The Core

食三分の偈 (Jikisanbun-no-Ge) is a Buddhist verse recited in the Zen tradition before meals. It serves as a ritual practice of offering one's meal to three domains: the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), the Four Graces, and the Six Realms of existence. While commonly regarded as "a ritualistic verse for dividing one's meal into three portions to express gratitude," this dictionary defines it as "an active practice that transcends the realm of repaying debts to specific individuals or organizations; it is a transformative discipline that fosters an awareness of 'interdependence with the whole'—the reality of being sustained by all—and extends the resulting merit to all existence."