We do five contemplations before each meal. I contemplate all the causes and conditions and the kindness of others by which I have received this food. It starts with all those little beings, like worms and insects who help to grow the food. It goes on to the people who planted the food, the ones who harvested it, who processed it, who packaged it, who transported it, and the beings who made the vehicles that transported it, whether a ship, plane or car. All the beings who made the roads, the docks, and the airports. The beings who bought it and donated it to the Abbey. All the mothers and fathers, the grandmothers and grandfathers of all the other people who are in that lineage. We can also contemplate our karma that brought us to the Abbey where the meal is being served.

I contemplate my own practice, constantly trying to improve it. We need to stop every day and ask ourselves how we did in our practice today. Part of our practice is to stop, look and see where we are and what we need to do to progress along the path. Not just going through the motions, we must actually put them into practice.

I contemplate my mind, cautiously guarding it against greed, wrongdoings, and other defilements. There are antidotes for these defilements that we should be looking at. His Holiness says if we investigate our mind at times when we are very selfish and preoccupied with ourselves to the exclusion of others, we shall find that these disturbing negative minds are the root of this behaviour. Since they greatly disturb our minds, the moment we notice that we are coming under their influence, we should apply the antidotes to them. We must guard our minds and always apply antidotes when needed. We do not just say the words, we must actually sit down and apply them.

I contemplate this food, treating it as wondrous medicine to nourish my body. Food is one of the basics we need, and we cannot live without it. A lot of times we take food for granted, but there are many starving beings in this world who will die today because they do not have the food that they need to eat. They will lose the opportunity to practise the Dharma. Imagine how it would be if you were starving and someone offered this food to you and it would save your life, at least for now.

I contemplate the aim of Buddhahood, accepting and consuming this food in order to accomplish it. The aim of our life right now should be bodhicitta — to become fully awakened as quickly as possible to be of benefit to all sentient beings. We should accept and appreciate this food, all the beings and causes and conditions that made it possible so that we can have this opportunity to look at our mind and our practice for us to grow in wisdom and compassion and eventually become a Buddha so that we may help all sentient beings be free of suffering. We need to actually take time to look at each of these points and make them come alive inside our hearts and minds. We need to really contemplate, think about, and meditate on these to make them important in this life.

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