Thursday, 5 January 2012

The hapless Monk

One lovely spring day, a monk was out on his begging rounds
when the beautiful wife of a wealthy businessman, recognizing the
monk as susceptible to temptation, invited him into her home.

There she engaged him in a spirited conversation..

When the monk finally realized that too much time had passed,
he went to the door only to discover that it was locked.

"Please"
He asked..

"would you open this door?"

"not just yet"

The woman said..

"I will let you out of the room only if you do one of the following,
Kill the goat who is tied up outside the back door, have sex with me,
or drink this jug of wine"

The monk tried to think his way out of this dreadful situation..

As a peaceful Buddhist, he couldn't resort to violence against the
imposing women in order to fight his way out of the house.

Killing a goat would mean breaking the precept against killing..

Having sex would be breaking his monastic vows of chastity,
here it would also mean adultery, which is sexual misconduct
and stealing as well..

The peturbed monk decided that the least offensive thing he could
do would be to drink the wine, which would harm no one but himself..

So he did..

Not accustomed to strong spirits,
the hapless monk got very drink, which quickly weakened all of his resolve.

By then, he was so hungry and lacking in mindfulness that he killed the goat,
and while it was cooking, he and the woman had sex.

Thus all his pure vows were lost...