Zen Buddhism has had a big influence on the development of tea ceremony in Japan. The Tea Ceremony was a custom which came to Japan from continental China and had a dramatic influence on the country’s culture.
Zen Buddhism has strengthened the relevance of this ceremony because it is done within tranquil surroundings influenced by nature. This tea is served in a tranquil environment and involves a set of practices which hold a lot of relevance to all those who participate in the ceremony. The ceremony is organized by a skilled expert who needs to be familiar with different types of tea.
This practice is deeply rooted in Zen Buddhism and gives more relevance to the ideas of harmony, respect, purity and tranquility. These ideas are combined with the design of the gardens, art forms, external and internal décor, within settings where the ceremony takes place.
Zen Buddhism makes followers have a world view which is mainly influenced by nature. Therefore, it makes followers appreciate the harmony which exists in the simplicity of nature and the way it influences form and beauty. Zen Buddhism encourages all those who take part in the Tea Ceremony to meditate more, to enable them have a deeper reflection of themselves and the kind of lives they are leading.
The ceremony encourages strong spiritualism and those who participate in it must make their minds and bodies relax, to help them meditate fully on their purpose in this world. This makes people who participate in the tea ceremony to have a more intellectual insight into all things which contribute to existence. The four concepts which influence the discipline of the tea ceremony will be discussed below.
The ‘Wa’ (Harmony) principle emphasizes a feeling of unity between nature and human beings. This is reinforced in the tea ceremony in the way the host relates with his guests and the way guests relate with each other. The principle focuses on the changing season because it helps to bring out the mood in the ceremony.
The Kei (Respect) principle emphasizes the importance of showing gratitude to oneself and to the life one lives everyday. It also emphasizes the importance of showing respect to the external environment and other physical objects because they have a special place in worldly existence.
This principle makes the host to be hospitable to his guests. Guests are required to care about the welfare of other people and handle other inanimate objects around them more respectfully.
The Sei (Purity) principle emphasizes cleanliness and holiness, both physically and spiritually. This cleanliness is deeply associated with enlightenment and is a crucial practice in Zen Buddhism. Guests are required to clean their hands and mouths before entering the venue where the tea ceremony is performed. This makes them more pure in body and spirit to enable them become more enlightened.
The Jaku (Tranquility) principle is attained by people who focus attentively on the first three principles of harmony, respect and purity. This requires every individual who takes part in a tea ceremony to have inner drive which helps him or her stay calm and still. It requires participants to have a more spiritual outlook to life to enable them attain tranquility in their bodies and in their minds.
Bibliography
Dumoulin, Heinrich. Zen Buddhism: Japan. London: World Wisdom Inc, 2005.
Towler, Solala. Cha Dao: The Way of Tea, Tea as a Way of Life. Tokyo: Singing Dragon, 2010.