The true renunciates, who really listen to Buddha’s teachings and precepts, they can be liberated beyond the Three Worlds, not necessarily to the Fifth Level.
When you eat, you should make offering to all the Masters. Three timelines of Masters, from the past, present and future. “Buddha” means enlightened Master. You can also make offerings to all the Buddhas. In Buddhism, we say we make offerings to the Buddhas of the Ten Directions in the past, present and future.
If you don’t make offerings before eating, you would owe the world a lot. It’s OK to eat if you have made the offering. But this only applies to the vegans. It’s no use for the meat-eating people to make offerings before eating, because enlightened Masters do not eat meat. So, it’s useless to make such offerings to them.
For true vegans, do make offerings before you eat. If you make offerings sincerely, you won’t owe the world anything, because we make offerings first, and eat the leftovers. That’s what it means. We eat after the Buddhas and Masters have blessed the food. Very humbly, understand? (Yes.)
You should make offerings. Not like this. I’ve seen you hold and raise your food cups up like this. And then… I don’t know what you mean by that. I don’t know what you’re doing. Whenever it’s mealtime, you just raise the cup, and then… For Master’s blessing. Master’s blessing! But what about other Masters? You also have to respect Them. It’s due to Their blessings as well. Of course, I am now in the world. But since ancient times, enlightened Masters have visited this world to bless us and help us step by step. That’s why our world is so developed now, wars and disasters are lessened, and crops are yielding more food and becoming easier to grow, so that we can eat well nowadays. Thanks to Their teachings, the world is gradually seeing less violence and more good deeds. There is more tolerance in the world now. That’s why we should make offerings, and be pious. It’s not just “Master, please bless!” and then gobble down like that. What kind of blessing is that? It’s all about “you.”
We have to make offerings. Because we should be pious and grateful. Not always “I, I, I…” “Bless this food for me, so that I can be healthy and happy.” You are making offerings, not asking for blessings. Understand or not? Understand! Offer sincerely. It’s just like offering to someone for whom we have the greatest respect. We make offering to him or her. We want to thank them first before eating and drinking. It’s the same. I am grateful even for the clothes I wear. Be thankful. Make offerings.
