Gathering Tea
by JakushitsuEnglish version by Arthur Braverman
Original Language Japanese
To the branch's edge
and the leaf's under surface
be most attentive
Its pervasive aroma
envelopes people far away
The realms of form and function
can't contain it
Spring leaks profusely
through the basket
 | -- from A Quiet Room: The Poetry of Zen Master Jakushitsu, Translated by Arthur Braverman |
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Gathering tea, spiritual practice, the same...
To the branch's edge
and the leaf's under surface
be most attentive
When gathering tea, each leaf, each branch requires patient, focused attention. Jakushitsu suggests to us the level of attention required in spiritual practice. It is the gathering of the materials from which we brew our spiritual tea.
Its pervasive aroma
envelopes people far away
The realms of form and function
can't contain it
The aroma of the tea, effervescent spiritual insight, is formless, pervasive... Without having any apparent substance, it somehow manages to reach people "far away," gladdening their hearts, awakening in them the craving to taste their own tea.
Tea is the distilled awakening of the life of the leaf in springtime.
Spring leaks profusely
through the basket
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| A Quiet Room: The Poetry of Zen Master Jakushitsu | Zen Masterclass: A Graduated Course in Zen Wisdom from Traditional Masters | The Roaring Stream: A New Zen Reader | ||
