The Compassionate Kitchen: Buddhist Practices for Eating with Mindfulness and Gratitude

by Thubten Chodron

Eating as a spiritual practice: wisdom from the Buddhist tradition that you can use at home.

Every aspect of our daily activities can be a part of spiritual practice if done with compassion—and this compact guide offers wisdom from the Buddhist tradition on how eating mindfully can nourish the mind as well as the body.

Thubten Chodron, abbess of Sravasti Abbey in Washington state, shows us that eating and activities related to it—preparation of food, offering and consuming it, and cleaning up afterward—can contribute to awakening and to increased kindness and care toward others. Chodron offers traditional Buddhist teachings and specific practices used at the Abbey, along with advice for taking the principles into our own home in order to make the sharing of food a spiritual intention for anyone. By eating consciously and mindfully—and by including certain rituals—we find ourselves less obsessive about food and can enjoy our meals more.

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction, Cooking, Meditation, Food, Spirituality, Health

144 pages, Paperback

Published December 11, 2018

About the author

Born in 1950, Venerable Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron (Ch: 圖丹.卻淮) grew up near Los Angeles. She graduated with a B.A. in History from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1971. After travelling through Europe, North Africa and Asia for one and a half years, she received a teaching credential and went to the University of Southern California to do post-graduate work in Education while working as a teacher in the Los Angeles City School System.

In 1975, she attended a meditation course given by Ven. Lama Yeshe and Ven. Zopa Rinpoche, and subsequently went to their monastery in Nepal to continue to study and practice Buddha's teachings. In 1977, she received the sramanerika (novice) ordination, and in 1986, received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan.

She studied and practiced Buddhism of the Tibetan tradition for many years in India and Nepal under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tsenzhap Serkong Rinpoche, Zopa Rinpoche and other Tibetan masters for many years. She directed the spiritual program at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute in Italy for nearly two years, studied three years at Dorje Pamo Monastery in France, and was resident teacher at Amitabha Buddhist Center in Singapore. For ten years she was resident teacher at Dharma Friendship Founation in Seattle, where she continues to be spiritual advisor.

Ven. Chodron was a co-organizer of Life as a Western Buddhist Nun, and took part in the conferences of Western Buddhist teachers with H.H. the Dalai Lama in 1993 and 1994. She was present during the Jewish delegation's visit to Dharamsala, India, in 1990, which was the basis for Rodger Kamenetz' The Jew in the Lotus, and attended the Second Gethsemani Encounter in 2002. She is keen on interreligious dialogue. She has also been present at several of the Mind-Life Conferences in which H. H. the Dalai Lama dialogues with Western scientists.

Ven. Chodron travels worldwide to teach the Dharma: North America, Latin America, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, and former communist countries.. Seeing the importance and necessity of a monastery for Westerners training in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, she founded Sravasti Abbey and is currently involved in developing it.

Ven. Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well-known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings.

Reviews

[Artemisia Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little primer on Buddhist practices around the preparation and consumption of the food we bring into our homes and eat and share with our families and others. Beginning with the very simple act of eating with mindful attention, The Compassionate Kitchen goes beyond the basics to the special rituals and dedications used at mealtimes in Buddhist monasteries like the author’s own abbey in Washington state. In a culture like our own, known for fast-food meals and eating on the run, there is much to think about here, even if only the simplest understanding about making our meals more mindfully attended, with gratitude and reverence for the blessings we receive and the many hands that contribute to bringing what we eat to our tables.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the title and beautiful cover of THE COMPASSIONATE KITCHEN, in which author Thubten Chodron offers a Buddhist perspective on eating mindfully with gratitude. The author, abbess of Sravasti Abbey in Washington state, shows how eating and associated activities — cooking, serving and consuming food, and cleaning up after a meal — can all be performed with spiritual awareness and kindness towards others.

Chodron combines traditional Buddhist teachings with practices used at the Abbey, as she teaches us how to apply these principles to our own lives. We learn how to make the sharing of food a spiritual practice, while becoming less obsessed with food and enjoying it more. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 11 Dec 2018

Thanks to Shambhala Publications, Inc. and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#CompassionateKitchen #NetGalley

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. It gives deep insight into the day to day of a buddhist Abby (of which the authorbisnhead of), especially in regards to the (Tibetan) monastic relationship with food. However, note that this is not for someone brand new to buddhism.

[Sylvia Coopersmith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think my rating has more to do with my expectations than the content of this book. Let’s just say, it’s way more digestible (pun intended) if you are deep in a Buddhist practice. Definitely not for the mindfully curious or spiritually leaning beginner - it’s way more about a deeply religious way of life. Even if you are a seasoned dharma practitioner, the tone still comes off as prescriptive and ironically not really centered on food or eating at all, and way more on principles. I was drawn in by the concept and cover, but sadly was disappointed.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative about the Buddhist way of eating.... it includes many insights with regard to choices and lifestyle of monastics...Though there are pretty strict rituals and rules, it is a beautiful philosophy that we can all consider to improve our relationship with food and gratitude for the many things that come together to produce and deliver the food we eat... it also gives ecouragement to eat without killing other species... Informative and beauifuly written.

[Adam Zuwerink · Rating 2 out of 5]

For some reason I feel bad writing this 2-star review compared to others - maybe because I have no issue with the author or her Buddhist liturgy, which I am sure is very moving when experienced in person.

But I found the writing style of this book as dry as the food she describes. I was hoping for a lot more Buddhist ecology around the growing and consumption of food, and a lot less recitation of the liturgical prayers that this Abbey recites during mealtime.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those who practice more Vajrayana flavored forms of Buddhism, this little book has some wisdom and explication behind various blessings and chants performed at mealtimes, as well as some practical explanations for some of the various precepts. I personally found it a little dry and uninteresting, but like all dharma books, I found a little here to digest.

[Mollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be an excellent resource for someone who is seriously interested in a Buddhism. I appreciate Buddhism but was hoping for something more generalizable to a broader range of readership.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

An explication and explanation of the prayers and chants used at the main meal.Very helpful.

[Ning Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eat to nourish. I like that. In the abby, they eat in silence, to appreciate the food, to connect with the mind.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primer on mindfulness in eating.

[Sean Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting info and kind of slow