Great story! As I mentioned in a previous blog, I lived next to 2 nuns on a much lengthier retreat than mine. It's quite common for monks/nuns to spend weeks to years in retreat at the Asura cave. These two nuns fell under the "years" category. As the days went by, we greeted each other joyfully depending solely on smiles and non-verbal gestures. From my very first day they exhibited great generosity - more than I was prepared for for reasons I'll explain later! One day, whilst walking to my room after a meditation class, one of the nuns, Pema, called me over with hand and arm signals (yes - that's military jargon). Thankfully, I had another young woman from class with me! She's much better at understanding non-verbal communication than I am. If I learned anything on retreat, it's that I'm terrible at charades! But I digress. This fine nun asked us to cup our hands together as if for drinking. Uh-oh, I thought. Then she pulled out an old 20 oz Fanta bottle filled with a lemonade like substance. I had my suspicions from the beginning. She poured a couple of drops into each of our hands and motioned for us to drink. Knowing full well what I was about to drink, I had to do it. I want you to know that I did it with great courage!! Not really! I gave my companion a doubtful look and waited for her to do it first!! When I saw that she had survived, I went for it. I licked the one lick's worth of beverage cupped in my palms. Yep - homemade alcohol. Then, she placed a hard candy in each of our hands and advised we eat it. Again, I waited for my companion. When I saw that her face didn't contort too oddly, I also partook of what turned out to be a rather sweet candy.
What happened?? I know you are all wondering. To be honest, I'm not 100% sure. But let me offer a possible explanation of this seemingly odd act of generosity. In Buddhist traditions, offerings are set before altars of Buddhist figures/deities (Buddhas, Bodhisattvas). This is common in most other idol-intensive traditions, as well. In fact, take a browse through the Hebrew Bible! Offerings can include lighting butter lamps, money, incense, flowers, holy waters, rice, and other food and beverage items. Sometimes rituals are performed. Other times, the offering is enough. Pending circumstance, food offerings are either left on the altar and later fed to animals or they are removed for consumption after they've been blessed. In the latter circumstance, the food offerings may then be shared with others signifying that one also partakes of a Buddha's blessing. Essentially, from what I've gathered from my teachers, Pema was sharing a blessing with me. Though our faiths are opposite and though I place no deities before the One God, generosity from positive motivation is still generosity and should not be taken for granted or cast aside.
Without a doubt this woman was exercising compassion for me as intensely as I pray God's revelation for her. I don't know that I'll ever see these nuns again, but I do know that we will not ever forget each other and the acts of generosity that we shared.
Paul remarks on food sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8. Check out what he says and let me know what you think or how you feel.
I have another fabulous food story to share regarding my neighborly nuns. Stay tuned!
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