gift of food (or dana)

May all that live cross the ocean

Of the suffering of the worlds.

 

Then share the merit with the devas, nagas, and other unseen spirit beings:

 

May the King of the Naga Spririts be happy

And all unseen beings near us be happy

May all the devas and local gods of the towns be happy

 

May all have long life and freedom from sickness

May all be in excellent health

May all attain happiness.

 

Note: It should be explained that when the unseen spirits fall sick there is drought and famine in the world, and conflicts arise. By associating the unseen ones with his prayers the Lama Brother or Sister benefits not only them, but all mother sentient beings in the Great Compassion of the Buddha.

 

At tea time, or when taking a light evening meal, remember the Bodhisattvas who aid us in our daily tasks

 

 

1. Offering to Chenrezi

******************

Faultless One of pure white colour

With the Fully Enlightened Buddha

As the decoration on your head

Looking with greatly merciful eyes

On all that lives

To Chenrezi, I reverently bow

And make the offering.

 

2. Offering to the Divine Mother

(the green Jetsun Dolma)

******************

She who is the ruling queen

Of both gods and asuras  *

Whose holy foot rests on the lotus

Remover of all difficulties whatsoever

To Dolma (or Tara) who is the Mother

I bow down and make

this offering.

 

note: * the fighting Gods who are motivated by jealousy are controlled by her.

 

If food is taken in the night

It may be prefaced by an Offering Prayer to the MAHAKALA Gonpas (or Protectors)

 

Emerging from the Dharma Sphere,

In the form of the Angry ones

Always of the same Dharma nature,

Unwavering, as the Protectors of the Teaching are.

 

 

Countless are the emanations

Streaming from the heart of

Our Protector of the Vajra

Whom we call DORJE BERNAK CHEN.

 

O Protector of the Transcendental Wisdom

Into your mouth I make

the offering.

 

Tibetan texts: Translated by: Gelongma Sister K.K. Palmo with the help of Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche and other Kagyudpa Lamas in India.

 

SARVA MANGALAM

 

In the Tibetan tradition grace is as beautiful as a spring morning, spontaneous and varied.

 

It brings the Guru, Buddhas

and Bodhisattvas, to mind.

In the evening it evokes the Protectors.

 

Originally published by KARMA RIGDOL PUBLICATIONS for KARMA TENGAY LING in 1976, San Mateo, California, U.S.A.