The Zen Master Hakuin was known among his neighbors as a man who lived an immaculate life. Nearby lived a beautiful girl, whose parents ran a grocery store.
One fine day, parents discovered that their daughter was pregnant. They were beside themselves with rage. The girl refused to name the child's father, but after much insistence she named Hakuin. In great anger, the parents came to the Master.
- Really? — the only thing he said in response to the avalanche of their reproaches.
When the child was born, he was brought to Hakuin with the words:
- This is your child, so take him!
The master just said:
- Really?
By that time he had lost all respect from those around him, but this did not bother him at all. He diligently looked after the baby, took milk from neighbors and everything the baby needed.
A year later, the young mother still could not stand it and told her parents the truth. The real father of the child turned out to be a young man working at the fish market. The girl's father and mother immediately ran to Hakuin, began to ask for his forgiveness, apologized to him for a long time and asked him to return the child to them. Hakuin readily forgave them. Returning the child, he only said:
- Really?
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru