The Indian legend regarding the discovery of tea is associated with the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, an important figure in the Buddhist tradition. According to the legend, Bodhidharma, who is credited with founding the Zen school of Buddhism, traveled to China to spread Buddhist teachings.
The story goes that during his meditations, Bodhidharma fell asleep. Upon waking and discovering that he had succumbed to sleep, he was so distraught that he cut off his eyelids in frustration over his failure to stay awake. Where his eyelids fell to the ground, tea plants sprang up. The leaves of these plants, when brewed into a drink, had the power to prevent sleep, thus aiding meditation and concentration.
This legend is more metaphorical than historical, emphasizing the importance of tea in Buddhist monastic practices due to its ability to aid in prolonged meditation sessions. While this story is popular in cultural folklore, the actual origins of tea are likely to be more complex and less mythical, involving ancient agriculture and trade practices in the regions of what are now southwestern China, Tibet, and northern India.
