"Once upon a time there was a student who was caught stealing. First, because he was hungry and then because he couldn't believe that there would be food daily in the monastery, unlike his experience at home. It was hard to believe. At times when there was less than usual, he would panic and, without thinking, steal again to have something for the next day. The students complained to the master and signed a petition to expel the student so that they could get on with their studies. No matter how many times he was caught stealing, the master just ignored the grumblings of the others and let the young man stay and said nothing to him.
"Finally, the other students were so annoyed that they signed the bottom of their latest petition and put forth an ultimatum: either he would have to go or all of them would leave. Choose. The master gathered them all together and began to remonstrate with them: 'You all think you know right from wrong and you are free to go anywhere you want to study. But this poor student carries the burden of his past, of poverty and starvation, of oppression and of loneliness with no one to help him. I must keep him close to me and let him know that he will always be cared for, always allowed to stay and always treated with the utmost kindness and respect. If you want to leave, go ahead. I will keep him alone with me and lavish all my wisdom and knowledge on him alone until he knows compassion and friendship."
A Teaching story on play from Bruno Hapgspiel.
"They say that St. John the Apostle liked to play with his pet sparrow from time to time. One day a hunter came to visit him and was surprised to see such a famous man playing. He surely could have used that time doing something good and important. So he asked the saint: 'Why do you waste your time playing? Why do you devote your time to such a useless sparrow?'
"John looked at him in surprise. Why shouldn't he play? Why did someone like a hunter not understand that? So he asked him. 'Why is that string on your bow not tight?' "
" 'It's not done; you cannot keep the bowstring tight all the time, otherwise the bow would lose its tension and become useless for shooting arrows.'
"John then told the young man, 'My friend, just as you always release the tension on your bowstring, so you must release the tension inside you and relax. If I don't relax and just play, I would have no strength for any great undertaking. I would not even have the strength to do what I have to do and what is necessary and demands my full attention.' "