The Sacred art of stealing.

Freuchie in Flower.

I was told of a very sad incident yesterday. A friend was visiting friends. They had been out for something to eat where they all laughed and joked together. They then returned to where they had been staying. it was then that the person telling me the tale discovered that somebody had removed all the money from her wallet. When she mentioned it to her friends one of them suggested it had been stolen while they were eating. 

The strange thing about this suggestion to me, who has both as a magistrate and a prison chaplain come into contact with many people who steal from others, is that I have never heard of a thief who in a public place goes into a handbag removes the purse takes out the money and replaces the wallet in the handbag.

So sadly it looks as though one of her "friends" has been light-fingered.

Hearing this I am sure you like me will have some sort of emotional reaction to this. 

Here is a tale where others also had some emotions about a very similar situation.

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, students from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings, a student was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit is expelled. 

Bankei ignored the case.

Later the student was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. 

This angered the other students, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise, they would leave in a body.

When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. “You are wise brothers and sisters,” 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 brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished, a lesson had been learned.

How quickly would most people turn their back on those who commit a crime like stealing, just as the students did? 

But look deeper and you might just see another human being. Someone that simply needs to be shown the path.

Do not write people off so easily. Expressing compassion isn't always easy, but we're all together in this life, so we cannot just help those that keep good behaviour. 

Those people who commit such crimes are often some of the people that need help with the most basic spiritual and human principles, such as right and wrong.

If you have a loved one who's committed a crime before you'll know exactly what I mean. 

You know they can be better and they shouldn't be thrown out just because they did something wrong at some point. Sure, we need to keep order, so they should be disciplined for their behaviour, but we also need to take the time to teach them right and wrong. We should strive to lift them up just as we strive to lift ourselves and those we love up despite their own flaws.

I do not know how my friend will react to her situation but I do hope the person who carried out the deed soon learns as did the student.

Have a great day.