What follows is a set of reflections on the connections between preparing and serving tea and the relationship between a seeker, the teacher and the path.
Clarity of the Cup
Curve of cup catches
spill of sunlight
spouting from the king of space.
Climb this liquid bridge with me,
a bridge between two reflecting pools,
spanning a stream of sounds:
words swirl and spin with wet leaves.
We fill and empty in so many ways
here awash, aglow;
scent and taste, colors, sounds thoughts
come and go.
The flower in our throat fades,
the silence holds us open;
a wordless glance glints
in the clarity of the cup.
Homage to the Mother of tea, to the Mother of the cup: mother of the Awakened Ones! Homage to the goddesses of the five elements, who dance the dance of delight of the five senses! Homage to the tea master, embodiment of awakened heart!
This tea ceremony is not Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan or American; it is a tea ceremony of the heart. The emphasis is not on following rules, on rigidity, solemnity or religiosity. This is a ceremony of joy, service, attention, and the delight of various sensations. It is a ceremony that enacts the essence of humanity's dance with the elements and the circle of community.
The pleasant pastimes of the senses are all doorways. A little care and circumspection can open any doorway to the horizon of the human heart. This brief reflection on the practice of serving and drinking tea is dedicated to all those who can taste and smell for the purpose of both delight and ultimate freedom.
Opening
The cup traces the curve of space;
within the cup of the universe
anything and everything appear.
A cup is precious for what its not;
Its spaciousness is its preciousness.
Tea is poured from the cup of clay
to the cup of flesh:
the tongue opens to the taste of the tea.
But what is the container and what is the contained,
for tea shared with friends becomes
the cup of company.
As the tea flows, minds open to each other
and catch thoughts pouring
from the mouths of dear ones.
Preparing
Preparation of the vessel depends on two principles:
it must be complete and clean. A cracked cup will not hold;
a dirty teapot muddies the taste.
The cup is none other than the mind;
the cup is none other than the world.
Washing a cup purifies the mind;
washing a cup purifies the world.
Purifying the vessels prepares the mind;
the mind is washed clean of concerns and confusion.
Complete and clean, the vessels then open to service.
Preparing the vessel also means that the teapot be brought
to the same temperature as the boiled water, then emptied
in preparation for the leaves.
This is attunement;
when empty pot and water share the same temperature,
nothing is lost when liquid gold is poured perfectly
from pot to open cups.
As a final point, yixing clay teapots
offer the best vessel for oolong teas;
iron teapots seem to diminish subtlety of taste.
Peparing tea brings us face to face with
the manifestation of the five elements:
The secret essence of space is the mystery of the open vessel.
The secret essence of earth is the mystery of the leaves.
The secret essence of wind is the mystery of bubbles swirling out of boiling water.
The secret essence of fire is the mystery of infusion.
The secret essence of water is the mystery of drinking.
If we were to look deeply into any one of these five mysteries
we would find the mysteries of the other four as well,
for the tea ceremony is the dance of the five elements.
A teapot itself manifests the mandala of the five elements:
the space element forms the center of the teapot.
The spout side is related to air,
for displacement of air governs pouring.
The handle side is related to earth,
for this is the side that secures the teapot to your arm.
Fire and water form the other "sides" framing the teapot:
as opposites, we find fire naturally separates from the tea water as it cools.
Preparing the water has two concerns: quality and temperature.
Both depend on experience, and both require attention and care.
Certain minerals can destroy the delicate aftertaste of oolong tea
and again, temperature is the realm of the essence of fire,
and thus governs the secret of infusion.
Blanching the leaves prepares them for steeping
while providing the first cup: the boiled water is immediately poured out.
This is the cup of fragrance.
Taste is dependent on smell, so the first cup is offered to the nose.
Steeping reveals the truth of life's fragile balance,
everything has its appropriate proportion.
The size of the teapot depends on the size of company.
The amount of tea depends on the number of cups
and the size of the teapot.
Too much or too little tea or water inevitably affects the taste.
Steeping time also reflects the evanescence of life.
Mindfulness is essential,
and another vessel must be cleaned and prepared
to empty the teapot at the appropriate time.
In this way, cups can be poured and sipped at your leisure.
Mindfulness yields its sweet liquid delight;
unawareness can exhaust the leaves in a single bitter steeping.
Serving
Fill the first cup as an offering.
Offer the cup to the highest ideal;
pour a special wish beyond yourself.
Pouring tea is the art of service:
this cup of offering embodies its perfection.
As later cups are poured,
contrasts in color appear when compared to this offering cup,
accentuating life's passage.
According to Buddhist practices,
energy circulating in a clockwise fashion is the power of manifestation,
while counterclockwise circulation is the energy of opening and releasing.
Pour on the left, and the tea swirls clockwise;
pour on the right, and it swirls counterclockwise.
You can use this intention when you pour tea;
intention is powerful in proportion to our recognition
that the phenomenal world does not exist as an object "out there,"
separate from our looking.
We see what we are looking for at all times;
thus our intention leads us to the source of all blessings.
When you have finished the final cup
pour the offering cup into the ground or into a nearby stream
and it becomes a harmonizing force for the local environment.
Tasting
Small teacups disperse heat well
and accentuate nuances in the flavor of various steepings.
Some people think small teapots look impotent;
small cups seem childish to them.
But the teaset is a vessel perfectly attuned
to the subtlety and experience of change.
Taste the difference between steepings.
Taste the lingering scent in the throat and on the tongue.
Feel the clarity and joy arise in the mind.
Taste, and know yourself.
Taste and open to the company.
Pour an empty cup before the flavor has peaked.
Pour an empty cup to remind yourself of the interpenetration of emptiness and fullness.
Pour an empty cup and empty yourself into repose.
Pour an empty cup to remind yourself that service depends on openness.
After the flavor has peaked, keep pouring cups.
Everything depends on contrast;
contrasts give birth to each other.
Fine teas will retain subtle and exquisite aftertastes even after
initial tastes have peaked.
Keep pouring and enjoy the company and the cup.
Explore the experience of taste.
There are no connoisseurs of this tea ceremony;
for you are always alone to your own ineffable sensations.
Attention develops your pleasure.
Take time to examine your experience to its utmost depth.
Each taste has three phases:
an initial taste, a body taste and an aftertaste or aroma.
Watch closely as tastes come and go.
This is the essence of meditation,
a meditation on taste.
No one has any authority over your tongue.
You begin to discover your unique styles of delight
by diving into various sensations with attention.
You become expert of your own tongue
and this expertise is indisputable.
Closing
A close look at a cup being poured
always foretells of the end:
a bubble appearing on the surface
skates the golden mirror briefly
and is suddenly gone.
Now the tea ceremony is over,
And the cups and teapots are washed again.
Drinking is done, but
the sensation of clarity and delight lingers;
bringing this attention to every action
accentuates and prolongs the precious gift of tea.
This is the clarity of the cup; it is a golden cup of reflection poured from the heart of my teacher Bhakha Rinpoche which I have tried to catch in the hollow of folded hands. May it bring delight to all.