From [/villagepump/ still carrying it on your back](https://scrapbox.io/villagepump/ still carrying it on your back). An anecdote about Zen (Buddhism) monks of the Meiji era, flatland mountain (Haratanzan)

One day they came to a stream without a bridge. A young woman stood a short distance away, staring at the stream with a troubled look on her face. “I will carry you on my back.” With the woman on his back, Tangshan stepped into the creek and successfully helped the woman to the other side of the river. Then, once on shore, he quickly went on ahead, leaving the woman to thank him.

Not at all at ease was another fellow trainee who was watching this. “What is a Zen monk in training doing carrying a woman on his back?” The thought never left my mind, and my anger at Tangshan’s actions was forever smoldering. It didn’t go away for a while after we both started walking again, and the agony continued. And eventually I couldn’t bear to keep it in my mind, and I opened my mouth in a reproachful way to Flat Mountain. “What was that? You are a trainee, aren’t you? What was that about giving a young woman a piggyback ride?

Then Flat Mountain showed a surprised face and immediately started laughing. “I put that woman down long ago and you’re still carrying her on your back. Ha-ha-ha.”

Which one was attachment to the woman? [Hara Tansan An anecdote about a Zen monk that makes you say “I see” after reading it - Zen Perspective - life -]


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