In the early days of Ling Chuan Monastery, there was a lay disciple who sincerely offered bitter-tea to the monastery. The monks and nuns at the monastery did not like to drink the bitter tea and always put it aside.

Observing this the Master said, “Since you do not like the bitterness, let me drink it for you.”

  * In Chinese the pronunciation of “bitterness” is the same as “suffering.”