Photos capture the path of Buddhism

Food and Five Contemplations. At mid-day, the student monks in Hangzhou Buddhist Academy will have a "food offering" ceremony during lunch in the canteen. The monks call "eating" "having a meal in the canteen". They have five things to contemplate while eating, such as the difficulty in obtaining food and that it is for the purpose of gaining enlightenment that they accept this food. Meanwhile, through contemplation and praying for blessing from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, they bestow food to those in the six realms of existence, wishing them to get enough food and eliminate their stinginess and excessive desires. [Photo by Zhang Wang]