Acharya Prashant discusses a Zen story involving the monk Joshu and a hermit to explain the essence of non-reactionary living. In the story, Joshu asks the hermit if he has any Zen, and the hermit responds by raising his fist. Initially, Joshu dismisses the hermit as shallow, viewing the gesture as a mere reaction to a provocation. However, when the hermit repeats the exact same gesture during a second visit, Joshu praises him. Acharya Prashant explains that the hermit's worth lies in his refusal to change his response despite being insulted previously. An ordinary person would have changed their behavior to avoid further criticism, but the hermit demonstrated that his action was intrinsic and independent of external circumstances.