It’s so easy for us to judge. So easy to set standards for others. Easy to rush to conclusions. Label things as ‘sins’. Long after people have made their peace or amends for wrong choices, we still remember. We can’t wait to remind them of their bad choices. Still discuss their ‘sins’ in closed groups – making public all the private things they might have shared. Why do we choose to be burdened carrying another’s sins?
Sometimes I think that the biggest sin of all is the one of self-righteousness!
Today, I want to share with you one of my favourite Zen stories that perfectly illustrates my musings this Monday.
Carrying Another’s Sins?
Two monks were once traveling together down a muddy road.
A heavy rain was falling. Coming around the bend,
they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash,
unable to cross the intersection.
“Come on, girl,” said the first monk. Lifting her
in his arms, he carried her over the mud.
The second monk did not speak again until that night
when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer
could restrain himself. “We monks don’t go near females,”
he said. “It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”
“I left the girl there,” the first monk said.
“Are you still carrying her?”
Here’s a message and invitation from Reema Michelle D’Souza.
There’s too much negativity around, so let’s make #PoetryPositive ! To bring a spark of joy, a feeling of warmth, a ray of hope and more smiles, I’m writing and collecting poems that spread positivity this December. Join me! Write a poem that makes you feel good, write a poem that brings a smile on someone’s face and add the hashtag – #PoetryPositive
Would you like to take part in #MondayMusings?
Here’s how it works:
- Write a post sharing your thoughts with us – happy, sad, philosophical, ‘silly’ even. Make it as personal as possible.
- Use the hashtag #MondayMusings.
- Add your link to the linky below
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True, more often than not we hold on to other’s mistakes while forgetting our own! Thank you so much for posting about my project 🙂
Amazing story. So often when we judge the actions of others, we carry the bitterness or the pride around like the spoils of war.
We sometimes inadvertently tend to do this. It may do us well to remember this story you shared. Too much baggage we sometimes end up carrying and that too unnecessarily
This is such a wonderful story and you had given an important message that is the biggest need of our society. it is true that we are living in incredibly busy world and we always had tons of negativity and bitterness in our society. hopefully one day things will got change for better. excited to joining you first time for #mondaymusings. hoping to had a wonderful journey ahead.
This is one of my favourite stories! I love the messages that zen stories share – simply, beautifully, and profoundly!
Such a powerful story, this message needs to b spread to the world as in daily life , many of us are carrying others sins
It is so true. The right to pass judgement, most of the times, comes from self-righteousness, the assumption that I know best. Being a DIL and a mother, I regularly find myself faced with such situations. Talking about past sins! Why don’t people move on?
Such a beautiful and inspiring story. We tend to carry with us too much burden of the past, so-called sins, prejudices and negativity.
I am in awe of these gems that you find to narrate in these posts; I was stunned by his reply!! Thats when it hit home how much self righteous I too carry within me and cant stop from commenting about others stuff!! Loved it Corinne