EPISODE · Jun 4, 2026 · 4 MIN
Ryokan and the Thief - The Monk Who Wished He Could Give Away the Moon
from The Long Thread - Ancient Stories For The Present Moment. · host Ashvee Kanwar
Ryokan was a Zen monk who lived alone in a small hut at the foot of a mountain.He owned almost nothing.One evening a thief broke in.He searched every corner.Every shelf.Every possible hiding place.There was nothing to steal.When Ryokan returned and found him there he felt something he didn't expect.He gave the thief his clothes.The thief took them and slunk away into the night.Ryokan sat alone in the dark.Naked.He looked out of the window."Poor fellow," he said quietly."I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon."Then he picked up his brush and wrote a haiku.New story every day.Follow so you never miss one.
What this episode covers
Ryokan was a Zen monk who lived alone in a small hut at the foot of a mountain.He owned almost nothing.One evening a thief broke in.He searched every corner.Every shelf.Every possible hiding place.There was nothing to steal.When Ryokan returned and found him there he felt something he didn't expect.He gave the thief his clothes.The thief took them and slunk away into the night.Ryokan sat alone in the dark.Naked.He looked out of the window."Poor fellow," he said quietly."I wish I could have given him this beautiful moon."Then he picked up his brush and wrote a haiku.New story every day.Follow so you never miss one.
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Ryokan and the Thief - The Monk Who Wished He Could Give Away the Moon
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