Humility
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From my lecturer
Once there was this professor, who embarked on a twenty year research into tea leaves and tea making.
He travelled the world, and compile everything he can find out abt tea leaves, from India to China, and each country's brewing techniques
At the end, he compiled his research.
After that, someone told him that within the mountainous region of his homeland, Japan, there is this wise old man who also know a lot abt tea and can teach him more abt tea.
So this professor paid the old man a visit.
Once he met up, the first thing he told the old man is that he believe he know all he can abt tea and tea making, how he travel the world over, etc etc
All this while, the old man continue to pour tea into his teacup for him. It quickly fill to the brim, overflows and wash up the entire table
As the professor move away from the scalding tea, the old man said.
"Ur mind is like this teacup. Its filled to the brim and refuse to accept anymore knowledge. If u close ur mind to more things around u, there is no more others can teach u" -
Yes, indeed. It is a very good story and teaches us a very simple fact of life. In fact it's not just about humility, there will always be contradictions (to your views, etc) when there are attachments. The whole world can be against you if there is no emptiness, just your thoughts, your views, your dogmas, everything got to do with YOU
On the other hand, if we have "emptiness", we can accomodate and encompass the whole world.
"A person cannot receive many good teachings if there is no "emptiness" in his mind." - Master Shen Kai