I will introduce to you rule of the way to make of Zen-Cooking.

It is written to "Zennen-singi" that was written in China era.
"When you do cooking you can`t do without having the heart of effort.
Please change the menu according to the four seasons.
Consider that a priest-trainee is able to take the meal with a good mood. "

It is the secret of Zen-Cooking.
Firstly think about the person who eats the meals.
Please devise it to without disliking a trouble.

　It has described to Tenzo-kyokun.
You must not dislike it because there is only bad materials, and because you have good materials you need not make efforts.
Even in case when there are materials only the grass of ae neighborhood you have to cook well with making an effort and mind of devotion.

You should have the mind and make a cooking with the following condition,

・5ways raw, boil, burn, fly, steam
・5tastes hot, sour, sweet, bitter, salty
・5colors blue, yellow, red, white, black
With combining it you cook it.

You should cook it by the method that does not damage a material original characteristic taste and color.


Also, you must not forget "3 hearts".

・Heart of pleasure making pleasure, treating pleasure, pleasure of the training of Buddhism
・Heart of an old person the heart of old woman kindness, You cook it while paying attention in a detailed part.
・Big heart big deep heart. You discard captivity and become full to the Law of Buddhism and do cooking.



The next "3 virtues" should be furnished, with the cooking that you made with this mind.

Three virtues
"Light and soft" the appearance is light, taste is gentle.
"Be clean" clean and coolness
"It is conforming to the Law of Buddhism" It is made by the correct manners that the rule is kept.

In this way, loading the true mind ,Zen-Cooking is made.

Breakfast (Shojiki) rice, sesame-salt, picklees

Lunch (Tyujiki) rice with barley, miso soup, picklees, one side dish

Dinner (Yakuseki) rice with barley, miso soup, picklees, two side dishes


☆[Yakuseki]
"Yaku" is Japanese that means medicine. and "seki" means a stone.
Why is dinner called so? At one time in India the priest had 2 meals per 1day.
In the case that a priest was hungry in the evening in India, they put up with hunger by putting the warmed stone to his abdomen.
Or, when they were not able to put up with hunger inevitably, They ate little quantity reluctantly, as not a meal but a medicine.
Buddhism spread to China and became 3 meals per one day because of the difference of a climate or custom. So only the name "Yakuseki" remained.



The animal nature protein of the meat or fish etc. are not included to cooking at all for the uncruel religious commandments.
You may think it that be considerably poor menu.
Because the person who requests the Law of Buddhism hope that the worldly desires are restrained and hope frugal life.

However, a priest-trainee is hungry when training is begun.
Only half of the calorie needed for the adult male is being included to the cooking.
When he passes a half year, his body gets used.
He will stop feeling the empty stomach.
He will come to know the delicate taste of cooking or characteristic of a vegetable.

Although the every-day menu that a priest-trainee eats is very frugal,
there are meal for a special visitor or menu of the special event of a temple.
More gorgeous meal is made in the case, It requires a very sensitive art.