Bruce Lee-Lessons In Zen

Is your Cup Too Full?

Zen In The Martial Arts by Joe Hyams is a book I’ve read many times
and I advice you to get a copy and read it when you can. The book
is about more than martial arts.

Joe Hymans first encounter with Bruce Lee was at the
1962 Ed Parker’s International Karate Tournament in California. Some
weeks later he would learn a great lesson from Bruce Lee that he
wrote about in this book.

Excerpt from Zen In The Martial Arts by Joe Hymans.

Some weeks later a friend arranged for me to meet Bruce, from whom
I hoped to take private lesions. Bruce was highly selective about
the students he chose to teach, and this meeting was to be a kind
of audition for me.

Bruce smiled and placed his hand lightly on my shoulder. “Let me
tell you a story my sifu told me,” he said.

“It is about the Japanese Zen master who received a university
professor who came to inquire about Zen. It was obvious to the
master from the start of the conversation that the professor was
not so much interested in learning about Zen as he was in
impressing the master with his own opinions and knowledge.

The master listened patiently and finally suggested they have tea.
The master poured his visitor’s cup full and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the cup overflowing until he could no longer
restrain himself. “The cup is overfull, no more will go in.”
“Like this cup,” the master said, “you are full of your own
opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first
empty your cup”

Bruce studied my face. “You want me to empty my mind of past
knowledge and old habits so that I will be open to new learning”
“Precisely” said Bruce. “And now we are ready to begin your first
lesson.”

This does not mean that Bruce prevented me from applying a critical
mind to his teaching. In fact, he welcomed discussing, even
argument. But when challenged too long on a point his reply was
always, “At least empty your cup and try.”

 Later I learned that Bruce practiced what he taught. As a youth in
Hong Kong he had studied wing-chun, a branch of kung-fu, under the
celebrated master, Yip Man. When he came to America as a teenager
he observed Ed Parkers’ kenpo-karate, taking from it many hand
techniques that appealed to him.
                    
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Is your cup too full? You don’t have to throw out all that you have
put into your cup. Store the things that work for you and put them
in the mix later. The most important lesson is to stay open to
learning new things…we should never stop learning!

Learn from the people you trust. Meet new people and learn from them.

That is why a Mastermind Group is so important today!

I don’t see the big deal with Zen…it’s all “Common Sense” as my Grandpa would say!

Thank you
Lynn Lane
Lane Resources Inc.