EMPTY CUP

A young professor went to meet Nan-in to discuss Zen. The professor quizzed him on comparative philosophies and the Zen master gave some brief answers. However, when the professor began to debate with him on those answers, Nan-in stopped speaking and kept smiling at him. Eventually, the professor got angry, "I have travelled a distance just to understand the relevance of Zen. But apparently you have nothing to say."

In response, Nan-in offered tea to the professor. He kept pouring into his guest’s cup even when it was full. As the tea started spilling, the professor shouted, “the cup is full… no more tea will go in!” “Like this cup,” Nan-in said politely, “You are full of your own assumptions and presumptions. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

It is pertinent to note that fresh learning cannot really happen until unlearning has happened. In our personal, professional and social life, we need to unlearn habits, prejudices and most importantly our “know-all-attitude” that prevents fresh learning. It is necessary to inculcate humility and an open-minded attitude in our quest to further our learning processes. Without the right attitude, it is not possible for us to acquire knowledge and skills.

It is said so well, ‘Forget learning, learn forgetting’
‘Empty the cup’ to BE BETTER at true unlearning!

- Pravin K. Sabnis