Set it down at the river

Memoirs of a Renaissance Man The Sunday Letter · November 1, 2026 Set It Down at the River There is an old story the Zen teachers have told for centuries, and I have thinking a lot about it this week. Two monks were walking home to their monastery after a long rain. They came to a river that had climbed over its banks, and at the edge of the water stood a young woman in a silk robe who could not cross. The monks had taken a vow never to touch a woman. The older monk did not hesitate. He...