![]() When Lord Yamanouchi travelled, he always took his tea master with him, so that others could appreciate the perfection of his art. His master was so pleased with his servant, that he bestowed upon him the rank and robes of a samurai warrior. The timing and the grace of his every move from the unfurling of the mat, to the setting out of the cups, and the sifting of the green leaves, was beauty itself. No one else performed the way of the tea to such perfection. Several centuries ago, a tea master worked in the service of Lord Yamanouchi. It shows how if you are the master of yourself, you can be the master of anything. This traditional story from Japan is about the time a Samurai warrior challenged a tea master to a duel. This is expressed in the Zen parable of “The Samurai and the Tea Master”. ![]() Zen is also about letting go, but letting go in perfection, if you know you are going to fail then fail perfectly. ![]() It means that one is mindful of their full actions, you detach from the emotion of the moment and become aware or mindful of your actions. So what does Zen mean? Zen means doing anything in perfect harmony, even making perfect mistakes, being defeated perfectly, and succeeding perfectly. “Zen is the essence of all that is of value, all that is worthy of being worshiped and as such should be smashed if we get the slightest chance.” This statement is understood if we understand that Zen is purely subjective, and dangerous, and indeed variable, Zen instructs us to have courage, and say again and again, “All that can be shaken shall be shaken!” and if nothing remains, let it be so. So instead I have chosen to share the story of the “The Samurai and the Tea Master”, which expresses the essence of Zen in the act of perfection. Trying to explain or define Zen nature, by reducing it to a history lesson, and a few definitions is impossible. A guide to understanding zen buddhism and zen meditation or zazen as told in the tale of the Samurai and the Tea Master, which expresses the essence of Zen in the act of perfection ![]()
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