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FEATURES | EASTERN HORIZON 31

i. Considering how much merit has brought me this The Buddha & The Farmer
food, I reflect on where this food came from.
ii. Measuring my own virtue and practice, am I worthy of There’s a story from the Buddha’s time about what
receiving this offering? happened when the Buddha went out to beg for food
iii. Protecting the mind from mistakes, abandoning greed, one day. During his time, the monks and nuns made a
hatred, and ignorance is essential. living by going out and using their bowl to beg for food.
iv. Correctly considering this food as salutary medicine, it They’d go to people’s houses, knock on the door, stand
will prevent this body from withering away. there, and people knew they were begging monks, and
v. Now, I receive this food for the sake of accomplishing they could give them food if they liked.
the Buddha path.

But if the person was not a Buddhist, or didn’t like this
monk or that monk, they could just refuse to give any
offering. If the monk didn’t get any food, he’d just go to
the next house.

So one day, the Buddha led all his disciples out to beg
for food. There was a farmer who saw Buddha come
to him to beg. And you know, Buddha was very good-
looking, because he was already a Buddha, already
enlightened. He didn’t look homeless or very poor – he
So that’s the liturgy we read before we start to eat. was a very healthy, good-looking guy. So the farmer saw
We read this liturgy to remind us that the reason we the Buddha, and he thought: “Huh…this good-looking
eat is not to enjoy or to entertain – and it’s not just guy, he’s very healthy and looks very strong – why
because we paid money for the food. We also have to doesn’t he work? Why does he come here to beg for
contemplate on the food, and ask ourselves: food?”

“Did we really practice hard enough to receive this food?” The farmer becomes very angry by this, and says to

Because in the monastery, all the money for food, Buddha, “Hey, I’m a farmer and I work very hard to feed
buildings, and expenditures comes from donations – so myself. Why don’t you learn from me? Why don’t you
we have to cherish every cent. We have to really figure work? You are quite a strong and healthy guy, so you
out why we’re here, so we can fully receive and deserve should work like me.”
all those donations.