Daily Dharma: Full

Today's Daily Dharma from Tricycle offers a nice parable about being filled with certainties and opinions -- and why we need beginner's mind.

Full

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full then kept on pouring. The professor watched the cup overflow until he could no longer restrain himself.

"it is overfull. No more will go in."

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

~ Paul Reps, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones; From Everyday Mind, a Tricycle book edited by Jean Smith.

Tags: Buddhism, Zen, full, Paul Reps, Zen Flesh Zen Bones, beginner's mind, Daily Dharma, Tricycle