Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inqure 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 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?” ― Nyogen Senzaki
Wandering Ronin commentary: This is a very famous case in Zen history that I'm sure many of you have heard before. After reading this just now, I had a thought: is it possible through the study of Zen that what we learn can actually have an opposing effect of holding us back at some point? Many Zen masters have decried attachments to any particular method in practice; is there a point where the texts can add more attachments and delusions and have a detrimental effect?
Submitted March 03, 2018 at 04:55AM by WanderingRonin77 http://ift.tt/2HZgofh
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