A Western Buddhist woman was in India, studying with her teacher. She was riding
with another woman friend in a rickshaw-like carriage, when they were attacked
by a man on the street. In the end, the attacker only succeeded in frightening
the women, but the Buddhist woman was quite upset by the event and told her
teacher so. She asked him what she should have done - what would have been the
appropriate, Buddhist response.
The teacher said very simply, "You should have very mindfully and with great
compassion whacked the attacker over the head with your umbrella."
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