A Buddhist Zen Story

This short story is a brilliant illustration of what minfulness is all about.

Once upon a time, two monks were traveling together. They encountered a young lady as they were about to cross a shallow river. It was obvious that the lady wanted to traverse the river but did not want to get wet.

The older monk approached her and asked if she would like a hand. When the lady replied that she would, the older monk carried her across the river. The lady thanked him and left.

The two monks continued their journey, and after a little while, the younger monk could not hold his question any longer and asked:

“May I know why you carried that lady across the water? As monks, we are not supposed to touch, or even look at females.”

The older one responded, “Oh. Are you talking about the lady at the river? I already let her go, but you still carry her.”