Sunday 23 May 2010

You Don't Have To Be a Buddist Monk To Appreciate This

4am and I couldn't sleep, so I reached for the book nearest to my bed. Turned out to be Chicken Soup for the Soul. Nice.

Two monks on a Pilgrimage came to a ford of a river. They saw a girl dressed in all her finery, obviously not knowing what to do as the river was high and she did not want to spoil her clothes. Without more ado, one of the monks took her on his back, carried her across and put her down on dry ground on the other side. 
The monks continued on their way. But the other monk after an hour started complaining. 'Surely it is not right to touch a woman, it is against the commandments to have close contact with women. How could you go against the rules of monks?'
The monk who had carried the girl walked along silently, but finally he remarked, 'I set her down by the river an hour ago, why are you still carrying her?'
The Wisdom of Zen

It's now 4.30, I'm going to try and go back to sleep.

2 comments:

  1. very interesting. I kind of get it, maybe my own interpretations are wrong ,,, anyway,,, I dont know if i believe you about writing at 4 in the morning, the post says you posted at eight thirty in the evening... may be its wrong???!!!xx

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  2. Well it was definately 4 in the morning, i only read that book when i can't sleep :) but u reminded me that i needed to sort my blog settins out. not just with the time, the whole thing needs a revamp! x

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