{"id":19,"date":"2010-05-07T15:41:49","date_gmt":"2010-05-07T21:41:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/buddhistportal\/?p=19"},"modified":"2010-05-07T15:41:49","modified_gmt":"2010-05-07T21:41:49","slug":"a-cup-of-tea-%e2%80%94-how-would-you-like-yours-served","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/asthewheelturns\/2010\/05\/a-cup-of-tea-%e2%80%94-how-would-you-like-yours-served\/","title":{"rendered":"A Cup of Tea \u2014 ( How Would You Like Yours Served ? )"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Have you heard the story of the Western scholar who visited the Buddhist<\/a> temple in Asia?\u00a0 He\u2019d 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.\u00a0 The monk nodded.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 \u201cSure,\u201d the scholar agreed.<\/p>\n

Sitting down over together, in the monk\u2019s humble \u00a0abode, 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait! the man finally said to the monk, \u201cmy cup\u2019s overflowing! No more!\u201d\u00a0 With a gentle nod, the monk put the teapot down.\u00a0 \u201cFor your cup to be filled,\u201d the monk replied, \u201cfirst it must be empty.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 \u00a0* \u00a0 \u00a0* \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

I\u2019m honored, pleased, and \u00a0excited to be \u00a0blogging for you here. Fortunately, I\u2019m new here. So I have a bunch of possibilities to savor. \u00a0Too, I\u2019d like to empty my mind before proceeding.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

Might you join me in emptying your mind for a moment? Just take two or \u00a0three conscious breaths. Ah! <\/em>As you do so, please consider what would you<\/em> <\/em>like most out of this blog? \u00a0\u2014What had you expected? \u2014What\u2019s important?\u00a0 (Just considering what\u2019s important \u2026 is itself important.)<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

I can envision as many possibilities as a wheel has spokes: \u2026 comment and analysis of news from the media \u2026 clearing up common misconceptions about Buddhism<\/a> \u2026 meditations for the week \u2026 quotations for the day \u2026 a virtual community for mutual interchange \u2026 surveys of Buddhist resources (portals, podcasts, blogs, etc) \u2026 reports from recent retreats and events \u2026 personal stories\u00a0 \u2026 polls \u2026 top-ten lists of Buddhist movies, music, books \u2026 calendar of upcoming events \u2026 videos of note \u2026<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

Meanwhile, our community discussion<\/a> boards are newly re-opened. And I\u2019ve posted my first article here, for your consideration:\u00a0Is Buddhism a Religion<\/a><\/em>?<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

Potential bloggers, please drop me a line at BuddhistPortal@Patheos.com.\u00a0 What the blog space here is \u2026 is partially up to you.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

(If anyone sees any any glitches in the library or articles, please send your corrections and revisions along, as well.)<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

And, please, please, please don\u2019t feel you have to be \u201cBuddhist\u201d to visit here.\u00a0 If there weren\u2019t nonBuddhists, there wouldn\u2019t be Buddhists! The Internet is great for cross-posting (lately called \u201cretweeting\u201d) 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\u2019ers, etc.<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

So let\u2019s empty our cups. Life will refill Let\u2019s toast our being here together, alive on this beautiful blue planet. It\u2019s always good to remember the present moment, this rare and wonderful moment \u2026 in which we are interwoven with all beings \u2026<\/p>\n

May all beings be well.<\/p>\n

Cheers!<\/p>\n

\n<\/p>

\n<\/p>

\n

Teacup by Dvortygirl<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\n<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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