Theos-Talk Archives (September 2006 Message tt00439)

Two traveling monks reached a river where they met a young woman.
Wary of the current, she asked if they could carry her across.
One of the monks hesitated, but the other quickly picked her up onto his 
shoulders,
transported her across the water, and put her down on the other bank.
She thanked him and departed.

As the monks continued on their way, the one was brooding and 
preoccupied. Unable
to hold his silence, he spoke out. "Brother, our spiritual training 
teaches us to avoid
any contact with women, but you picked that one up on your shoulders and 
carried
her!"

"Brother," the second monk replied, "I set her down on the other side, 
while you are
still carrying her."