The Core
生飯の偈 (Saba-no-Ge) is a verse recited in Zen Buddhist monasteries during lunch, when a small portion of rice is set aside as an offering for the Kijin (spirits). Through this act, one directs a heart of compassion toward all Kijin and offers them sustenance. While commonly regarded as "a simple verse for providing meals to spirits," this dictionary defines it as "an active practice of symbiosis, where, rather than excluding spirits burdened by delusion and attachment as beings of an 'other world,' one walks the path of the Buddha together with them through the sharing of one’s own life."
Q&A
- Q: Why do we define "Kijin" as "fellow travelers on the path of the Buddha"?
- A: Because even the Kijin possess the potential to walk the path of the Buddha and attain enlightenment. By perceiving them not as evil entities to be cast out, but as a "community of life" that shares in our confusion and seeks the same awakening, the practitioner can eradicate all notions of conflict and discrimination from their own heart.
