Two monks are walking, and come across a destroyed wagon.

Its rider is beaten and bloody and warns of a pack of bandits in the area. After bandaging the man, they continue on.

The younger monk asks, "What if the bandits ambush us?"

The elder monk replies, "Surely our martial training will keep us safe," and keeps walking.

The next day the younger monk asks, "What if the bandits have guns and swords?"

The elder monk replies "Surely our sharp minds will prevail" and keeps walking.

On the third day, the young monk asks "What if there are so many bandits they overwhelm us?"

The elder monk replies, "Then we shall meet our end with grace."

They arrive at the monastery in the evening and meet with the high monk there. He asks, "Three days of travel, tell me what did you see?"

The younger monk answers, "We saw a beaten man who warned us of bandits. I spent the whole trip with my eyes and ears strained, listening for them."

The older monk answers, "We walked through the Old Forest and I enjoyed the vibrant life there. We passed the Winding River, and I meditated on the fish that fought the current. We walked around the Blue Mountain and I beheld the splendors of creation."

The high monk smiles and says to the younger monk "A bandit steals gold and food. Who, then, stole the forest, the river, and the mountain from you?"