A Cup of Tea — ( How Would You Like Yours Served ? )

Have you heard the story of the Western scholar who visited the Buddhist temple in Asia?  He’d knocked and introduced himself to the monk at the door and asked to see the abbot, explaining he had written and published articles and even books about this very temple.  The monk nodded.  The man continued on about his academic interests as someone took his luggage and he walked with the monk through the tranquility of the front courtyard.  The monk stopped and suggested the man must be tired from his journey and invited him to his chambers of a pot of tea, a few steps from where they were standing.  “Sure,” the scholar agreed.

Sitting down over together, in the monk’s humble  abode, the professor rambled on, garrulous, as the monk boiled and prepared some tea. He nodded with half an eye at the cup placed before him and went on and on as the monk poured tea into the cup, pouring on and on, smiling.

“Wait! the man finally said to the monk, “my cup’s overflowing! No more!”  With a gentle nod, the monk put the teapot down.  “For your cup to be filled,” the monk replied, “first it must be empty.”

Or, as a bumper-striper on a car I saw the other day, said so well: To function, minds like parachutes need to be open.

*   *    *    *   *

I’m honored, pleased, and  excited to be  blogging for you here. Fortunately, I’m new here. So I have a bunch of possibilities to savor.  Too, I’d like to empty my mind before proceeding.

Might you join me in emptying your mind for a moment? Just take two or  three conscious breaths. Ah! As you do so, please consider what would you like most out of this blog?  —What had you expected? —What’s important?  (Just considering what’s important … is itself important.)

I can envision as many possibilities as a wheel has spokes: … comment and analysis of news from the media … clearing up common misconceptions about Buddhism … meditations for the week … quotations for the day … a virtual community for mutual interchange … surveys of Buddhist resources (portals, podcasts, blogs, etc) … reports from recent retreats and events … personal stories  … polls … top-ten lists of Buddhist movies, music, books … calendar of upcoming events … videos of note …

Meanwhile, our community discussion boards are newly re-opened. And I’ve posted my first article here, for your consideration: Is Buddhism a Religion?

Potential bloggers, please drop me a line at [email protected].  What the blog space here is … is partially up to you.

(If anyone sees any any glitches in the library or articles, please send your corrections and revisions along, as well.)

And, please, please, please don’t feel you have to be “Buddhist” to visit here.  If there weren’t nonBuddhists, there wouldn’t be Buddhists! The Internet is great for cross-posting (lately called “retweeting”) since every node is right next door to every other other (no top, no bottom). So I warmly welcome Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, pagans, atheists, agnostics, and all others here, as well as all the spectrums with the Buddhist rainbow: Theravadans, Zennies, Purelanders, Tibetans, SGI’ers, etc.

So let’s empty our cups. Life will refill Let’s toast our being here together, alive on this beautiful blue planet. It’s always good to remember the present moment, this rare and wonderful moment … in which we are interwoven with all beings …

May all beings be well.

Cheers!