‘Think of your husband as a dog.' Sage marriage advice from Korean monk Venerable Pomnyun
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'My husband doesn't respond to me when I complain to him about something,' a middle-aged woman grumbles to Venerable Pomnyun, a well-known Korean Seon (
Zen) Buddhist monk who is famous for his ability to deliver profound life lessons in simple, sometimes startling ways.
'Does a dog answer you when you ask it a question?' Venerable Pomnyun responds with his question. 'No, of course not. That's why it's easier to raise a dog. You don't ask a dog whether it wants to eat or not. You just feed it, and it's grateful for it.
'So, think of your husband as a dog that you are raising, and you will have no problems at all. I mean, your husband goes to the bathroom by himself, right?'
Venerable Pomnyun is a Korean Zen Buddhist monk famous for his ability to deliver profound life lessons in simple ways. Photo: Taeyeun
'Yeah …' the questioner agrees sheepishly.
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