CONTENTS:
1. What’s 禅【ZEN】? It’s one of the world famous method of Buddhism and Apple’s SEO Steve Jobs was into it, too.
▶ESSAY<Coming Soon>: Morning bloom of RIKYUU. Gedding rid of unimportant things and leave only precious thigs for you…ZEN style is similar to KONMARI method!
▶3. About Japanese 仏教【BUKKYOU（Buddhism)】
▶A founder of 禅宗【ZEN-SHUU（ZEN-BUDDHISM)】was 達磨【DARUMA(Bodhidharma)】
2. In the early history of Japan, 茶【CHA／TEA】 was drunk at 禅寺【ZEN TEMPLE】and many of famous tea masters were ZEN
3. Basically, a 禅語【ZENGO（ZEN-Word）】is displayed on the 床の間【TOKONOMA（Alcove）】in a tea room and it is a theme of the tea ceremony.
4. About Popular 禅語【ZEN-GO(ZEN-words)】on hanging scrolls become a theme of the tea ceremony
▶ESSAY:To maintain silence in the tea room…4 ways and 1 way you might feel eternal.
5. Why 侘び寂び【WABI-SABI】, one of the most important values in SADOU, is needed for Japan now?
１．What’s 禅【ZEN】? It’s one of the methods to reach an enlightenment of Buddhism started by 達磨【DARUMA】.
▶Japanese 仏教【BUKKYOU（Buddhism)】
Have you heard a word 禅【ZEN】? It is said that it’s one of the ways to reach 悟り【SATORI（Enlightenment）】in Buddhism. Through meditation with 座禅【ZA-ZEN（Sitting ZEN）】,through away your unnecessary and extra thoughts, without thinking anything and become 無【MU（Nothing, Zero）】state. Then, find an answer which is inside of you and try to close an Enlightenment state named 悟り【SATORI】.
▶A founder of 禅宗【ZEN-SHUU（ZEN-BUDDHISM)】was 達磨【DARUMA(Bodhidharma)】
The book named 禅【ZEN】written by 鈴木大拙【SUZUKI-DAISETSU】was introduced to America and it became popular in 1950’s.
ZEN sprit influenced to American Hippie culture as same as Indian’s YOGA and other thoughts of oriental philosophies.
Recently, ZEN become a topic because Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs was into it.
I think ultimately simple and sophisticated design of Apple products is based on ZEN philosophy.
On the ultimately simple white screen or device like pc, the apple’s symbol mark increases it’s presence vividly.
At the same time, for example i-phone unite digital represented by 0 or 1 , and touch the screen by human fingertips and oversize or shrinks by moving fingers sensation.
2. In it’s early history,茶【CHA／TEA】in Japan was drunk at 禅寺【ZEN TEMPLE】and much of famous tea masters were ZEN monks.
A Buddhist monk 栄西【EISAI】who went to 宋【SOU】 in 15C as an exchange monk was a monk of 臨済宗【RINZAI－SYUU（RINZAI-sect）】of 禅宗【ZENSHUU（ZEN-SECT）】. He brought back 茶【CHA（Tea）】to Japan and a custom to drink tea before ZEN meditation in ZEN temple like 大徳寺【DAITOKUJI】.
At that age ( from end of 鎌倉【KAMAKURA】to 室町【MUROMACHI】era ）a lot of arts like paintings, poems, architects and dramas were influenced by 禅【ZEN】Style.
Most of famous founders of SADOU in early time like 村田珠光【MURATA-JYUKOU】, 武野紹鴎【TAKENO JYOUOU】and the most famous tea master,千利休【SENNO RIKYUU】. JYOUOU and RIKYUU were merchants of 堺【SAKAI】, but They took permissions called 印可【INGA】from 大徳寺【DAITOKU-JI】ZEN Temple. 印可【INGA】is an application or certification that improves some ones have reached 悟り【SATORI】by answering question of 禅問答【ZEN-MONDOU(ZEN questions and answers)】.
JYOUOU and RIKYUU were merchants of 堺【SAKAI】, but They took permissions called 印可【INGA】from 大徳寺【DAITOKU-JI】ZEN Temple. 印可【INGA】is an application or certification that improves some ones have reached 悟り【SATORI】by answering question of 禅問答【ZEN-MONDOU(ZEN questions and answers)】.
3. Basically, a 禅語【ZENGO（ZEN-Word）】is displayed on the 床の間【TOKONOMA（Alcove）】in a tea room and it is a theme of the tea ceremony.
Traditional architect style of お茶室【O-CHASHITU(Tea Room）】is 禅宗様式【ZENSHUU-STYLE】.
In a very small and so simple style room, there is a 床の間【TOKONOMA（Alcove)】.During Tea Ceremony, definitely 3 set of お軸／掛け軸【OJIKU/KAKEJIKU(Hanging Scroll), 花【HANA(Flower)】and 香合【KOUGOU（Seramic small container for Incenses）】are displayed on it.
Basically hanging scrolls displayed in tea ceremonies are (it might be different depend on it’s sect though,) 禅語【ZENGO（ZEN-Words）】written by monks of 大徳寺【DAITOKUJI-Temple】.
And a content written on the hanging scroll become a theme of that tea ceremony.
All tea tools like tea bowls, a name of a tea scoop, a name of sweet so on are arranged followed by the theme( It is interesting and a joy for guests to find them one by one which are hidden by host. The more you are familiar with the way of tea, the more you would find these points and it would become an lifetime-endless hobby ).
Then, when you visited the tea ceremony and ZEN words are on the alcove, it might be said you and hosts are training of 禅【ZEN】by feeling and thinking about the word deeply.
4. About popular 禅語【ZEN-GO(ZEN-words)】which is often used on hanging scroll in a tea room and become the theme of a tea ceremony.
A STORY ABOUT 喫茶去【KISSAKO】；Literally means 〝Well, please have some tea“.
In the age of 唐【TOU】 of China in 8C, two monks of Zen Buddhism came to see趙州-和尚【A Virtuous monk CHOU SHYUU 】（778-897）.
Mr.Chou Shyuu asked one monk, “Have you ever been here?” and the monk said “Yes”.
Then, Chou Shyu said “ Well, have some tea”.
Next time, Chou Shyuu asked the other monk “Have you ever been here?” And the monk said “No. It’s my first time”. Then, Chou Shyuu said “ Well, have some tea”.The owner of the temple who saw these asked Chou Shyuu “Why do you say the same thing to the person who came once and the one who came the first time?”.Then, Chou Shyuu said “Mr.!” The owner answered “Yes!”. Then, Chou Shyuu said “Well, have some tea”.
How do you think of it?
It is one of 禅問答【ZEN-Mondou ( ZEN Buddhism Questions and Answers)】.
A master asks something about kind of you know, philosophical, to his disciples.
Then, the answer was enough, the master get to know his disciple has reached an enlightenment.
The disciple get 印可【INGA( Certification of Enlightenment)】from the master after he passed the last examinate question.
It might be curious that the master only say the same thing to other persons who’s situations are different each.
It has been difficult to even Japanese persons and there are many ways to understand.
One says:
Everyone need 修行【SHUGYOU(Training for getting an enlightenment)】more.
喫茶去【KISSAKO】 also literally means ”Just have some tea and leave”.喫茶【KISSA】means “Drinking some tea” and 去【KO】means “leave”. So, it doesn’t mean in casual meaning, only just having some tea, but also having rather strict meaning.
Another says:
The monk 趙州【CHOU SHYUU】 says the same thing to every ones who are in different situations, because he meet everyone without any prejudice.
If you judge someone from past experiences, you can not see him now.
Like other ZEN word 一期一会【ICHIGO-ICHIE】: One Time-One Meeting, even if you meet someone many times, the situation and mind are different each time. You can not meet someone at the same way. SO, enjoy the moments of your meeting every time, from the deep of your heart and all of your senses.
Drinking tea in ZEN way is one of the ways to be mindfulness without any dust of your heart.
Then, you can say 喫茶去【KISSAKO】to every-one: acquaintances, meeting for the first time, and someone who is wondering about something, so on.
お茶会でよく掛けられる禅語には以下のような物があります。
●喫茶去【KISSAKO】：Ｗelcome to our tea room. Any way, please feel free to have a bowl of tea without difficult manners nor things.
●日々是好日【NICHI NICHI KORE KOUJITSU】：Even it is a rainy day, a windy, a snowy or a sunny day, it is a fine day.
●一期一会【ICHIGO-ICHIE】：Today, this time, this moment is only one time and n, this moment is only one time and never happen again. You can not meet the same person in the same situation. So, please appreciate enough every moments as if they are the last times.
●和敬清寂【WA-KEI-SEI-JYAKU（Harmony-Respect-Purify-Silence/Serenity）】
When Harmonized【和】, Respect【敬】each other, and Purify【清】 of things and mind, all happened together,then Silence【寂】 appears.
●松無古今色【MA「まつにここんのいろなし」：松の色は今も昔も変わらず緑色のエバーグリーン、不変を表す。
●竹有上下節「たけにじょうげのふしあり」：上の松の語と対になっている。松が不変で
ある一方、人間関係には上下の節（礼節など、守るべきもの）がある。
●花紅柳緑「かこうりゅうりょく」：花は紅く、柳は緑色。自然のあるがままの
美しさをたたえた語。さらには、周りをうらやむことには意味がない、という意味も。
●紅炉一点雪「こうろいってんのゆき」：優れた師匠の心は紅く燃え上がる
炉のようであり、そこに落ちた雪の一片は、一瞬で消えてしまう。
次々に現れる雑念はたちどころに消え去り、常人と違い、二点三点と広がることがない。
●白珪尚可磨【HAKKI NAO MIGAKU BESHI】:It is important to keep brushing a beautiful white jade even it is completed.
●知足【CHISOKU】Knowing to be enough.
●壺中日月長「こちゅうじつげつながし」：中国の後漢書に、ある薬売りの老人が店を
閉めたあと、ひょっと壺の中に入り仙境のような素晴らしい世界を楽しんでいたという話がある。
無理を言って一緒に壺の中に連れて行ってもらった役人が数日を過ごして帰ると、こちらの世界では
数十年も経っていたという。
ここから発展し、壺の中のような小さな茶室の空間においても、心豊かに仙境の心持ちで
楽しみ暮らすことができる、という意味でも使われている。
●本来無一物「ほんらいむいちもつ」：。人間は生まれた時は何も持っておらず、
物事を難しく考えることもなかった。あるいは物事は全て空（くう）であるから、
執着するべきものは何ひとつない。全てのものは「空（くう）」である、という
般若心経にも繰り返し説かれている禅の真骨頂である。
●無一物中無尽蔵「むいちもつちゅうむじんぞう」：一方、無一物の中にはいくら
取ってもなくならない無限の物が含まれている、という禅語もある。
執着を離れたところに、全てが与えられるというところだろうか。
●〇（円相）【EN-SOU】It means harmonized university by perfect round.
是非、お気に入りの禅語を見つけてみては如何でしょうか。
お床に掛けられるのは基本的に禅語のみ
お茶会で永遠を感じられる瞬間
茶道【SADOU】is influenced by 禅【ZEN】Buddhism and I think ”The Way Of Tea” is A Way to reach 悟り【SATORI】enlightenment of Buddhism.
Spirit of 禅【ZEN】 Buddhism are living everywhere in the tea room, and in the mind of tea master.
One bowl of 抹茶【MACYA】for a guest is prepared and served in stipulated traditional movement long from 4oo years ago, politely and carefully, by the tea master, with the mind of OMOTENASHI; Japanese hospitality.
禅語【ZEN-GO】Words of ZEN on tea hanging scroll is the theme of the tea ceremony and every utilities are selected by host to fit the theme.
For example, on the alcove, ZEN word is written on a hanging scroll and it’ a theme of the ceremony( Ex. 和敬清寂【WA-KEI-SEI-JYAKU（Harmony-Respect-Purify-Silence/Serenity）】 ; When Harmony, Respect each other and Purify of things and mind happened , Silence appears).
喫茶去【KISSAKO】
松無古今色
壺中長日月
白桂尚磨
花紅柳緑
Leave a Reply