106 "The priest Shoku of Mount Koya once, when on his way up to Kyoto, was
met on a narrow path by a woman riding on a horse, whose groom, through
clumsy leading, caused the sage's horse to fall into the ditch. The sage
scolded him most angrily, saying 'What extraordinary rudeness is this? See
here! There are four grades of disciples - bikuni [nun] is lower than biku
[monk], an ubasoku [male lay believer] is lower than a bikuni [nun], an ubai
[female lay believer] is lower than a ubasoku [male lay believer]. This is
monstrous conduct, for a mere ubai to drive a biku into the ditich!' The
groom said 'I cannot make out what you are saying, Sir', and at this his
Reverence, fuming still more, shouted: 'what sayest thou, fellow without
doctrine or practice?' And then looking as if he felt he had used words
beyond measure insulting turned his horse around and fled!
"Surely a very noble dispute!"
Essay 106 from The Tsurezure Gusa by Yoshida Kenko
