A story about a famous tea maker in the ancient Japan, who worked for a powerful and distinguished master. As we all know, Japan promotes the tea ceremony as a part of Zen, in which te tea ceremony and meditation are two parts of one whole.<\/p>\n
\nOne day the master decide to go to the capital on business. He could not bear to leave his tea maker behind, so he said to him: come with me, so I can drink your tea every day. But Japan at that time was very dangerous. Bandits, and master less samurai ‘ronin’ roamed the countryside, terrorising the inhabitants.
\nThe tea maker was afraid. He said to his master: I have no skill with weapons, if I do run into trouble on the road, what will I do?
\nHis master said: carry a sword and dress as a samurai.
\nThe tea maker had no choice.
\nHe changed into a samurai’s clothes, and went with his master to the capital.
\nOne day, the master had gone out to see to his business, so the tea maker went for a walk on his own. At that moment a ronin came up to him, and challenged him, saying: you are a warrior too, I see let’s try your skill against mine. The tea maker said: I don’t know anything about fighting, I’m just a tea maker.
\nThe ronin said: you are not a samurai, but you are dressed as one. If you have any shame or self-respect at all, you should die by my blade!
\nThe tea maker racked his brains, but there was clearly no getting out of it, so he said: spare me for a few hours so I can the tasks my master gas given me. This afternoon we’ll meet again by the pond.
\nThe ronin thought it over and agreed, adding: be there or else.
\nThe tea maker hurried straight to the most famous martial arts school in the capital. He went straight to the chief samurai and said to him: I beg you, teach me the most honourable way for a samurai to die!
\nThe chief samurai was extremely surprised. He said: people come here to seek a living, you are the first one to come seeking death. Why are you doing this?
\nThe tea maker described his meeting with the ronin, and then said: making a tea is all I know, but today I must engage in mortal combat with that man, I beg you to teach me how. All I want is to die with a little honour.
\nThe chief samurai said: very well, you brew me some tea, and then I will tell you what to do.
\nThe tea maker was deeply distressed and said: this may be the last tea I prepare in this world.
\nHe did it with great attention, calmly watching the mountain spring water come to the boil on the little stove, then putting in the tea leaves, washing the tea, filtering it and pouring it out, a little at time. Then he took a cup in both hands and presented it to the chief samurai.
\nThe chief samurai had been watching the entire process. He tasted a mouthful and said: this is the best tea I have drunk in my entire life. I can tell you right now now that there is no need for you to die. The tea maker said: what will you teach me? The chief samurai said: there is no need for me to teach you anything. When you face the ronin, all you have to do is remember the state of mind you were in when you made the tea. You don’t need anything else.
\nAfter the tea maker had heard this he went to keep his appointment. The ronin was already waiting for him, and as soon as the tea maker arrived he drew his sword, saying: now you are here, let the duel begin!
\nThe tea maker had been pondering the words of the great samurai all the way, so he faced this ronin in exactly the same state of mind as when he was brewing tea. He fixed his gaze on his opponent, then he robed himself for battle from head to foot, remaining calm and unruffled throughout. The ronin was getting anxious.
\nThe more he watched the more disconcerted he became, because he could not guess how great his opponent’s skill with weapons really was. The look in the other man’s eyes and his smile were making him increasingly unsure of himself. At that moment threw himself to his knees, crying: spare my life, I beg you! I have never seen so skilled a fighter in all my life!<\/p>\n
Technique and skill are not what matter most. To fully comprehend those things that go beyond mere skill, we need to use the right attitude.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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