8 Auspicious Offerings - Food offerings [Part 8]

The subject continue today is all about what significant for Eight offerings, we make these offerings to the Buddhas, enlightened beings in many practices, such as the Vajrasattva Practice, Guru Yoga and other profound Vajrayana practices.

The Buddhas, enlightened beings they do not requiring these kind of offerings. We make these offerings is for accumulation of merits and wisdoms, enlightenment, Buddha hood, is achieved through these great qualities - accumulation and purifications. As we knew the Buddhas had limitless of qualities which were attained through these two mentioned qualities.

7)Food for offerings ( Samadhi )

The seventh offering is the offering of food. The awakened ones have no need to indulge in material food offerings, but the purpose of such offerings made to the enlightened objects of refuge is to temporarily relieve suffering that beings experience through hunger and starvation, and to bring about an abundance of food. 

Ultimately, the offering is made so that beings may experience the perfect state of meditation, of samadhi, and that all beings may live on the spontaneous food of meditation. Offerings the delicious, excellent quality of food signifies samadhi, which is a nectar of ambrosia to feed the mind. This is an offering to the enlightened beings, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Samadhi is also the source of the Siddhis like clairvoyance. There are two different types of clairvoyance; the ordinary clairvoyance is usually from other lifetimes. The other type is unique and special insight clairvoyance, which we achieve this lifetime through meditation practice.

For example, flying in the sky, different types of miracle power, these can be achieved through samadhi, the virtuous one-pointed mind. The very stable mind, clear , calm, peaceful mind of samadhi becomes a basis to achieve all the enlightenment qualities. Food symbolizes samadhi because food is essential for maintaining our body, and samadhi is a kind of food that maintains the mind as well as the physical body.

When we achieve any kind of samadhi, it is the fruition of the effort you made before, and it can also become a path to get higher fruition. Generally, we eat nutritious healthy food, it contributes a good health, same to speak when we are having a nutritious food for samadhi, and it keeps a healthy mind. By making this offering of delicious food, may all sentient beings have a good health and samadhi nature and quality.

Eighth offerings to be continued in final part 9

Thank you for reading and may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world. 

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

May the precious Bodhichitta arise

Where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

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