A Buddhist Tale

Two monks were approaching a river where a beautiful young woman was waiting to cross. One monk ignored her, obeying the injunction of his master not even to look at a woman. The other, carried the woman on his shoulders, waded across the river and set her down on the other side, bowed and walked on. The first monk walked alongside him, clearly upset. A mile down the road he stopped, complained bitterly to the second monk about his behaviour. The secon monk looked baffled, said “The woman? I left her back at the river. Why are you still carrying her?”