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BOOK RELEASE: Medieval Goa by Teotonio R. de Souza
Will be re-released after 30 years on August 21, 2009 at 5:15pm
at Goa Chambers of Commerce and Industry Hall,
near Azad Maidan in Panjim, Goa
http://medieval-goa.notlong.com
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MONDAY MUSE (17 August 2009)
EMPTY CUP
A young professor went to meet Nan-in to discuss Zen. The professor quizzed him
on comparative philosophies and the Zen master gave some brief answers.
However, when the professor began to debate with him on those answers, Nan-in
stopped speaking and kept smiling at him. Eventually, the professor got angry,
"I have travelled a distance just to understand the relevance of Zen. But
apparently you have nothing to say."
In response, Nan-in offered tea to the professor. He kept pouring into his
guest’s cup even when it was full. As the tea started spilling, the professor
shouted, “the cup is full… no more tea will go in!” “Like this cup,” Nan-in
said politely, “You are full of your own assumptions and presumptions. How can
I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
It is pertinent to note that fresh learning cannot really happen until
unlearning has happened. In our personal, professional and social life, we need
to unlearn habits, prejudices and most importantly our “know-all-attitude” that
prevents fresh learning. It is necessary to inculcate humility and an
open-minded attitude in our quest to further our learning processes. Without
the right attitude, it is not possible for us to acquire knowledge and skills.
It is said so well, ‘Forget learning, learn forgetting’
‘Empty the cup’ to BE BETTER at true unlearning!
- Pravin K. Sabnis
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