Prayer of thanksgiving

Prayer for thanksgiving is the expression of gratitude to the one who bestows good.

It can be addressed to the Supreme Good, God who is the Source of all goods, as well as to those people and things that mediate in the sharing of Good. Saying "thank you", "I'm happy" expresses the joy of the gift received. Such expressions of gratitude can be directed both to the one who stimulated the gift, that is to the Spirit of Love itself, as well as to the persons through whom the gift was granted, as well as to the things in which persons and love are made present. Perfect, full and supernatural thanks are due only to God.

Thank you is not yet a prayer of thanksgiving, but it is what is necessary for it. Thanks are based on: (1) good, (2) giving good and (3) accepting good. This means that to be able to thank, we must have some good that is given and accepted. Good can be of different types. Generally speaking about material and spiritual goods, etc. The basis here is the recognition of the existence of good. When we are able to recognize the good, we open ourselves to its reception. On the other hand, without this diagnosis or if we see everything as bad, we are closed and there is no way to accept what is good.

After recognizing the good, the person realizes his need – he notes a lack, a certain emptiness – a place to receive a good. The trust that good is revealing is personally available, is another step towards gratitude and thanksgiving. Therefore, we have the recognition of good and trust that good can become our own. In this consciousness and expectation, the person's heart becomes gifted to receive goodness and various types of goods depending on desires and needs. Because this expectation arises, and the person disposing of the goods is overwhelmed by the spirit of Love and sees the various desires of souls, he gives his goods according to the capacity of the host. In this way, good is given.

Good is accepted depending on the will of the needy, and this will, in turn, depends on the recognition. Recognizing the good and its need in itself, the person opens himself to the gift and is able to receive it. In this way, the foundation for thanking is built. The acceptance of the good, however, is not yet thanksgiving, because the good can be appropriated, assigned to itself, or be considered due, well-deserved. So the ultimate factor of gratitude is to recognize the received good as an unmerited gift. This kind of gift is also called grace and is necessarily connected with gratitude. For grace to be alive and effective, it must be received with gratitude. Otherwise, it will be lost.

In Buddhist action, gratitude is present in accepting alms, and also as a stimulant to develop an enlightened attitude of the mind called bodhichitta (bodhicitta).

Alms affair especially affects monks who persist from voluntary gifts. The monks express their usual gratitude, often also praying before the Buddha, when they receive from others what they need for life. This kind of gratitude is present and recommended in both smaller Buddhism (Hīnayāna, Tib. tekciung, tekpa ciungu (theg chung / theg pa chung ngu).)), and the larger one ^[1]ahāyāna, tib. tekcien / tekpa thinpo (theg chen / theg pa chen po). proceedings.

In one of the stories about the Buddha ^[2]Sutra from the department of Vinya (Vinaya), called Pabbadzdźia (Pabbajjā). The current translation is based on the English translation from the Pali language published by the Pali Text Sutra from … Continue reading We can read this conversation:

«What help from this brahmana do you remember, Sariputta ^[3]Sāriputta.?»
"Lord, when I was here in Radziagaha ^[4]Rājagaha. In charity, this brāhma poda gave me spoon alms ^[5]Almsmaid from the food served with a ladle.. This, Lord, is the service I remember, made by this brahmana ».
«Well, Sariputta, that's good. Indeed, those who are truly human, Sariputta, are thankful and grateful. Therefore, Sariputta, may this brahmana come and consecrate him »

Gratitude as a factor in the enlightened attitude of the mind manifests itself especially in gratitude to parents. In the case of Buddhist teachings of great conduct, all sentient beings are perceived as parents. Every living being could someday somehow enter into a relationship with a particular person and be a parent for it – a mother or a father. Thus, feeling gratitude for the received parental goodness, there arises a desire to give back to everyone and bring everyone appropriate help, which also leads to the commitment to lead everyone to salvation.

In this way various virtues are developed, among which the basic is gift or giving – the ability to sacrifice oneself and one's own for others. The virtues called transitions or paramites ^[6]Pāramitā, Tib. parćin / paroltu ćinpa (phar phyin / pha rol tu phyin pa). grow out of the soul of a rational or enlightened mind, and have gratitude in their very nature. So every Buddhist prayer on the path of great conduct ^[7]mahajana is set on gratitude and must contain gratitude to be fruitful.

Prayer of thanksgiving is maintained, repeated, strengthened, develops great joy, making of a person who is praying, always ready and charitable, really useful. Such prayer removes greed and lust, while at the same time developing openness and honesty. That's how we fulfill ourselves and help others. Regardless of the culture or religion in which gratitude is manifested, it is what ennobles man and elevates him above personal desires and limitations. So it is needed for a good, right life. Gratitude is expressed in various ways through words and deeds, but ultimately it is to be a transformation of one's entire life into one great thanksgiving.