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The Psychology of Peace through the Way of Tea

 

By Ms. Sheila Fling

 

The history of the The Way of Tea goes back to the 12th century when monks brought tea along with Zen Buddhism from China to Japan. Perhaps partly in reaction to the violence of the warring states of Japan. tea drinking there developed by the 16th century into a refined ritual. This ritual has been practised for 400 years to survive today in the same form. Anthropologist Jennifer Anderson says the purpose of such ritual is to help one relate to a transcendent Order behind the perceived chaos in the world. Surely it fosters peace within oneself. with others. and with the environment.

In 16th century Japan. warriors left their swords in a rack outside the teahut. because it was a place of tranquility where nobility. warlords. merchants. and Buddhist monks came together to relish a time of silence. being in nature. and enjoying a bowl of tea. Although conflicts still occurred. finely crafted tea utensils were sometimes exchanged to avoid battle.

The most famous tea master of all time. who lived then. Sen Rikyu. was a Zen Buddhist monk who practiced the Way of Tea in simple. rustic austerity as a meditative path to spiritual enlightenment. Eventually he was commanded by the powerful warlord Hideyoshi to commit ritual suicide. This was perhaps partly because of Sen Rikyu's emphasis on a natural, rustic simplicity in the tea ritual in contrast to Hideyoshi's elaborate, ostentatious tea ceremonies. Perhaps it was partly because of the tea master's resistance to Hideyoshi's military efforts to dominate Japan and expand into Korea.

Descendent of that famous tea master, the current Grand Master of the Urasenke tradition that I follow, left his Japanese home for World War II with a new tea ritual his father developed for use on board ship with his navy compatriots. It must have given them great comfort. He returned after Japan's devastating defeat to find his father in the tearoom cordially serving tea to the enemy American soldiers. He realized then that, as he often says, peace can begin with a bowl of tea prepared with all the heart and received with all the heart. He has now spread the Way of Tea to about 30 countries.

In addition to Buddhism, the Tea-Way has been related to the Shinto religion (for example, its emphasis on purity), Taoism (especially the balance and harmony of yin and yang opposites), Confucianism (its stress on ordering of society and propriety), and even Christianity (possible influence on the tea ceremony by the mass as practiced by early missionaries in Japan). Ritual tea offerings are made today in Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, and Christian cathedrals as well as in embassies, homes, and simple thatched roof huts with lovely gardens in harmony with nature.

The 16th century tea master Sen Rikyu said that the most important purpose of tea is spiritual enlightenment, "It is to practice and realize the Way in accord with the Buddha's teaching". He taught the 4 principles of tea: "wa" , "kei", "sei," and 'jaku".

  1. "Wa" embodies the Taoist concept of harmony between persons as well as
    between humans and nature or the environment. The tea host carefully selects everything to harmonize: the guests, season, theme of the event, flowers, tea, sweets, and utensils. The humble politeness of participants to each other becomes more than mere form. as an emptying of self leads to an experience of oneness with others.

  2. "Kei" or respect is evident in the reverence extended to each person and to the artists involved and the careful handling of their works and to nature. This can also give rise to a sense of oneness with the participants. with each utensil being used. the tea itself. and nature. Another example of this respect is that students are admonished not to kill insects but to carefully "relocate" any that visit the tearoom.

  3. "Sei" or purity is the meticulous ceremonial purification of the setting
    andutensils and, most importantly. of oneself. For example, holding the bamboo ladel in the "mirror position" symbolically mirrors not the face but the heart to examine its purity in preparing the bowl of tea for the guest.

  4. "Jaku" or tranquility or enlightenment is not a goal for which to strive but a natural result of following the first three principles. If one practices consistently the harmony. respect. and purity within oneself. with others. with human-made objects, and with nature, a profound peace and wisdom and compassion for all will arise from the emptiness/oneness experienced. Sen Rikyu spoke of entering the serenity of nothingness and then returning to the world to behold that everyone and everything. even a tiny blade of grass. share that glorious nothingness as the basis of being. We cannot help bowing to each other.

Our current Grand Master summarizes the purpose of the Tea-Way thus: "to realize tranquility in communion with others within our world". This speaks of peace: 1. within the individual as well as 2. in relationship with others as well as 3. in harmony with the environmentuboth nature and human-made objects. The tea ceremony is a kind of meditation-in-motion with a flowing. coming­into-focus of the object and movement of each moment. then letting it go in the next moment. and with a simultaneous global awareness of guests, self. and the whole seamless context as one. Ideally this kind of meditative awareness-in-action generalizes to one's everyday activities and spreads peace naturally.

How I wish each of you could experience an intimate gathering of not more than 5 guests for tea. Meanwhile please imagine that you've accepted such an invitation and arrive early. (In the conference presentation, coloured slides illustrated the remainder of the paper.) You enter a beautiful, freshly sprinkled, natural garden through a gate. The gate symbolically reminds you, as a Lotus Sutra parable says, to leave behind the "burning house" of worldly attachments and tread the "dewy path". You wait with a few others, sitting quietly in a simple arb our and purifying the heart, emptying the mind. The host greets you with a deep bow, the silent invitation to enter the tea hut. Each moistened stepping stone heightens your awareness as you approach. At a low water basin along the way, you squat, to rinse hands and mouth, symbolic of purifying actions and speech.

The first guest opens the low sliding door and crawls in, each following in this humble way. Inside you pause to contemplate the theme of the gathering represented usually in a Zen Buddhist phrase on a scroll on the wall. You appreciate the artistry of the scroll and sometimes a vase with a simple flower.

The room is simple, rustic, and natural. It is empty with only the hearth. It may be small, only 2 or 3 or 4.5 straw mats or larger with 6 or 8 mats. The host and sometimes an assistant greet you and you individually in turn scoot forward on hands and knees to bow and express gratitude. A meal is served ceremonially with the silence broken only by gracious phrases and occasional comments about the delicious delicacies and their beautifully crafted serving dishes. This is called "kaiseki" which refers to the "warm stone" Buddhist monks used to put in their robe next to the stomach to give the illusion of not being hungry. It is tiny tidbits from the mountains and from the sea, lovingly prepared and artistically presented.

After the meal and ritual sharing of sake wine between all, the host ceremonially arranges charcoal in the hearth and places incense in it. After an artistic sweet, you go outside to refresh yourselves in silence again in the garden arbor. You kneel as the sound of a gong invites your return for the tea. You pause to purify yourself again. The host ceremonially purifies the utensils, slowly folding a silk napkin to gently wipe tea container and scoop, gracefully ladeling steaming hot water into the bowl and rinsing the bamboo whisk. One bowl of very thick tea is prepared to be shared by all in silence.

A second, lighter sweet is then served, and individual bowls of thin tea are prepared for each guest in turn. You bow three times before drinkingnto offer it first to the next person, to thank the host for it, and to lift it in gratitude to Divinity. You turn the bowl so as not to drink over the artist's work on the front and turn it back again to admire the design. You again turn it so that the design faces the person to whom you pass it. The first guest now makes a few appreciative comments or questions about the flower, its vase, or the artist who made a bowl or another utensil. Mainly you commune in silence and relish the sounds of water boiling in the kettle (often called "wind in the pines"), the tap of the bamboo scoop on the edge of the teabowl. and the bamboo whisk foaming hot water into the bright green tea powder. After all have finished. you take your turn to admire and handle some of the utensils. After individual expression of thanks. you leave. and all turn for a last bow with the host who remains in the tiny entrance until the last guest is out of sight.

Perhaps you can understand now why our Grand Master speaks of "peace through a bowl of tea". The Way of Tea is more appropriately experienced and lived than just described or shown in pictures. however. If you ever come to the USA and Texas. please contact me and I'll be honoured to serve you a bowl of tea in my simple tea room out in the hill country.

 

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Article Source : Anuvibha Reporter ( Special Issue : Dec. 2000 )
Ahimsa, Peacemaking, Conflict Prevention and Management Proceedings and Presentations
Fourth International Conference on Peace and Nonviolent Action ( IV ICPNA )
New Delhi : Nov. 10-14, 1999

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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
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