A Zen Story - Incense Burner
Kame shows us what it means to live without clinging to results.
A woman of Nagasaki named Kame was one of the few makers of incense burners in Japan. Such a burner is a work of art to be used only in a tearoom or before a family shrine.
Kame, whose father before her had been such an artist, was fond of drinking. She also smoked and associated with men most of the time. Whenever she made a little money she gave a feast inviting artists, poets, carpenters, workers, men of many vocations and avocations. In their association she evolved her designs.
Kame was exceedingly slow in creating, but when her work was finished it was always a masterpiece. Her burners were treasured in homes whose womenfolk never drank, smoked, or associated freely with men.
The mayor of Nagasaki once requested Kame to design an incense burner for him. She delayed doing so until almost half a year had passed. At that time the mayor, who had been promoted to office in a distant city, visited her. He urged Kame to begin work on his burner.
At last receiving the inspiration, Kame made the incense burner. After it was completed she placed it upon a table. She looked at it long and carefully. She smoked and drank before it as if it were her own company. All day she observed it.
At last, picking up a hammer, Kame smashed it to bits. She saw it was not the perfect creation her mind demanded.
My Reflection on Kame's Masterpiece:
In this story, Kame’s life and work reflect the heart of Zen—free, unbound by rules or conventional standards. She drinks, smokes, and mingles with all kinds of people, drawing inspiration from life itself. Her artistry, like the natural world, flows from spontaneity. There’s no rush, no urgency—just the patient unfolding of things.
When Kame creates her incense burner, it’s not a mechanical act of craftsmanship. She doesn’t just make an object; she lets the form arise from her connection to the world around her. But when she finally looks at it—truly looks—she sees that it doesn’t match the inner vision she had. In that moment, she smashes it.
Why? Because Kame isn’t attached to her creation. In Zen, attachment to form is an obstacle. The incense burner is just a temporary expression of something deeper. When Kame realizes that it doesn’t fully express that deeper truth, she lets it go without hesitation.
Her act of destruction is as natural as her creation. Zen teaches that everything comes from emptiness and returns to it. The process matters more than the outcome. Kame’s freedom lies in seeing that neither creation nor destruction holds ultimate value. Both are just part of the same flowing reality.
In the end, Kame shows us what it means to live without clinging to results. Whether it’s a work of art or life itself, nothing is ever fixed or perfect. It’s the ability to move with this truth—to create and let go—that reveals the true essence of Zen.