Is that so?

At some point in life, nearly everyone falls victim to slander – false statements that besmirch a personal or business reputation. Many clients have shared with me the pain and humiliation it can cause. How they survived and overcame shows me their true character. These are modern-day heroes!
I have a favorite Zen story that has helped me regain peace when I’ve been the victim of slander. I hope it may help you gain peace in your life too.

Is That So. (From Myrko’s The 10 Very Best Zen Stories)

The Zen master Hakuin was praised by his neighbors as one living a pure life.
A beautiful Japanese girl whose parents owned a food store lived near him. Suddenly, without any warning, her parents discovered she was with child.
This made her parents very angry. She would not confess who the man was, but after much harassment at last named Hakuin.
In great anger the parents went to the master. “Is that so?” was all he would say.
When the child was born, the parents brought it to the Hakuin, who now was viewed as a pariah by the whole village. They demanded that he take care of the child since it was his responsibility. “Is that so?” Hakuin said calmly as he accepted the child.
A year later the girl-mother could stand it no longer. She told her parents the truth—that the real father of the child was a young man who worked in the fish market.
The mother and father of the girl at once went to Hakuin to ask his forgiveness, to apologize at length, and to get the child back again.
Hakuin was willing. In yielding the child, all he said was: “Is that so?”