When the Great Khan held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of the land came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to the Great Khan with the request that the culprit be expelled. The Great Khan ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again the Great Khan disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When the Great Khan had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the pupil who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again the Great Khan disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When the Great Khan had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the pupil who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.
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