A) Each morning all of the monks would wash up in a small fountain outside in the courtyard.
A) One morning, right after snow had fallen, a new student arrived at the monastery.
A) When he saw them washing in the fountain, he asked the master if the water was cold.
B) What did the master say?
A) Nothing.
B) Nothing?
A) That's right.
A) Instead he picked up a bucket, filled it with water, and dumped it on the student's head.
B) He dumped it on his head?
A) Mm-hmm.
B) But why didn't he just answer his question?
A) He Did.
A) In the only way he could.
A) Because no one can tell you how something is.
A) The only way the student can really know if the water was cold, was by feeling it himself.