“That’s just it,” the abbot went on, “I’ve never known him to do anybody any harm. But he’s an obstinate and hot – headed type, you know sir, although he likes to find out things to read books and to argue with people. But there seem to be a lot of people who like him. Since he’s not sinful really, I don’t quite know how to warn him.”
“But isn’t it your duty to warn people to be always in righteousness, to shun evil and to do good?” said the Buddha calmly.
“That’s why it’s so difficult, Lord” the abbot explained, “As far as I know, my friend Kwaen is a generous person. He always helps those in trouble, especially those who are poor. But then then he is so obstinate, always has been like that. He never seems to fear anyone.
"What do you want me to do, Abbot?" the image asked suddenly, "Do you want me to join the Communist Party?"
"I merely want to tell you, Lord, that Kwaen also has his good points the Abbot said.
Why do you have to tell me that?" said the Buddha smilingly. or is it because you are not at all sure what we're talking about?"
"Quite right, Great Father admitted the Abbot" I'm not sure that I know anything about it and I don't know what to do."
"But you've just told me that Nai Kwaen has not done anything wrong. He commits no sin and does not break the Five Precepts."
"He has not done wrong in that sense," the Abbot went on doubtfully, "but he's being watched by the authorities. I would like know the right course of action to take; how to warn him because the rights and wrongs of to-day are getting far beyond the Five and Ten Precepts. It’s getting so complicated that I don’t know what's right and what's wrong any more.
“I’m afraid I can't help you there, Abbot,” said the Image, "because I've never, never had anything to do with politics. It's somewhat late in the day for me to begin now.
" The Abbot sat quietly in the temple for a long time. The candles at the altar had gone out one by one. When it was dark, he left the temple and walked towards his dwelling place. On the way he saw three temple boys and two Samaneras suspiciously carrying torches and slicks. He called them over and subjected them to a stiff investigation. They all confessed that they were going out into the fields to catch frogs. He brought them all up to the little veranda in front of his cell and gave them all a long lecture on the sin of taking life. After that he made the Samaneras renew their vows to keep the Ten Precepts and went to bed.
But since that day, the Abbot has never told any. one that the Buddha Image in the temple of his monastery could miraculously talk like a man.