Sentinel Philosophy: A Buddhist Tale of Letting Go

From Buddhist Folklore

Once upon a time, there were two monks standing under a shelter watching the rain come down. It was a heavy rain and it was making the road a muddy mess. Suddenly, a young woman in a beautiful, silken kimono comes up to the monks. "Excuse me," she says, "would one of you mind carrying me across the road so I don't get my kimono dirty?"

The first monk says, "I'm sorry, sister, but we are forbidden from touching any woman." But the second monk smiles and says, "Of course I will." And he proceeds to carry her across the road.

A while later, the first monk turns to the second and says, "How could you have done that, brother? How could you have betrayed our vows and betrayed our religion?" And the second monk says, "I put the girl down hours ago, brother. Why are you still carrying her?"

The story of the two monks and the girl is an old story, and it has many versions. But it is almost always framed within Buddhist traditions. And it is about letting go of the past and letting go of all of those things which we resent. Resentment and anger will fester. They turn your mood dark and weigh heavily upon you.

The story of the monks teaches us that the more we reflect on the wrongs done to us, and the more we obsess over the mistakes we have made, we amplify them. We make them worse. Let go of anything which doesn't serve you anymore. Let go of anything which doesn't make you better. And we can be as calm as two monks standing and watching the rain come down.