Offerings Should Be Eaten

One of my Om’s told me that all the prices at the market had gone up today. The reason is that this is a day when Buddhists are expected to place gifts on the “spirit houses” in their homes or at their place of business. Bananas, cakes, chicken, wine, soft drinks and flowers are some of the foods commonly offered. Om said that she tried to buy as little as possible because she hates the way that the prices go up when much of the food that is sold is offered on a shrine or at a temple and then thrown away. Why pay extra for food that isn’t going to be eaten?!

As we talked further, Om said she used to take offerings of food to the temple before she became a Christian. I asked whether there was any fear in stopping these offerings?

She looked at me and explained- “People offer food for different reasons. Some offer gifts because they have prosperous businesses and they do everything they can to make sure that they will accumulate even more wealth. Some offer food to their dead relatives because they think that they can provide for them. If we have food to give, we offer it to the poor. We do not give in order to get more for ourselves in the future. We do not expect people to give to us when we are dead. If we have enough to eat, we are happy. If we have extra, we give to the poor.”

Good answer! = )