Once, a thief entered the home of Zen Master Shichiri Kojunw, while he was meditating. When the thief demanded money, the Zen master said, “Don’t disturb me. The money is in the drawer. You can take it.” The thief was surprised, but quickly emptied the drawer. The Zen master then said, “Leave me some money for my taxes.” So, the thief left some money behind. As he turned to go, the Zen master called out, “You did not even thank me.” The thief was shocked at the fearlessness of the man, so he thanked him quickly and ran away. A few days later, the thief was caught. When Shichiri was called in as a witness, he said, “This man did not steal anything. He even thanked me for the money I gave him.” The thief was amazed by the Zen master’s words. From that day onwards, he stopped stealing and became the Zen master’s disciple.
Moral: We should always follow the right path.
