The Two Monks
Stories
The question
The younger monk turns to ask his companion a question.
Hours later, he asked: “Why did you carry that woman?”
The Stream · Alrewaq
Read as text
A retelling of a Zen story, imagined beside Alrewaq’s Stream.
Two monks walked together after the rain.
At the stream, a woman could not cross. The older monk carried her to the other side.
Their vows discouraged such contact. The younger monk said nothing. But he kept thinking about it.
Hours later, he asked: “Why did you carry that woman?”
“I put her down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?”