何にても 道具扱うたびごとに 取る手はかるく 置く手重かれ
Whatever utensil you handle, pick it up as if it were light and put it down as if it were heavy.
今までは利休百首からお茶をお稽古していく上での心構えをいくつか拾い上げてきましたが、今月よりテクニック上の教えをピックアップしてみました。
During our tea ceremony practice, we have been reading one poem at a time from Rikyu’s One Hundred Poems. Previously, we focused on his poems about the principles of the tea ceremony; however, starting this month, we will read poems focused on tea ceremony techniques.
お稽古の時に『利休さんは重たいものは軽く、軽いものは重たそうに扱うように言ってます』って生徒さんに説明していたのですが、利休居士は上記のようなことも百首の中で説いています。確かにお点前中でもまた日常生活の中でも、取る手を軽くすると物腰に優しさ爽やかさが感じられますし、ものを置く時に軽くぞんざいにすると、とても乱暴な感じがして受ける側は不快な思いをすることがあったりします。置く手を重くすることで丁寧で物を大切にしている感じがうけとれますよね。これは正に利休さんの美学だと思います.
I have been occasionally quoting one of his poems and telling students to handle the heavy utensils like feathers and light ones like iron. This poem also refers to the technique of handling utensils.When you lift things up lightly, your manner looks soft and elegant, and when you are putting things down like heavy material, it looks like you are handling it with care. In other words, if you put things on the floor too quickly, your action will come across as rude to the receiver. Even a slight change in the movement like this can make a difference in showing the consideration toward the utensils as well as the guests. This, I think, is one guiding principle of Rikyu’s aesthetic.