The Zen master Hakuin was known by his neighbours as one living a simple life.
A beautiful girl whose parents owned a food store lived near Hakuin. Suddenly, her parents discovered that she was pregnant. This made her parents angry.
She would not reveal who the man was, but after much inquiry she at last named Hakuin. In great anger the parents went to the master.
“Is that so?” was all Hakuin would say.
After the child was born it was brought to Hakuin. By this time he had lost his reputation, which did not trouble him, but he took very good care of the child. He obtained milk from his neighbours and everything else the little child needed.
A year later the young mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth: the real father of the child was a young man in the fish market.
The parents of the young mother at once went to Hakuin to ask for his forgiveness and, in apologizing at length, to get the child back. Hakuin was willing.
“Is that so?” was all he said, in yielding the child.
Story 3 - "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" 1994, 26th reprint, page 22
