Two Monks and the River
Two monks, an elder and a younger, were traveling.
They came to a river where a young woman stood, unable to cross.
Without a word, the elder monk picked her up, carried her across, set her down, and continued on his way.
The younger monk followed, troubled.
After many miles, he could no longer remain silent. "
We monks are not to touch women," he said. "Why did you carry that one?" The elder monk replied,
"I set her down by the river.
Are you still carrying her?"
Reflection
Two Monks and the River (variant of story 53) retells the same teaching: the elder carries the woman, the younger carries the memory. The repetition emphasizes a core lesson in Zen: non-attachment is not about avoiding action but about not clinging to the past. The koan is a practical guide for living freely: act when needed, then let it go entirely.