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 and then kept on pouring.
The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could 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?”
This Zen story conveys a profound message about the nature of knowledge, perception, and the pursuit of truth. Here’s an in-depth interpretation:
Nan-in, the Japanese master, represents the embodiment of Zen wisdom. The university professor, with his intellectual background and preconceived notions, symbolizes the limitations of rational thinking.
The cup of tea serves as a metaphor for the mind. Just as the cup can hold only a certain amount of liquid, our minds can only accommodate a specific amount of knowledge and understanding. When the cup is full, it represents a mind saturated with preconceptions, beliefs, and assumptions.
Nan-in’s action of pouring tea beyond the cup’s capacity signifies the futility of attempting to add more knowledge or understanding to a mind already overflowing with its own opinions and biases. The professor’s reaction, “It is overfull. No more will go in!” highlights the limitations of the human mind and its tendency to resist new ideas or perspectives that challenge its existing beliefs.
Nan-in’s statement, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?” underscores the essential requirement for spiritual growth and true understanding: the willingness to let go of preconceptions and ego. Just as the cup must be emptied to receive new tea, the mind must be cleared of its biases and assumptions to truly comprehend the nature of reality.
This story illustrates the Zen concept of “beginner’s mind,” which involves approaching life with a fresh, open, and receptive mindset, unencumbered by preconceived notions. By emptying our “cup,” we create space for new insights, perspectives, and understanding to arise, allowing us to experience the world more authentically and profoundly.
In essence, Nan-in’s message encourages us to embrace the humility of not knowing, to let go of our attachment to knowledge and ego, and to approach life with a willingness to learn, grow, and discover.
In many Eastern philosophies, such as Zen Buddhism and Taoism, the concept of “emptiness” (or “shunyata” in Sanskrit) refers to the idea of letting go of preconceptions, biases, and ego attachments to access higher states of consciousness and true understanding.
So, the image of pouring tea into an empty cup can represent the process of emptying oneself to receive the “tea” of wisdom, symbolizing the willingness to learn, grow, and evolve spiritually.