Monday, December 18, 2006
Psychological Burdens
Tanzan and Ekido, two Zen monks, were once travelling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.
Coming around a bend, they encountered a young and lovely girl in a silk kimono, unable to cross the intersection. "Come on girl," said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her across the mud.
Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he could no longer restrain himself. "We monks don’t go near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not young and lovely ones. It’s dangerous. Why did you do that?"
"I left that girl back at the road," said Tanzan, "are you still carrying her?"
-from the book Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, By Paul Reps
Whom am I carrying on my back? Jesus would have called it burdens or millstones.
Coming around a bend, they encountered a young and lovely girl in a silk kimono, unable to cross the intersection. "Come on girl," said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her across the mud.
Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he could no longer restrain himself. "We monks don’t go near females," he told Tanzan, "especially not young and lovely ones. It’s dangerous. Why did you do that?"
"I left that girl back at the road," said Tanzan, "are you still carrying her?"
-from the book Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, By Paul Reps
Whom am I carrying on my back? Jesus would have called it burdens or millstones.
