The Continuation of Zen and Tea
The second class of Zen Tea in Fo Guang Shan (FGS) South Island New Zealand (NZ) was held on 27th of November with Temple Supervisor, Venerable Jue Xi guiding five practitioners grouping up to 30 students. The title for the day was based on one of the Ten Great disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha, and foremost in the understanding of emptiness, Subhūti. The class began with a short story of Subhūti by Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) member, Jack Liu.
“If the heart is not here, what intention is there to enjoy tea?” is the way Jack invited the group to think before the Zen Tea ceremony starts. Venerable Jue Xi then used a phrase in the “Diamond Sutra” that reads “… because of nothingness to grow within the heart...” for the group to enjoy tea. While saying that, the venerable also paid gratitude to the practitioners in serving such good tea and vowed to serving tea to the group in the future. The venerable later expressed that in practicing Humanistic Buddhism, one could benefit in having a heart of a Bodhisattva, servicing not only Buddhism, but also the community.
Under the guidance of the venerable, practitioners made good tea focusing the mind in every moment. After enjoying, the group they felt that after busy days in their everyday life, serenading the heart down makes them feel the aroma of the tea, making them understand that calming down slowly could let them experience a beautiful life. A first time practitioner from the Young Adult Division, Pei Yi thanked everyone for giving her a chance to prepare the tea and enjoyed it; the process of preparing tea has moved her heart. BLIA member, Mr. Saw spoke out that he learned that being a person is like tea leaves; in sacrificing own self, one will not suffer, it will only flourish more.
Lastly, the venerable utters that it is fate that who one meets in life, but, the conditions of how one would meet with another is determined by the heart; with that the venerable encourages everyone to create good causes in every moment which is more worth it to life, in the meantime, encourages everyone to commit as a practitioner in preparing tea for those who attend, learn like the tea leaf, glow and flourish.