Muddy Road  Prepared by  Prof.K.Prabhakar [email_address]
Yin  and Yang  were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.
Coming around a bend, they met an young girl in a silk kimono, unable to cross the intersection.
"Come on girl," said Yang  at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.
Yin did not speak again until that night when they reached a temple. Then he could not restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he told Yang, "especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"
"I left the girl at the road ," said Yang. "Are you still carrying her in your mind?"
Reflections  One of the most quoted Zen stories. It talk about difference between physical and mental thought process, if mere lifting of a person is a physical process then, you may not carry any more pain or pleasure. If it is carried in mind then we will have the pain or pleasure.

Muddy Road

  • 1.
    Muddy Road Prepared by Prof.K.Prabhakar [email_address]
  • 2.
    Yin andYang were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling.
  • 3.
    Coming around abend, they met an young girl in a silk kimono, unable to cross the intersection.
  • 4.
    "Come on girl,"said Yang at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.
  • 5.
    Yin did notspeak again until that night when they reached a temple. Then he could not restrain himself. "We monks don't go near females," he told Yang, "especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?"
  • 6.
    "I left thegirl at the road ," said Yang. "Are you still carrying her in your mind?"
  • 7.
    Reflections Oneof the most quoted Zen stories. It talk about difference between physical and mental thought process, if mere lifting of a person is a physical process then, you may not carry any more pain or pleasure. If it is carried in mind then we will have the pain or pleasure.