Emptying the cup
Don't stop me if you have heard this one.
A well known Zen master was used to people paying a visit seeking tutelage or counsel. His openness was known far and wide. He rarely turned anyone away.
One day, a very powerful and rich man came with an entourage and sought audience with the Zen master. An audience was granted and the man sat with the master and said, "I want you to teach me all about Zen and the secrets of enlightenment so that I may be like you." The Zen master smiled and reflected on his words. He recognized that this was a man who was used to having his way.
The Zen master replied, "perhaps we will discuss this over tea." Tea was served and the master began pouring the man a cup. The man watched as the cup went from empty to half-full to full and then as the tea overflowed on to the table and eventually on to him. He erupted quite quickly and somewhat expectedly.
"Enough. Can you not see the cup is full," he shouted. "You are spilling the tea everywhere!"
The Zen master smiled and simply said, " the cup of tea is like you. It is too full and cannot receive more. If am to pour what I have into it, it must be empty."
He passed the man the full cup of tea and said, "come back when your cup is empty. I will fill it for you properly," and bade the man farewell.
That is one version. There are many with the same basic message.
How does this apply to karate? or kobudo? Or anything we do in life.
If we seek someone out, we must be ready to receive. Our mind, like a cup - or any vessel - must be emptied and ready to receive what is given.
Let me break it down for you even more.
I have seen many things over the years.
I have watched karateka seeking favour by demonstrating to their seniors just how full their cup is. Yet, what is in their cup is likely of low quality or has a bitter taste. But to them, they want to impress on people more senior that this full cup should be indicative of their worthiness to receive more - which is often of a far higher quality than what their cup holds.
I have seen karateka seek to have their cup filled but spend too much time comparing that which is to be offered into their cup with what their cup already holds. Or better yet, they claim to want to fill their cup but spend an inordinate amount of time pontificating about what is already in their cup. Or worse, their cup gets filled and then they whine and prattle on about what they have received: it's not enough, it's too cold, it has a bitter taste, they want something more. Do I have sugar for the tea? Or maybe one of those fancy creamers. Do I not have an infused blend or something.
Wow.
Despite any amount of time I have spent on the floor, I have always been willing to start back at the bottom. I have worn more white belts in the past 20 years of training than I did in the first 20. And I am OK with that. As a white belt, I don't feel a need to show off and demonstrate that I have emptied my cup. I simply place it so that I am ready to receive whatever content is poured in. I don't complain. I don't compare. I don't scoff at what is offered. It's not an act of humility. It is humility. It is the acceptance of and appreciation for whatever is given to me. I am grateful for every drop I have ever received.
I have had students from different schools train with me in the past 30 years. Some came in and identified that they had trained before. It would be obvious even without them saying, but I appreciated it. These ones had an empty cup, but I knew that they would be grateful for what I gave them. I have had many who previously trained in something else who would constantly point out that in their previous style, they did something this way or that. Or that what I have shown them would not work because they learned to do it this way in X and that was the most effective way. Or maybe they changed their mind about wanting a cup after all.
So, yeh, mmm-kay, why did you come to me again? Maybe they have a spot on the floor for you back at your old school. No? They closed? You quit? Whatever the excuse? Great. Well, sorry, until your attitude changes; not much I can or will do for you until that happens. I gave you a cup and your filled it yourself.
Now I could go on a tangent about the value of speciality teas teas and different-sized cups and boutique tea shops. I won't but I will leave you with this thought - that rings as true for the concept of tea as it does for learning an art from a reputable instructor. Do you want to be a mass consumer? One who pays more for something that is maybe like tea but is not really completely tea-like? Do you a bulk-produced product or would you prefer one that is specially made for you and shared in a proper formal fashion?
Maybe that is too much to swallow for some people.
Whatever the case, when you're ready to really quench your thirst for learning, empty your cup then tcome back and see me. Until that time, thank you for coming.
A well known Zen master was used to people paying a visit seeking tutelage or counsel. His openness was known far and wide. He rarely turned anyone away.
One day, a very powerful and rich man came with an entourage and sought audience with the Zen master. An audience was granted and the man sat with the master and said, "I want you to teach me all about Zen and the secrets of enlightenment so that I may be like you." The Zen master smiled and reflected on his words. He recognized that this was a man who was used to having his way.
The Zen master replied, "perhaps we will discuss this over tea." Tea was served and the master began pouring the man a cup. The man watched as the cup went from empty to half-full to full and then as the tea overflowed on to the table and eventually on to him. He erupted quite quickly and somewhat expectedly.
"Enough. Can you not see the cup is full," he shouted. "You are spilling the tea everywhere!"
The Zen master smiled and simply said, " the cup of tea is like you. It is too full and cannot receive more. If am to pour what I have into it, it must be empty."
He passed the man the full cup of tea and said, "come back when your cup is empty. I will fill it for you properly," and bade the man farewell.
That is one version. There are many with the same basic message.
How does this apply to karate? or kobudo? Or anything we do in life.
If we seek someone out, we must be ready to receive. Our mind, like a cup - or any vessel - must be emptied and ready to receive what is given.
Let me break it down for you even more.
I have seen many things over the years.
I have watched karateka seeking favour by demonstrating to their seniors just how full their cup is. Yet, what is in their cup is likely of low quality or has a bitter taste. But to them, they want to impress on people more senior that this full cup should be indicative of their worthiness to receive more - which is often of a far higher quality than what their cup holds.
I have seen karateka seek to have their cup filled but spend too much time comparing that which is to be offered into their cup with what their cup already holds. Or better yet, they claim to want to fill their cup but spend an inordinate amount of time pontificating about what is already in their cup. Or worse, their cup gets filled and then they whine and prattle on about what they have received: it's not enough, it's too cold, it has a bitter taste, they want something more. Do I have sugar for the tea? Or maybe one of those fancy creamers. Do I not have an infused blend or something.
Wow.
Despite any amount of time I have spent on the floor, I have always been willing to start back at the bottom. I have worn more white belts in the past 20 years of training than I did in the first 20. And I am OK with that. As a white belt, I don't feel a need to show off and demonstrate that I have emptied my cup. I simply place it so that I am ready to receive whatever content is poured in. I don't complain. I don't compare. I don't scoff at what is offered. It's not an act of humility. It is humility. It is the acceptance of and appreciation for whatever is given to me. I am grateful for every drop I have ever received.
I have had students from different schools train with me in the past 30 years. Some came in and identified that they had trained before. It would be obvious even without them saying, but I appreciated it. These ones had an empty cup, but I knew that they would be grateful for what I gave them. I have had many who previously trained in something else who would constantly point out that in their previous style, they did something this way or that. Or that what I have shown them would not work because they learned to do it this way in X and that was the most effective way. Or maybe they changed their mind about wanting a cup after all.
So, yeh, mmm-kay, why did you come to me again? Maybe they have a spot on the floor for you back at your old school. No? They closed? You quit? Whatever the excuse? Great. Well, sorry, until your attitude changes; not much I can or will do for you until that happens. I gave you a cup and your filled it yourself.
Now I could go on a tangent about the value of speciality teas teas and different-sized cups and boutique tea shops. I won't but I will leave you with this thought - that rings as true for the concept of tea as it does for learning an art from a reputable instructor. Do you want to be a mass consumer? One who pays more for something that is maybe like tea but is not really completely tea-like? Do you a bulk-produced product or would you prefer one that is specially made for you and shared in a proper formal fashion?
Maybe that is too much to swallow for some people.
Whatever the case, when you're ready to really quench your thirst for learning, empty your cup then tcome back and see me. Until that time, thank you for coming.
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