There was a Japanese Zen Master called Ryokan. One day, Ryokan heard
his family complain that his nephew was wasting money on prostitutes. Ryokan
went to visit his nephew, whom he had not seen for many years.
His nephew invited him to stay one night. All night long Ryokan sat
in meditation. As he was preparing to leave the next morning, he asked
his nephew, "I must be getting old, my hand shakes so. Will you help me
tie the string of my straw sandal?" The nephew helped him.
Ryokan replied, "Thank you. A man gets older and feebler day by
day. Take good care of yourself."
Then Ryokan left, without mentioning a word about prostitutes or the
complaints of the family. But from that day on, his nephew truly
reformed, stopped spending money on prostitutes and stopped dissipating
his life.
(From: Once Upon a Time - A Collection of Buddhist Stories)
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