Passage 38

In English

Once, there was a thief whose routine had been to commit thefts and spend jail terms again and again. At one time, he committed a very big theft and was imprisoned for six months. At the end of the period of jail, the Jail Superintendent came and said to him, “Your period of imprisonment is over. You can leave with your bag and baggage tomorrow.” The thief said, “Sir! Why should I take my bag and baggage? I am going to return to the prison soon; let it stay here.” In spite of suffering punishment, he is not prepared to leave the bad habit of thieving. He does not have the awareness that he should not commit the same mistake after suffering so much punishment. Human beings are also like that. They are born and they die again and again. People are eternal, with no birth and death, They are the primordial principle, without beginning or end, They are not born; nor do they die or are slain by anyone.