Two monks
had to cross a turbulent river. A pretty young woman asked them to help her to
cross the river because it was too deep for her. The old monk put her on his
shoulders and carried her across the river to the other bank.
The
younger monk didn’t say anything to the old monk until they almost returned to
the monastery. He asked the old monk near the monastery gate, “Holy Scriptures
forbid us monks even to touch women! Not only did you touch her: you even
carried her on your shoulders!”
The elder
laughed and replied, “I left her at the riverbank but you are still carrying
her.”
Translated
by The Catalog of Good Deeds
CONVERSATION