A Brahmin priest teaches two thieves

A Brahmin priest went to the house of a family to perform spiritual rites. He completed the rites and was going back home. His clients had given him a considerable amount of money as well as other expensive things because they were so pleased with him. He was carrying these things in a bag on his shoulder.

On the way, two bandits appeared out of nowhere and attacked him. When they demanded his bag, the clever priest said to them, “Take it, take it. You deserve it. In fact, if you take it, I will be so grateful to you. You have come to make me a good person. I do not need this money because I have stolen it.”

The two thieves were surprised. They asked, “You have stolen it from where?”

The Brahmin priest pointed in a certain direction and said, “A short distance from here I saw a cart full of money, jewellery and expensive things. I did not see the owner anywhere. So I surrendered to temptation and stole these things. I was carrying them home before anybody discovered the loss. They are not my things, so you can take them. You will be saving me from a terrible sin.”

As soon as the two bandits heard that there was a whole cart full of valuable items where the Brahmin priest had filled his bag, they left him with his bag and ran in the direction he had indicated. In the meantime, the Brahmin went back home with the money and gifts that were rightfully his.