Eatrip Page #3

---

This is read, "Ryokusui Seizan".

It means "the blue of the mountains

and the green of the water'.

Not only the words on this scroll

but the entire ceremony is

for the guest's enjoyment.

Don't you find the expression curious?

The water green, the mountains blue?

It's usually the other way around.

It's a paradox...

Water and mountains are actually

symbolic of the earth.

That is the essence of this world.

The essence of what we call Buddhism.

If we try to interpret tea

in Buddhist terms,

where is Buddha? What is Buddha?

The answer is "Ryokusui Seizan".

In other words, all living things,

even the earth itself, is Buddha.

It's the root of all life.

This is what the expression means.

How impressive.

Please try the sweets first.

Please go ahead.

There's a design in the bean paste.

Really?

It's for your visual enjoyment.

I see.

Amazing.

Like the mountains.

There's the green and blue.

Yes.

The earth is symbolized by the cake.

We are graced with

the earth's blessings.

The ceremony affirms

our feelings of gratitude.

You can visualize the earth in it.

They say it's 70% water.

Just as the earth is comprised

mostly of water.

This sweet is named 'Planet of Water'.

Wow.

Please sip it slowly, it's hot.

I know there are certain phrases

used in tea ceremonies.

On TV, they often say

'Your tea is so accomplished',

but not in real life.

They don't?

It's better to use your own words.

'It tastes good'

or "it tastes bitter".

Whatever comes to mind.

It's delicious.

Thank you. We appreciate comments

in the guests' own words.

There's no set phrase.

Nothing that you must say.

It's a rare opportunity for me.

It's delicious.

To be honest, green tea

is the simplest form of tea.

You put in the powder and hot water.

It's like instant tea.

It's the simplest and easiest to drink

out of all the teas.

It could be complex, too.

There are many ways to serve tea.

It's delicious.

The primary focus is the tea,

so the sweets should be eaten first.

Eaten first?

Or just eat half and

take the rest home.

I see.

I'm going to serve one more cup

so please finish your sweets.

Then I'll make the second cup.

I didn't know how much to eat.

You eat the sweets before your tea.

The sweets should enhance

the flavor of the tea.

If you drink the tea straight,

you'll taste the bitterness.

So the sweets prepare the stomach

and the mouth

so the tea becomes more enjoyable.

So I can drink it all?

Yes, please finish it.

I'd like to learn the ritual.

If you always have to stop and think

what to do next,

it's hard to enjoy the tea.

If you could think of it as

learning in order to enjoy...

I agree.

Some people have a hard time

with the ritualistic aspect.

It seemed so intimidating at first,

but if I approach it as a means

to enjoy the tea...

Yes, enjoyment with mutual respect.

It's Ryokusui Seizan'.

Enjoying all the earth's blessings.

A shared awareness that we

are being allowed to live.

When a master and guest

both respect that ideal,

and share that understanding which

is embodied in the tea ceremony,

it manifests itself in various aspects,

like the preparation of the utensils.

How long is the history?

Very long.

How long?

Rikyu started...

Person to person.

People and food.

'Once in a lifetime'.

One who leads a vigorous life

at the ripe old age of 90.

His very presence

lends weight to his words.

Head Priest of lkegami Honmonji

Food is to be enjoyed

with all five senses.

With your eyes, your nose.

Your mouth of course, your ears,

and your sense of touch.

You taste food with all five senses.

First, by looking at the food

you can see how delicious it looks.

Then the aroma comes from the kitchen.

The aroma of food cooking is delicious.

Then there are the sounds.

For instance, on a hot day,

you can hear the swish of shaved ice

and it makes you feel cool.

It makes you want to eat it, right?

And of course, your mouth.

This is where you taste it.

Most of us think only of taste,

but we use all five senses.

And the sensation of feeling.

Let me think of an example...

At a fruit store,

when you see a melon

and touch it, you can

tell if it's ripe.

So eating really

encompasses everything.

We use all five human senses.

There's nothing more delightful

or wonderful.

You see?

If you only rationalize it,

there won't be much to talk about.

We eat three meals a day,

day in and day out.

I've been eating for 90 years.

And I never get sick of it.

That's the beauty of food.

Of eating with all five senses.

My favorite food?

I can't choose. There's too many.

I like everything I see and hear.

Everything is my favorite because

eating is my greatest joy.

We should never waste anything.

We've been taught this since childhood.

Even if we dropped one grain of rice,

my mother told us to

pick it up and eat it.

Even if we thought it was dirty,

she reminded us how this grain of rice

reached our dinner table.

What processes it underwent.

How many people worked to produce it.

How many people it took to grow it.

The hard work of all those people

allowed us to eat this rice.

To be grateful for each grain of rice.

This has to be taught at an early age.

Not understood as an adult.

Like the five senses,

it has to become a part of you.

Isn't that what's important?

I eat fermented beans every morning.

And whitebait and pickled plum.

And carrot juice.

I drink that, not eat it.

And green bell peppers.

I slice them up and mix

them into my rice porridge.

I eat these every morning

without fail.

Your health is the

most important factor.

If you're healthy,

food naturally tastes good.

And if you eat good food,

you'll be healthy. That's important.

They say "the real world is better

than a promised paradise".

Living in this world

is the most important.

No one's been to heaven. Wait,

a priest shouldn't be saying this...

But the meaning of the saying is,

it's important to live in this life,

in this moment.

To lead a vigorous life,

not a wilty life, but a vigorous life.

That's what's important.

Even us, for instance.

We're happy because we want to lead

a vigorous life.

No matter how rich you are

or what possessions you own,

if you aren't living a vigorous life,

you can't be truly happy.

So in that sense,

the key to happiness is to live.

We follow the Hokke faith.

The Way of Hokke is namely,

the Law of Milk.

The teachings of Buddha are

based on the Law of Milk.

We call it the Law of Milk.

So what is a temple?

It's like a mother's breast,

if you put it simply.

That's why I'm a breast man.

Don't laugh.

We all need milk to grow.

What does food mean to you?

Nourishment. Our life force.

Not to rationalize

what's good or bad for you,

but to feel while you eat is important.

But if it tastes good,

it must be good for you.

I think it's important to be sated

by what you eat every day.

Because food nourishes

both the body and spirit.

Do you think about it?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes