Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

KAHI. I do this every day with the thought: "Please take
this." I offer it with both hands and pour it on the
ground. If a dog comes, some spirit may be with it, so
do not drive the animal away. In fact, one should let any
creature take it.
There are more reasons for offering food or drink before
taking it oneself, as the following story shows. A monk
in Tibet was once passing through a mountainous area.
An evil spirit of that place transformed itself into the
shape of a female wine-seller, but what was sold as
wine was really poison. The monk, after toiling over
such a rough road, was very thirsty. Seeing the wine, he
wanted to drink some. He took a glass of it, raised it to
his lips, and then, just in time, remembered to offer it
first. He pronounced OM AH HUM, and then saw the
true poisonous nature of the wine. If he had not
remembered to make the offering, he would have died.
Some persons also give with a concealed
intention—they desire you or want to get something
from you. For this purpose they may present a yogi with
charmed food over which a spell has been spoken. If
one greedily takes it all oneself, then one is cursed and
falls into their power. On the other hand, if one offers
the food and only takes part of it, then only a partial
effect is possible.
In general, OM AH HUM is the complete safeguard and
no harm can come after it has been pronounced.
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