Beginner's Mind
Once, a professor went to a Zen Master. He asked him to explain the meaning of
Zen. The Master quietly poured a cup of tea. The cup was full but he continued
to pour.
The professor could not stand this any longer, so he questioned the Master impatiently,
"Why do you keep pouring when the cup is full?"
"I want to point out to you," the Master said, "that you are similarly
attempting to understand Zen while your mind is full. First, empty your mind of
preconceptions before you attempt to understand Zen."
"If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open
to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's
mind there are few."--Suzuki Roshi
