The Empty Cup
A university professor visited Nan-in to inquire 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?"
Reflection
Nan-in's teacup parable is a classic illustration of beginners' mind. The professor arrives full of his own knowledge, unable to receive anything new. Nan-in's act of pouring tea until it overflows physically demonstrates this inner fullness. The koan reminds us that genuine learning requires radical openness – an emptying of preconceptions so that direct experience can enter.