The Broken Cup

Anecdotes

-Staff

By Staff

Friday, November 7, 2008, 4:37

The Zen master Ikkyu was clever even as a boy. One day he happened to break a tea cup that his teacher had cherished it. It was a precious cup. Hearing the footsteps of his teacher, Ikkyu crossed his hands back holding the broken pieces behind him.

When the teacher arrived, Ikkyu asked : "Why do people have to die someday?"

The teacher replied "This is natural". "All that exists will have to perish someday when it will have to"

Ikkyu immediately produced the broken cup and said " The time has come for your cup to die"