WABI
THE CENTRAL ESSENCE OF THE TEA CEREMONY
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The central essence of the Tea Ceremony of the fore-mentioned Great Masters was the concept of "Wabi". "Wabi" literally means desolation. Zen philosophy takes the positive side of this word, it says that the greatest wealth is found in desolation and poverty because we look inside ourselves and find true spiritual wealth there when we have no attachments to material things. Sen no Rikyu stressed the importance of seeking richness in poverty and beauty in simplicity. Takeno Jouou quoted the following poem as the ideal of "Wabi":
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As I look afar
I see neither cherry blossom
Nor tinted leaves
Only a modest hut on the coast
In the dusk of autumn nightfall.
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