印心禪法修行者的心路歷程

I was fortunate to sit next to our Master and watch him eating the Friday night dinner, the Sunday dinner and the Monday brunch. I also asked him some questions about fasting and the following paragraphs are what I could remember.

Friday night dinner was in a small restaurant filled with people, flying insets and no air conditioning. Emily was busy squashing the flying insets. I was concerned that He could be quite tired. Yet He was calm like a cucumber. I sat on His right.

He was asked what does he like, he said, “Vegetables and Tofu.” twice. Dishes were ordered, but still no tofu. He repeated, “Let us order some tofu.” A spicy fried tofu dish were ordered with perhaps one or two non-spicy vegetable dish.

When the food arrived, He was the first one to be served, two large spicy fish or meat were dumped into His rice bowl. Other foods, mostly spicy kind were dumped into His plate. He thanked continuously.

Somehow, without me noticing, He took one of the spicy pieces from his rice bowl onto his plate and never touched since.

After 15-20 minutes, He apologized to everyone that the dishes were too spicy, twice. Though, He was not the one who ordered it.

At the end of the dinner, I noticed that he finished all the non-spicy vegetables and around half a bowl of rice.

Saturday night, Emily was sitting on his right. She told me after the meal, that our Master ate on the average one piece of everything. I sat on the table at His right facing Him. I noticed that He constant watch over all the tables. In one of the occasions, I raised my tea cup and saluted Him and He saluted back. We smiled. He is always aware and cared.

Sunday during class, he said the “personality of the meat we eat could be become ours.”

Sunday night dinner, I was sitting across from Him. He did not eat very much. Just one mouthful here and there. He praised the restaurant’s cooking.

Monday brunch was DimDum. Again I was sitting on His right. He smiled, when I told Him that I will give Him only one piece of each kind. James ordered some chopped raw red pepper and offered to our Master. He gladly added some into His plate. This time, He seems to enjoy it.

On the way to the airport, I asked, “What can you comment on fasting.”

His reply was, “Fasting is good, if you are at the level which you could absorb nutrients from the water and the air would be better. I had just water and fruits for a period of six month.”

“Can you now get nutrients from air and water?” I asked.

“Yes, I can. I can also absorb the nutrients from fruits and vegetables simply by looking at them. Therefore, if you find any of the your food not pleasing to your eyes, just don’t eat it, because you will not benefit from it.”

I somehow sense, He ate, not for himself, but for us, sentient beings.