Date: 07/26/2025 07/27/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Gold and the Thieves
One day, after the Buddha and his disciples had finished almsround in town, they were preparing to return to the monastery. On the way, the Buddha suddenly left the main road and led the assembly through a patch of grass.
Puzzled by this detour, Venerable Ānanda asked, “World-Honored One, why do we abandon the proper road and instead walk through this thicket?”
The Buddha replied solemnly, “There are thieves ahead. The three men walking behind us will soon be overtaken and destroyed by them.”
It turned out that not far up the road, a pile of gold had been left by the roadside. When the three brothers passed by and saw the glittering gold, their faces lit up with joy and excitement. To be cautious, they looked left and right, scanning the surroundings to ensure no one was watching, and then bent down to gather the gold.
Delighted by this unexpected fortune, they decided to celebrate. The eldest brother said, “Second brother, go into town and buy us some wine and food. We’ll feast first, and then divide up the gold.”
The second brother eagerly went into town and bought various kinds of wine and dishes. But as he walked, a wicked thought took root in his mind:
“If I poison the food and kill the other two, I can have all the gold to myself.”
And so, he laced the food and wine with poison.
Meanwhile, the two brothers waiting outside the city had also been blinded by greed. They agreed to kill their returning brother and split the gold between themselves.
When the second brother returned with the food, still smug and unguarded in the belief his plan was flawless, the eldest and youngest brothers seized the opportunity and killed him on the spot.
Having accomplished their grim purpose, the two surviving brothers laughed heartily, opened the wine, and dug into the food. But not long after eating and drinking, they collapsed to the ground and died from the poison.
Thus, all three brothers perished—consumed not by thieves on the road, but by the greed and treachery in their own hearts.
