Is That So?

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by
his neighbours as one living a pure life.

A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned
a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without
any warning, her parents discovered she was
with child.

This made her parents angry. She would not
confess who the man was, but after much
harassment at last named Hakuin.

In great anger the parents went to the master.
“Is that so?” was all he would say.

After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin.
By this time he had lost his reputation, which did
not trouble him, but he took very good care of
the child. He obtained milk from his neighbours
and everything else he needed.

A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer.
She told her parents the truth – the real father of the
child was a young man who worked in the fishmarket.

The mother and father of the girl at once went
to Hakuin to ask forgiveness, to apologize at
length, and to get the child back.

Hakuin was willing. In yielding
the child, all he said was:
“Is that so?”

Credit: 101 Zen Stories Visit

Credit: Zen Tree by bensound Visit