Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

In taking food, the belly is visualized as the hearth of a
fire-sacrifice and one's chopsticks, or spoon and fork,
etc., are seen as the vajra-ladles for offering that
sacrifice. In the navel-wheel, the yidam is visualized
receiving the food as an offering. This is called "the
inner fire sacrifice."
A poor man can still place aside seven rice-grains from
his plate and, putting them in water, take them outside
so that the ghosts and spirits may then partake of this
food and out of gratitude take refuge in the Buddha.
There is, in fact, a mantra which is used for the
transformation, purification, and multiplication of such
gifts and its recitation is necessary to make these
available to the ghosts (pretas). Buddhist monks and
other devoted followers always put aside food in this
spirit of the Mahayana, while using a Vajrayana method,
before they take it themselves.
Then one can give food to birds and cattle. This act is
easily done. This reminds me of a story: There was once
a famous and well-learned scholar monk who could
preach very well. Despite this, no one had enough faith
in him to become his disciple. He asked his guru, "How
is it that monks much less skilled in preaching, and with
less learning, have many followers while I have none?"
His teacher replied, "In previous lives you failed to give
to others. You must have been mean and stingy. Now,
quickly, feed as many animals each day as possible, but
before giving the food to them, this mantra must be
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