Empty your cup

February 2018 edition

Empty your cup

Article summary

You must have heart many times about the “empty your cup” stories. Let me remind you once again the same story & its idea behind as this is really… really… important for our liberation.

Once a Zen master, received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Master 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,”

Master said,

“you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

This story is highly important to those who seek for the liberation.  This is the concept of pure listening which required in pure Buddhism. 

Samma Sambuddha, showed listening as a very important part in Buddhism.  It’s the base.  It’s the base and a good listener is always empty in his / her mind.  If not, he / she is not ready to liberate.

A good listening also means you are liberating from your own views, opinions, speculations for a moment and that feeling of liberation will guide you to experience the bliss of liberation more than you ever imagine. 

That’s why listening is having a top place in Buddhism.  Samma Sambuddha once said, lack of listening & listening with the intention of finding false of the speaker are few reasons which cause in future to disappear the noble pure Dhamma.

As you can see, finding false of the speaker also comes from a mind which is full of their own opinion & views.  When you are empty those things won’t be happening.

At present days we also can observe that many are listening to reply, not to understand.  This is also coming from a mind which is full of speculations & views.  

So, my dear Dhamma friends, lets improve our listening skills.  Cause that’s the foundation of liberation.  That’s the foundation for a better living too. 

If you observe clearly most of the problems of your life arise with lack of listening.  Just empty your cup… feel the difference.  Feel the feeling of liberation for a moment by emptying your cup while you listen. 

Have a blessed time & good luck for better listening!

Rajitha Viduransi | Kelaniya, Sri Lanka