The Core
正食偈 (Shojiki-ge) is a verse recited before meals in Zen and other Buddhist traditions. It originates from the "Pure Conduct" chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra and expresses a prayer that all beings may be filled with the joy of the Dharma through the act of eating. While commonly regarded as "a verse recited before meals," this dictionary defines it as "an active practice that transforms the daily act of eating into a 'Bodhisattva practice full of Dharma-joy,' allowing one to move away from human attachments and worldly thoughts, and to reaffirm a life lived solely according to the Dharma."
Q&A
- Q: Why is it called "Shojiki-ge"?
- A: Because in the time of the Buddha, monks had a precept not to eat solid food after noon, and they called this formal midday meal 正食 (Shojiki,Right Meal). The name comes from the fact that this verse is recited during that formal meal. In other words, reciting the Shojiki-ge means that the practitioners are not just having a meal, but are practicing the pure rules of conduct that they must follow.
