Be Inspired Now!

This story was shared to us by a friend during our team building seminar way back in 1998. The story of the two monks. The story goes….

In a very remote place, there is a monastery which houses a group of monks. Just like any order or group of monks, this group also has different vows. While they are not really silent, they don’t talk too much, most of their day is often spent in prayers, and they live in the simplest life that they can have.

However, there is vow or a rule that is very particular to this group of monks. They are not allowed to touch nor hold the hand of any woman. Not even the tip of the fingers is allowed to be near even the cloth of a woman. They can talk to them, but they can’t have any form of physical contact with any women.

Every now and then, two of the monks go out of the monastery to walk for almost 2 hours just to reach the town market. They trek through the woods and through a wide river, just so they can buy their basic necessities to live in the monastery. The river has no bridge, so they have no choice but to go through the river water which is knee-deep.

One day, on their way home from the market, upon reaching the river they saw a woman who seems to be very worried. Being the good-natured people that they are, they asked the woman if she has any problem.

“I have to get to other side of the river, but there is no bridge… I can’t go through the waters. It is really important that I get to the other side” said the woman.

“We go through the waters, it’s only knee-deep. Why can’t you?” asked the monk

“Because the river water irritates my skin, and I grow mumps and allergies which are very painful. I really can’t go through the water”

“I understand now…” said the monk, “well, if you really must get to the other side, let me carry you so you won’t get those painful mumps you were saying”

The other monk was shocked by this statement, but he just watched silently as the carried the woman and they crossed the river.

Upon reaching the other side, the monk put the woman down. She thank them and went on her way. The two monks too, continued walking… silently. All the while, the other monk’s face was full of anxiety and at the corner of his eyes, will look at his fellow monk who carried the woman. He was restless through their journey.

After a long walk, and when they’re almost near the monastery, the monk couldn’t hold his silence anymore. So he stopped walking, look at the other monk and in a rather trembling voice said “Brother, isn’t it that we are not allowed to lay even a tip of our finger on any woman? You just didn’t touch the woman, you even carried her when we were crossing the river”

The other monk looked at him, and in a soft voice he replied “Brother, indeed you are right. I carried that woman while we were crossing the river. But I have already put her down once we crossed the river. Why are you still carrying her?”

Are you still carrying burdens from the past? Are we like the monk who still carries the woman in spite of her being left already at the river?

Let not the past hinder us from enjoying what is here today. Learn from the past, but don’t hold on to it.

Learn to let go.