A Zen
story told to me many years ago, which I can still remember and which still has
relevancy at least once a day:
Two monks were walking down the street after a heavy rain that left the streets quite muddy. They came upon a a lady of very easy virtue vainly attempting to find a dry path across the road without soiling her kimono.
One monk, more compassionate than the other, picked up the woman and carried her across the street, setting her down on the other side of the road. He returned to his companion and they continued down the road for some minutes until the second monk chided the first with the remark, "You really shouldn't have done that."
"Done what?"
"Why, you contaminated yourself by touching that impure woman."
"Oh, are you still carrying her? I put her down on the other side of the street."