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mattahan — Monks
Published: 2007-07-22 00:29:47 +0000 UTC; Views: 20529; Favourites: 162; Downloads: 361
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Description
A commission. The story behind it:One of the things that many zen monks accept as a restriction is that they are not allowed to touch women.
There are two monks walking by a swiftly flowing river. They encounter a woman who is on the other side of the river, but needs to get across very badly. She is unable to make it across by herself. The older monk immediately steps forward, makes his way across the river, helps the woman climb up onto his back, and carries her over the river. The two monks journey on.
The younger monk is shocked, offended, upset with the other monk. He goes on and on about how touching a woman has broken the rules he has agreed to live by. How could he do this? After many minutes and many footsteps have passed, the older monk turns to his companion and says, "I left the woman there by the river's edge. Why do you still carry her on your back?"
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Comments: 33
Beautifully painted, thank you. I know this story and as soon as I saw the thumbnail I knew this was about it 
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Yeah, I thought of that story as soon as I saw this piece. I think this is a perfect depiction of it.
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I like the story ^^ I think theres a lot of wisdom behind it...
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Nice to have people touched by Zen and its stories.
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I LOVED the story behind it. And I think you captured the most charming scene in it. =]
Nicely Done!
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Am I wrong or this story fits your work perfectly ?
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We were learning about Zen in one of my classes and this was one of the stories we had to do a report on (except the girl had to cross a muddy road in the pouring rain, but still the same idea). Very nicely done!
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You have made my day! You've really brought the story to life.
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I enjoyed that, very nice story. It really made me think.
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It's a story I've heard and adore, but your pic gives it some real faces. I love their expressions.
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My mom told me this story years ago. In my head the monks were always Franciscans for some reason. Great work.
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Your water effects in this are superb! Love the story, too. And your people look very well done.
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Love the story behind it. And the illustration is beautiful. Though, the old monk doesn't look much older than the young monk. Not as much as would create a greater sense of understanding or enlightenment.
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Bald people don't tend to show their age as clearly as people with hair. If you look at their faces closely, I think you'll find the younger monk in the background looks to be 20-30 while the other monk around 45-55, once you study the subtle lines on his face. The folds around his eyes are deeper, there are added creases about the smile... maybe also the bit of extra weight he's carrying, too.
Some people take longer than others to reach enlightenment. Helps to have an open and questing mind, rather than a closed ledger.
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I really like the story behind it. The art is, as usual, very good.
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I'm a Buddhist here, and not only am I liking the art, the story behind it is just wonderful.
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A wonderful illustration for a beautiful story
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great story! and i love how you've drawn them all - excellent work!
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WOW. I read the story and I was like nice..and then I went back to the previous page...the last bit of the story stuck to me and I just got it and wow amazing..ahhaha anyways As I said Beautiful work.
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guy in the background is great. whole picture is great
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the story's great........its so you... (for those who take the time to rebuild the puzzle of your icons subtitles,they know what i mean..), as i download every peice of your work from the beginning, ill do the same with this one, glad u back!!! missed u tons!!.......hop! faved!!
Thanks for sharing!!!!!!
Hem.
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Luvly story man 
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