Question asked by Natalie
Dear Pastors
Can you please tell me what to do with food we offer to the Buddhas on the alter when we take it down. Some I can give to birds and animals but others like chocolate I'm not sure what to do with it. I sound greedy but are we able to eat it ourselves or should we try and give it away?
Thank you
Hi Natalie,
Offerings like chocolate that we have already made to the Buddhas, you can take and eat some as blessing but do not do that because of your greed or out of attachment. Meaning, you should not think that if you don’t eat it, then it is a “waste”. When we make offerings, although the items is still consumable, you should think that you have offered them to the Buddha. If you can’t resist and has a strong urge to eat food that you offered up to the Buddhas, my advice is that you should give away the food to others instead, so you practice not to be attached to the food that you have offered.