Story · Ajahn Brahm
The burglar who came back for compassion
Content note: threat with knife
The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)
its a nice story about a monastery somewhere in the world and in the middle of the night the Abbot was woken up when he heard a noise in the main shrine room So he got up and checked, and sure enough there was a burglar in the temple. As soon as the burglar saw the Abbot the burglar was trying to open the donation box and he told the Abbot just get out of here. And the Abbot took one look at the burglar instead of actually stopping the burglar opening the donation box 'here's the key' so the burglar took it and told not to do anything But the Abbot took one look at the burglar and like many burglars and this guy was so thin. So the Abbot asked him when was the last time you ate. Burglar said 'shut up' . When I give talks I always like to wake people up every now and again (audience laughs). 'Shut up' he said. But the Abbot didn't shut up he said 'look there is some left over food from this mornings meal in the cupboard, help yourself. And the man was hungry. So just looking at the Abbot and brandishing a knife from the kitchen he said 'don't come near. He quickly sort of stuffed some food into his mouth and the Abbot said 'don't rush, there is plenty of time' and the bugler opened the donation box emptied it, took some more food and ran away saying don't call the police, Abbot said I wan't the donations are there for charity, for compassion you are a poor person just take whatever you want I will clear with the committee tomorrow So the next day when the committee heard about this At least the guy was being kind and they liked the Abbot for being kind but usually what happens a few days later that bugler was caught robbing another house somewhere and was sentenced to jail The abbot forgot all about that and few years later The bugler returned with another knife. He came and said you remember me? I robbed this temple five years ago, now I have come to rob again; but the burglar said this time; but last time I took the wrong thing I took the money Putting down his knife he said now I have come to take compassion and wisdom, please show me how you were so kind to me, even though I was about to kill you and rob your tample. So the Bugler realizing for the first time he thought that money was happiness after those five years realized that kindness is more important than money he said the first time he have stolen the wrong thing now he come to take the right thing and asked the Abbot to teach him; compassion and Kindness.
▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 23:38 (to 26:58)
A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)
Faced with a knife at the donation box, the abbot handed over the key, fed the thin intruder and told him not to rush. Five years and a prison term later, the man came back to take the kindness instead. Wanting isn't the problem; wanting the wrong treasure is. Bank balances fade, but generous hearts are the real wealth.
In brief (our summary)
An abbot finds a knife-wielding burglar at the donation box, hands him the key, notices how thin he is and offers him leftover food — 'don't rush, there's plenty of time' — and lets him take the money as charity. The burglar is later jailed elsewhere. Five years on he returns: 'Last time I stole the wrong thing. Now I've come to take compassion and wisdom' — and asks the abbot to teach him.
Teaching point
Craving isn't wrong in itself; we crave the wrong things — the real wealth is kindness.
When this story may help
- being robbed
- responding to wrongdoing
- turning life around
Themes
Source & credit
Told by Ajahn Brahm in The Secret | Ajahn Brahm | 30 Dec 2007 · 2008-04-03 · ▶ watch from 23:38 to 26:58 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia
10 other tellings of this story
- Freeing Problems With Metta | by Ajahn Brahm | 30 Jan 2009 · 2009-02-25 · ▶ watch from 40:47 to 44:19 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia2009 telling: the abbot also offers leftover food from the cupboard; the burglar returns after five years in jail: 'Last time I stole the wrong thing… now I've come to steal your secret of kindness' and becomes a monk. Ajahn Brahm says it would appear in a sequel to 'Opening the Door of Your Heart'.
- What Do You Want? | Ajahn Brahm | 06-05-2011 · 2011-05-08 · ▶ watch from 19:22 to 26:08 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia2011 telling (also told in Singapore days before): burglar with a big knife at 2–3 a.m.; 'none of my monks get up early'; keys to the donation box and leftover food; jailed ten years for multiple burglary; returns 'to steal your secret of kindness' and asks to become a monk.
- How to Keep Giving Without Reward | Ajahn Brahm | 02-05-2014 · 2014-05-04 · ▶ watch from 33:19 to 38:39 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaMay 2014 telling: full parable; burglar jailed 10 years elsewhere, returns to 'steal the secret of your compassion'; Brahm says he does not know if it is real — 'who cares, it should be'.
- Feeling the Delight in the Body | Ajahn Brahm | 23 June 2020 · 2020-06-23 · ▶ watch from 1:42 to 6:46 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaJun 2020: abbot faces knife at donation box; ten years later burglar returns to steal kindness — becomes disciple.
- Happiness and Wanting | Ajahn Brahm | 24 February 2023 · 2023-02-24 · ▶ watch from 1:07:51 to 1:09:09 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaFeb 2023 Q&A telling, compressed (he says he won't tell it, then does): the thief is jailed for ten years (five in another telling) and returns, again with a knife at the donation box.
- How to deal with abusive relationships | Ajahn Brahm | 13-03-2015 · 2015-03-14 · ▶ watch from 15:46 to 16:33 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaMar 2015 telling (abbreviated): thief given donation-box contents and leftover food; jailed 20 years; returns and refuses money — wants to learn how to care.
- Generosity and Kindness | Ajahn Brahm | 13 January 2023 · 2023-01-13 · ▶ watch from 2:56 to 14:00 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaJan 2023 telling: donation-box knife; food from cupboard; returns after 10 years prison — steal kindness this time; stays and ordains.
- Why Me? | Ajahn Brahm | 27 May 2022 · 2022-05-27 · ▶ watch from 30:39 to 31:46 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaMay 2022 telling: tattooed knife burglar at donation box; here's the key.
- Justice | Ajahn Brahm | 14-10-2011 · 2011-10-15 · ▶ watch from 23:26 to 25:58 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaOct 2011: abbot finds knife burglar at donation box; hands keys; leftover food; burglar fills pockets with cash and food.
- Buddhist Position on Issues | Ajahn Brahm | 11 Dec 2015 · 2015-12-11 · ▶ watch from 49:04 to 49:49 · Buddhist Society of Western AustraliaDec 2015: abbot finds burglar on donation box — 'Get away,' said the thief.
Caption notes: Volunteer transcript: contains editorial annotations such as '(audience laughs)' and occasional misspellings ('bugler', 'tample'); kept as is.
The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version