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A thief entered a monastery one night, but was disappointed to find nothing of value in the chests and cabinets. He was about to leave when Chan Master Wuxiang awoke and said, “Hey, friend! Close the door for me on your way out!”
The thief was flabbergasted. “How lazy can you be! You won’t even close the door yourself? No wonder there’s nothing worth stealing here.”
Wuxiang replied, “Now you have really gone too far! Do you expect me to work hard so I can buy things for you to steal?”
Those who devote their lives to amassing possessions soon discover they own little worth stealing. But the Chan master who owned nothing possessed a boundless treasure that could never be stolen – the wisdom from your original nature.