Four Cups or Four States of the Mind

This is a teaching told to me by my husband, who heard it from his teacher, Losang Samten. 
Losang translated this teaching from his teacher.  So, you can see the importance of the teachings being passed down from one to another. 

I was told about the 4 cups that represent the mind.  These cups are states of the mind that we don't want our mind to be in.

The first cup is turned upside down.  This represents a closed mind, a state when we have either already made an opinion about something or when we are not willing to even entertain another point of view.

The second cup seems to have a hole or crack in it, so that even though we might be taking in information, we are not retaining that information.  We have not taken the time to internalize or integrate the knowledge, and it is quickly gone.

The third cup appears to be dirty on the inside.  It has not been cleaned first before we have received teachings so an incorrect understanding takes place.  The mind is not pure so correct knowledge cannot be reached.

The fourth cup is in some ways similar to the first, but is turned right side up and is filled to the brim.  It is so full that we think we already know everything, that there is nothing else we could possibly learn, so the teachings again escape us.

Before a practice begins, where correct knowledge can be integrated and assimilated into each cell of the body, we must come with a pure, compassionate and open mind.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/