Once, a Buddhist master and his disciple were on a pilgrimage to the Mountain of Faith. To reach the mountain, it was necessary to cross a river known as the River of Discord on foot. As they arrived at the riverbank, they encountered a beautiful, well-dressed young woman who also wanted to cross to the other side.
She asked the disciple for help, but as a monk, he was forbidden to touch any woman. Therefore, he continued on his path and ignored the young woman. As he began crossing the river, the monk looked back and saw his master carrying the woman on his shoulders.
They crossed the river together. The master set the woman down, she thanked him, and they went their separate ways. The disciple, however, was deeply troubled by seeing his master break a rule of the monastery to help the young woman.
The master noticed the disciple’s scowling expression but said nothing. After several hours of walking in silence, the disciple finally spoke:
“You know that as monks, we are not allowed to touch any woman. Why did you carry that woman across the river?”
The master replied, “In that moment, I judged it more important to help another human being in need than to follow that rule. However, I left her behind hours ago. Why are you still carrying this woman in your thoughts?”
Conclusion
The story ends with a thoughtful reflection:
The heaviest burdens are the ones we carry in our minds.
