Boil water and make tea. Tao is in it
In ancient times, there was a great monk named Fa Yan Zen Master, who was famous for his profound Buddhist practice and his unique insight into life. One day, a student came to him, confused about the meaning of life, and respectfully asked, “Master, what is the way of life?” Master Fa Yan smiled and replied, “The first is to ask you to do it, and the second is also to ask you to do it.” This simple yet profound phrase means that the true meaning of life lies in practice and action, not in theory or in complex rituals. The same goes for drinking tea. When asked, “What is the way to drink tea?”
The answer is still simple and direct: “The first is to ask you to drink, and the second is to ask you to drink.” Here, tea drinking is elevated to a philosophy of life that emphasizes the experience itself rather than external forms. The true way to drink tea does not lie in complicated rituals and esoteric theories, but in the pure and spontaneous tasting process.
The meaning of drinking tea
On a deeper level, tea drinking is not just a daily habit, it is a gentle temptation to live a perfect life. In this process, people explore the delicacy and beauty of life and feel the gift of nature through a simple cup of tea. A stylized lifestyle can often limit one’s spiritual development, while drinking tea provides a way to return to nature and release the mind.
Drink tea
“Tao” is an all-encompassing concept in Chinese culture, which runs through every detail of daily life. Monasticism does not necessarily seek extraordinary things, but seeks and practices them in the ordinary things of the day. Whether it is carrying water and firewood, or eating in clothes, or even boiling water and frying tea and drinking tea in the scrubber, these seemingly ordinary behaviors contain profound philosophy. Drinking tea itself is a monastic process, and every brewing and tasting is an opportunity to talk with oneself, and a review and adjustment of the state of life.
Heat the soup, boil the water and fry the tea
At the practical level, although the steps of heating soup, boiling water and decocting tea seem simple, they actually include the accurate grasp of the heat and water temperature, as well as a deep understanding of the characteristics of tea. These are not mechanical operations, but processes that need to be perceived with the heart. In this process, people learn to follow the laws of nature, start from the heart, and naturally complete the journey of making tea again and again. Drinking tea should not adhere to fixed procedures, rules, and do not have to be advertised as a drink, you are simple, simple, do what you want.