The Beginner's Mind

Title: The Dancing WuLi Masters, an Overview of the New Physics – Beginner’s Mind
Author: Gary Zukav
Publication Info: Atlanta International School
Class: Theory of Knowledge
Category: In Class



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            The Beginner’s Mind explores the concept of nonsense. It asks us to think about how we classify something as being nonsense. Zukav states that what one person considers as nonsense, is different to what another person thinks is nonsense. Zukav gives an example of a Zen story. Tea is poured into a cup until it overflows and the person continued. The person pouring the cup stated “‘Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?’” (Zukav 26). This example shows how we must empty our minds and be open to new ideas, and all possibilities. He also gives an example of a man thinking that he is a football. Zukav argued that this was pure nonsense because he was the only one who viewed himself as a football. However, the man thought everyone else’s thoughts were nonsense because he believed that he truly was a football.

            In the first example, it states that we must destroy all our previous thoughts, assumptions, and perceptions. However, if this was always necessary, how will we know anything? Is the Zen the state of not knowing anything and therefore being open to all possibilities rather than knowing that something is nonsense? Once we learn something new by having the beginner’s mind, we would have to empty our minds again and become a beginner again. Therefore, we wouldn’t have any progression as a learner. Linking the two examples together, if we had the beginner’s mind, would we view and believe the man as being a football because we have no assumptions, no thoughts and no perception? How do we know that he is not a football? Is majority always correct? Not necessarily, the majority previously thought the world was flat but they were not correct. How do we know that we do not believe in something that is nonsense right now? Does it all lead to what we have faith in? If so, what determines what we should believe in, what we should have faith in? If this is all true, does nonsense really exist or is it just what we do not believe in?