What is the foundation of blessing one's food before eating?

[S.A.M.]

references?

Just observation.

However, this is one of the oldest shlokas that is said before meals.
Its called the Bhojan Mantra or Meal Prayer.
It is compiled from several sources.

Audio

Aum Yantu Nadayo Varshantu Parjanyaah
Supippalaa Oshadhayo Bhavantu
Annavataamodanavataa Maamikshavataam
Eshaam Raajaa Bhooyaasam
Odanamudbruvate Parameshttheevaa
Eshah Yadodanah
Paramaamevainam Shriyam gamayati [Yajurveda]

May rivers flow and clouds give rain. May medicinal plants flourish and all trees bear fruit. May I be the benefactor of the people producing the food like rice and milk products. The cooked food served on the plate is a gift from God whose consumption will lead to the highest level of prosperity and well being.

Maa Bhraataa Bhraataran Dwikshan
Maa Svasaaramutassvasaa
Samyanchah Savrataa Bhootvaa
Vaacham Vadata Bhadrayaa [Atharva Veda.]

Brother should not fight with brother, sisters should be kind. All should speak gently with each other and generate the attitude of truth, service and cooperation.

Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaa [Bhagvad gita]

The items we use to feed ourselves are Brahman. The food itself is Brahman. The fire of hunger we feel is Brahman. We are Brahman and the process of eating and digesting the food is the action of Brahman. Finally, the result we obtain is Brahman.

Aum Saha Naavavatu
Saha Nau Bhunaktu
Saha Veeryam Karavaavahai
Tejasvinaa Vadheetamastu
Maa Vidvishaa VahaiAUM SHANTIH SHANTIH SHANTIH[Upanishads (Taittiriya, Katha, Shvetashvatara)]

Let us protect each other. Let us eat together. Let us work together. Let us study together to be bright and successful. Let us not hate each other.


For the meaning of Brahman, see here

 

[draqon]

Which of those is the oldest? Yajurveda, Atharva Veda, Bhagvad gita Upanishads

 

[S.A.M.]

The Vedas are the oldest, followed by the Upanishads [though they are regarded as part of the Veda and form the core of the Vedanta] and the Gita.

In the short version, only the one from the Gita is recited.

 

[draqon]

The Vedas are the oldest, followed by the Upanishads [though they are regarded as part of the Veda and form the core of the Vedanta] and the Gita.

In the short version, only the one from the Gita is recited.

what is the age of Atharva Veda origin?

11th century B.C...

 

[S.A.M.]

No one knows the true age of the Vedas, they were transmitted orally for much longer than they have been available in the written form.Since they were originally written on bark which does not survive beyond 100 years it is hard to say. Traditional lore dates it at 1000 years B.C. but the oldest surviving Veda is from the 11th century B.C. The Vedic period spanned the Iron and late Bronze age and lasted for a millenium.

 

[Gustav]

*************
M*W: I want to know more about this simple religious habit. How/where did it originate? What was its purpose? Is praying over one's food necessary or is it just a religious passtime? What happens when one pray's over one's food but still gets a bout of food poison?

From my observation, praying over one's food is done for show, especially in large crowds. How many religious folks out there still pray over their food? In how many cultures does praying over food exist?

Thanks.

passtime? habit? i am sure the religious do not consider it thusly. furthermore, while i am aware you had not asserted this, i like to point out that blessings are not confined to meals. one could theoretically preface any activity with that shit. one can exorcise the new house, cross signage before a trip. some even say grace after meals as kardark does

We have eaten, and we drank, and to The Holy One, Blessed Be He we blessed; that gave us and will give us bread to eat, and clothes to wear, and years to live. The Great Father that gives to the little one, gives to us our needs for our homes and for our children. God hears us and answers us and has pity on us, because of His Great Name, we are little souls without sin. Give thanks to The Lord, for He is good, for His Mercy endures forever. Give thanks to The Lord, for He is good, for His Mercy endures forever. Always better, never worse, never should the table of The Creator lack for us. Amen​

one could approach it from a buddhist angle...mindfulness....activities are preceded by some reflection of a........ devout/superstitious/spiritual nature

One of the most beautiful practices that I have retained from my Jewish roots is the recitation of blessings, called Brachot, which are prayers of gratitude. Judiaism is similar to Greek Orthodoxy in being a tradition of gratitiude. In Judiaism there are over a hundered blessings that express our gratitude to God for every kind of natural wonder - things that grow, stars that shine, food we eat, rainbows, even the narural functions of elimination that keep our bodies healthy! Brachot naturally brings us into mindfulness.​

link link link

 

[draqon]

No one knows the true age of the Vedas, they were transmitted orally for much longer than they have been available in the written form.Since they were originally written on bark which does not survive beyond 100 years it is hard to say. Traditional lore dates it at 1000 years B.C. but the oldest surviving Veda is from the 11th century B.C. The Vedic period spanned the Iron and late Bronze age and lasted for a millenium.

So it seems that from the oldest traditions it would be the Indian, not Christian or jewish.

 

[S.A.M.]

What about Australian aboriginals? Arguably they've been around for 40,000 years. What is their custom?

 

[codanblad]

What about Australian aboriginals? Arguably they've been around for 40,000 years. What is their custom?

my bet is the same thing native americans do. they've got the same 'affinity with the land, animals and spirits' motif going.

 

[spidergoat]

*************
M*W: I want to know more about this simple religious habit. How/where did it originate? What was its purpose? Is praying over one's food necessary or is it just a religious passtime? What happens when one pray's over one's food but still gets a bout of food poison?

From my observation, praying over one's food is done for show, especially in large crowds. How many religious folks out there still pray over their food? In how many cultures does praying over food exist?

Thanks.

So, basically, it's guilt for taking the life of a creature to fuel your own.

 

[S.A.M.]

sam
i demand the return of your old avatar
the bookworm on the couch

Done.

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

Giving thanks for food is one of the more hypocritical customs of the god fearing religious. To know you are endearing yourself to God when others of the same ilk are literally starving to death is bordering on preferentialism. It is an absolute shame.

SAM & in particular Draq have chosen the honorable 'changing the subject' tactic to avoid an untenable situation. Be brave and admit the custom is a stupid one instead of performing this act of pusillanimity.

 

[S.A.M.]

Giving thanks for food is one of the more hypocritical customs of the god fearing religious. To know you are endearing yourself to God when others of the same ilk are literally starving to death is bordering on preferentialism. It is an absolute shame.

SAM & in particular Draq have chosen the honorable 'changing the subject' tactic to avoid an untenable situation. Be brave and admit the custom is a stupid one instead of performing this act of pusillanimity.

Huh? No, giving thanks is a very good thing. It denotes appreciation rather than the tendency to entitlement. As for religion, Islam does not encourage self denial or sorrow in the face of plenty. Thats just ridiculous. Enjoy what you have and share with the less fortunate and be grateful that you have it. We've set aside a month in the year for the self denial to know exactly what it is we are thankful for. The rest of the time is for enjoyment. Choking on good food or beating yourself up about it is not conducive to a healthy attitude.

 

[draqon]

Giving thanks for food is one of the more hypocritical customs of the god fearing religious. To know you are endearing yourself to God when others of the same ilk are literally starving to death is bordering on preferentialism. It is an absolute shame.

SAM & in particular Draq have chosen the honorable 'changing the subject' tactic to avoid an untenable situation. Be brave and admit the custom is a stupid one instead of performing this act of pusillanimity.

PE,

do review the posts made by me, as I state first that Christianity was the foundation of the blessing by giving the painting as a proof. At which stage gustav comes along waging war against me without any references on the topic. Much later only does gustav supplies claims of judaism being the origin of blessing of food. Later however SAM comes claiming that India has the oldest blessing tradition as written in the Vedas. I support this and her claims of this. Indian Vedas being one of the oldest texts written in 11th BC. Our current discussion harbors itself on hypothesis that aborigines of Australia could have had an even older food blessing tradition (but I doubt that).

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

S&D...I'm not sure what Gustav was trying to accomplish. As for myself the saying of grace is totally unnecessary in any religion. We thank God for food and we thank Him when 1 person out of 300 survives a plane crash. In fact God gets thanked everytime some poor bastard gets lucky and that includes just about everything. He gets thanked by every country that's ever won a war. There is no end to thanking the Almighty for everything that is fortunate.

It's a slippery slope that gets more and more exotic each time you approve one of God's actions insofar as much that people thank God for the death of some people. An enemy's death I can barely accept but to thank god for taking your 4 year old to heaven so they don't have to suffer anymore. I cannot be gracious to God, not because I don't think he's there but because I can't waste any part of my life on something so ridiculous.

 

[Vkothii]

So, basically, it's guilt for taking the life of a creature to fuel your own.

Pretty much that's what "offering" thanks, or part of the animal was and still is all about.
It's tied to the notion of sanctifying something that "displeases" - animal life has been taken or sacrificed for the group - so it's something that "appeases".
Of course, that's all really done, towards an abstraction of individual/group coherence. A "god" appears, who never really exists except as a cultural construct - a group activity that maintains order and rightfulness of individual/group existence.

The makings of religion are inextricably linked to our early (individual) hunting and (group) sharing activities.
But the whole thing is about chow.

 

[S.A.M.]

Uh no, offering thanks is not guilt. Its appreciation.

Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavir
Brahmaagnau Brahmanaa Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
Brahma Karma Samaadhinaa [Bhagvad gita]

The items we use to feed ourselves are Brahman. The food itself is Brahman. The fire of hunger we feel is Brahman. We are Brahman and the process of eating and digesting the food is the action of Brahman. Finally, the result we obtain is Brahman

 

[Vkothii]

Uh no, offering thanks is not guilt. Its appreciation.

Well, appreciation is also arguably the giving of thanks, which then leads unswervingly to the notion of appeasement, of assuaging individual guilt. My pick is: this has always been easier to do as a group.

 

[S.A.M.]

Well, appreciation is also arguably the giving of thanks, which then leads unswervingly to the notion of appeasement, of assuaging individual guilt. My pick is: this has always been easier to do as a group.

I don't know anyone who considers appreciation as guilt. You have strange ideas about sociology. :shrug:

 

[Vkothii]

Ok, let's see.
If I ignore altogether that there is an extant science of social and cultural phenomena: Appreciation is what then? A feeling of some kind? A compulsion?

offering thanks is not guilt. Its appreciation.

Guilt and appreciation aren't related, they are entirely separated on the emotional "list" or whatever it is?

I don't know anyone who considers appreciation as guilt. You have strange ideas about sociology.

I didn't actually say that appreciation was the same thing as guilt. Have another look at it.