One day while the Zen monk Tanzan and a young monk were travelling, they happaned upon a river.

A beautiful young lady was in distress.

Tanzan told the young lady, "here, let me carry you across."

Tanzan carried the woman across the river.

The two continued on their journey for more than half a day.

The young monk said, "I thought we monks were supposed to avoid women. Why did you just do that?"

Tanzan replied,

"hun? oh, you mean that woman way back there? I put her down long ago. Are you still carring her?"