Great Master Shen was overseeing the training of a group of students. One day one of them was found stealing from the school's treasury. The other students asked Master Shen to expel him immediately. Master Shen said nothing to their request.
A few days later, the same student was found to have stolen property from another students. Again, the students requested that Master Shen expel the troublemaker. And again Shen did nothing.
A third time the student was caught stealing. This time from a merchant in the nearby villiage. Fed up with Master Shen's inaction the students signed a petition and presented it to the Master. If he refused to expel the troublemaker, all the other students would leave the school.
The Great Master frowned "I regret that I will be losing so many of you."
The students were surprised "You would really lose all of your students to defend this thief?"
Shen replied "You all are so wise and enlightened but this poor man does not even know that stealing is wrong."
Hearing this the thief broke down and never stole again.
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