Once upon a time, a student traveled far and wide in order to expand his knowledge of the path. Much to his delight, one day he was granted an audience with a noted Zen master. When they sat down together, he shared the many things he’d been studying on his journey.

After listening politely for nearly an hour, the master called for tea. As always, the tea was prepared according to an elaborate set of rituals. When it came time to pour, the master himself performed the honors.

However, to the student’s dismay, the master didn’t stop pouring when the tea-cup was full. He continued to pour the golden liquid until it began spilling over the sides of the cup and onto the saucer. The student didn’t want to be so presumptuous as to correct the master, but when the tea began to pour over the edges of the saucer and puddle on the floor, he felt he had no choice.

‘Excuse me, oh venerable one,’ he said, careful to observe the forms of respect, ‘but you must stop pouring. The cup is full – it can take on no more tea.’

‘Ah,’ said the master with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Like this cup, your mind is full of your own ideas and accumulated learning. If you want to learn something new, first you must empty your cup!’ via source

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure