I wrote earlier about our zazen (meditation) lesson at the Soto Zen Mission in Nuuanu. It was followed by a shojin ryori, a Buddhist vegan type meal which had to be eaten in silence.
Before eating, the priest asked for the meaning of "Itadakimasu." Someone offered that it meant "We shall receive (this food)." I thought the priest would elaborate further on that, but he didn't. I suspect his English vocabulary wasn't extensive enough to do so.
Still... as I reflected on that word, I couldn't come up with adequate words either. My mother always says "Itadakimasu" before she eats and "Ogochiso sama deshita" after she eats. Itadakimasu is a phrase that expresses gratitude and acknowledgement for the meal you are humbly about to partake. Gochiso sama is said later and it states your thankfulness for the delicious meal.
Then Art remembered seeing a sign last year on my daughter's kitchen bulletin board in Chicago. My granddaughter had been going to a Japanese school once a week and was learning these very phrases from her sensei (teacher) Naomi.
This reminded Art and me of the poem by Kahil Gibran called On Eating and Drinking. I can't reproduce it here because of U.S. copyright laws.
His poem says that since we must eat, we need to do it with gratitude and respect. Since we have to kill to eat or take a mother's milk from an animal, we should do it as an act of reverence.
When you eat an apple you have to feel that the act will enable its spirit to bloom in your heart. When you drink wine, you should remember the songs of autumn when the grapes were harvested.
Our shojin ryori had to be eaten in silence. As uncomfortable as that was at first, it made you respect the work that went into creating each dish. You began to pay more attention to what you were eating and savoring the flavor and texture.
This photo was taken during our trip to Japan in 2010 when we stayed at Eiheiji Temple. Mom and Auntie grew up in a Buddhist Temple so it was probably very nostalgic for them.
I've been known to inhale a Big Mac without thought, but an animal had to give its life for me to eat it. Many people worked hard to produce the meal... and yet, I don't often think about it, except worry about the calories.
Perhaps I won't say the actual word Itadakimasu out loud when I'm out, but I'll sure make an effort to think it. And when I'm done, I'll be sure to say Ogochisosama deshita in my heart as well.
Before eating, the priest asked for the meaning of "Itadakimasu." Someone offered that it meant "We shall receive (this food)." I thought the priest would elaborate further on that, but he didn't. I suspect his English vocabulary wasn't extensive enough to do so.
Still... as I reflected on that word, I couldn't come up with adequate words either. My mother always says "Itadakimasu" before she eats and "Ogochiso sama deshita" after she eats. Itadakimasu is a phrase that expresses gratitude and acknowledgement for the meal you are humbly about to partake. Gochiso sama is said later and it states your thankfulness for the delicious meal.
Then Art remembered seeing a sign last year on my daughter's kitchen bulletin board in Chicago. My granddaughter had been going to a Japanese school once a week and was learning these very phrases from her sensei (teacher) Naomi.This reminded Art and me of the poem by Kahil Gibran called On Eating and Drinking. I can't reproduce it here because of U.S. copyright laws.
His poem says that since we must eat, we need to do it with gratitude and respect. Since we have to kill to eat or take a mother's milk from an animal, we should do it as an act of reverence.
When you eat an apple you have to feel that the act will enable its spirit to bloom in your heart. When you drink wine, you should remember the songs of autumn when the grapes were harvested.
This photo was taken during our trip to Japan in 2010 when we stayed at Eiheiji Temple. Mom and Auntie grew up in a Buddhist Temple so it was probably very nostalgic for them.
I've been known to inhale a Big Mac without thought, but an animal had to give its life for me to eat it. Many people worked hard to produce the meal... and yet, I don't often think about it, except worry about the calories.
Perhaps I won't say the actual word Itadakimasu out loud when I'm out, but I'll sure make an effort to think it. And when I'm done, I'll be sure to say Ogochisosama deshita in my heart as well.
I've heard and seen of Itadakimasu before, I always find it neat to see cultural stuff mirror something from another culture. Like the western practice of saying grace.
ReplyDeleteThinking about it, it's not hard to understand why people would be thankful for food. In ancient times, being fed was a privilege.
This is very interesting. We hear about the benefits of the Japanese diet and it is not a stretch to think that this kind of mindfulness is a big part of that benefit. This is a habit worth cultivating.
ReplyDeleteYou have made me remember when I would always quietly say grace inside my mind before eating. It's been so long ago I had forgotten. This is a wonderful way to live in gratitude and harmony with the world. I should start again. Thank you, Kay. :-)
ReplyDelete"I give thanks" and "I give thanks" Before and after my meals shall be a new tradition more meaningful than a long rambling blessing that people want to see come to an end so they can dig in.
ReplyDeletebeautiful lesson on being grateful for us all to remember,
ReplyDeleteSensei Naomi -- I like the sound of that.
ReplyDeleteThe granddaughter's learning will be pleasantly reinforced when she hears you saying the meal blessings next month.
And what would be so bad if you were to start saying them aloud in restaurants? A good example, I'd say.
On the other hand, I remember when I lived in rural Arkansas, the older Protestant friends would always start a restaurant meal by joining hands around the table, bowing the head, closing the eyes, and a volunteer pray-er would start improvising a prayer of thanks that went on and on. A tad embarrassing for me, the only Israeli.
Your retreat in the temple (monastery?) is Japan -- wish I could have joined you for that.
This is the verse we use for informal meals in our Soto Zen tradition
ReplyDeleteWe venerate the Three Treausre
and are grateful for this meal,
the work of many people
and the sharing of other forms of life.
There is a much longer one for formal meals during retreats
Love, love, love that picture of your mother
There is a longer sutra that mom says they used to always say before their meals when she was young. She can still recite it perfectly. She doesn't recite it anymore unless I ask her at Thanksgiving, but she does say "Itadakimasu" and "Ogochiso sama."
DeleteI just looked at the hand out they gave us at the zazen session. I see the prayer is called Keihatsu No Ge. Here's the translation they gave us:
DeleteFirst, this is for the three treasures;
Next, for the four benefactors;
Finally, for the beings in the six realm,
May all be equally nourished.
The first portion is to end all evil;
the second is to cultivate every good;
the third is to free all beings.
May everyone realize the Buddha way.
I know this is bad, but I don't know what the treasures, benefactors and realms are. I'm really not a knowledgeable Buddhist.
oops, my fingers aren't spelling very well this morning
ReplyDeleteshould be Treasures
Kay, thanks for visiting my blog and for your kind comments... you asked if I had other blogs, and the answer is "yes, I do"
DeleteThe main one is my Reading Diary. You'll find a list there of a few others. I haven't kept any of them up to date for a year or so now because of some health issues and two major injuries.
I do love the travel stories you share with us.
What a meaningful post. I will remember to eat my food with gratitude and respect.
ReplyDeleteMun says it all. Meaningful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBecause my granddaughter works with meat animals, I think about everything I eat, probably too much. Good for us to give thanks. I also believe trees are sentient creatures and hate to see them cut down, although needs must. Dianne
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to me and completely different from my place.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, meaningful tradition. Sometimes words are totally unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteHusband and I have been watching Japanese soap operas on Drama Fever and noticed this phrase expressed before a meal. I wondered why they didn't say just "tabemashoo", thanks to you, I now know....I watch these soaps every chance I get to see how my limited Japanese vocabulary is used in everyday context. And I get a kick out of partially understanding the gist without reading every word in the subtitle.
ReplyDeleteI do think gratitude is a wonderful attitude and expression (keeps you mentally healthy and at peace).
L...w
I had to chuckle since "tabemashoo" means "Let's eat!" It doesn't quite have the ring of "Itadakimasu."
DeleteI just love this! I suspect every culture had a custom like this when food was much more difficult to procure and prepare. Whenever my dad, who grew up on a farm, prayed before our meals, he always said a blessing on the farmer who grew it and the person who cooked it. Your post is a great reminder to offer respect and thanks.
ReplyDeleteWe've taken to joining hands and reciting a little pre-meal saying we learned in Germany. It expresses the same sort of gratitude.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos. Your Mom's so cute. I'd be thinner if I only ate that much for meals. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteInteresting post
ReplyDeleteIn Japanese schools, students must say "itadakimasu" and "go-chisosama-deshita" together before and after eating school lunch.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, I learned something today.
ReplyDeleteYou are so fortunate to be knowledgeable about so many cultures/countries... I'm sure that your traveling has helped... Loved reading this post... Language is so interesting--and obviously, I've learned alot from friends like you who share these kind of posts...
ReplyDeleteMost of us 'bless' the food we eat in our own cultures and religions... I know that we do... We thank God for our food and blessings--and thank all of the farmers who work so hard to make it available to us...
Thanks, Kay.
Hugs,
Betsy
Informative post! I like to read like this post!
ReplyDeleteI love this lesson of being grateful. I think that we can actually practice gratefulness in the same way we can practice anything. And I totally believe that gratitude can change a person's life...
ReplyDeleteYour mom looks so American, though, because of her smile.
ReplyDelete