3 Most Dangerous Words and the Empty Cup

I still remember that untill fours ago i would passionately participate in many groups and tried to prove myself by sharing whatever i have read or knew about different things until one day I saw myself not growing further!

It was in a seminar when the facilitator said, “If you think you know, then you won’t learn something new about it, and when you won’t learn something new about it while others do, one day will come when you will see yourself left behind…”

Trying to think of myself right there, I saw he is talking to me, contented with what I knew and being proud of them, I had closed the doors to new and better information about principles of life.
Right there I made my cup empty to fill them with new and better things; therefore since four years ago, I changed my mind and I left it open to new information.

Nowadays, I still see people (even among my friends) who are like who I was four years ago, so when I see they resist to accept the change they have to go through for them to be more successful; I share with them the story of “Empty Cup!”;

A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. “It’s overfull! No more will go in!” the professor blurted. “You are like this cup,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

Let me share with you more of People’s reactions to this story:

· “You cannot learn anything if you already feel that you know.”
· “Preconceived ideas and prejudices always prevent us from seeing the truth.”
· “You should open your mind before you open your mouth.”
· “Some people want to be taught everything in one sitting. It’s not possible.”
· “This story proves to me that you have to unlearn before you can learn.”
· “We shouldn’t get too wrapped up in one aspect of life. If we do, we close ourselves off to new experiences.”
· “Even though you may be full of knowledge, you should always be open to the fact that there is still more to learn.”
· “If you want to learn, you have to shut up and LISTEN for a change.”
· “We should be open to the views of others, and accept them as their own. Treat each opinion individually, and don’t just add it to your own.”
· “Sometimes another person has to catch you with your guard down in order to teach you something.”
· “The professor’s understanding of Zen is too intellectualized. The master is trying to point him towards a more intuitive understanding. If you’re too intellectualized about ANY subject, often you miss the boat.”
· “Too much of anything is just too much!”

Since then I never used the 3 most dangerous words in a language; “I know that!” because I believe “when you think you know much about something then you won’t be open to know more about it!”

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Dr. Mahdi T.K.