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Two Zen monks were crossing a river. They came across a very young and beautiful woman who needed to cross the river, but was afraid of the rapids. So one monk took her on his shoulders and crried her safely to the other shore. The other monk did not say anything, but he boiled inside. This was prohibited! A Buddhist monk should not touch a woman and the other monk had not only touched but carried the woman on his shoulders. Miles passed before they reached the monastery. As they entered through the door, the angry monk finally turned to face the other monk. "I will have to tell the Master what you have done. It is prohibited." The first monk asked. "What are you talking about? What is prohibited'? "Have you forgotten"? the irate monk scolded. "You carried that beautiful woman on your shoulders across the river." The first monk laughed, "Yes, I carried her. But I left her at the river, miles back. Are you still carrying her"? Understand that what you see in others is what you yourself are carrying. The wall you see around another, may be the wall you cannot see around yourself. The fault you find in another may be the fault you have not accepted in yourself. When you forgive yourself for having that fault also, you will experience more compassion toward others and the burden of judgment will fall away.
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