A South Korean temple management was pleasantly surprised by an anonymous letter found in its donation box recently. Inside the envelope there was 2 million won (approximately Rs 1.25 lakh), along with an apology for a theft that occurred at the same temple 27 years ago.
As per a South China Morning Post report, the man who wrote the letter was a young boy back in 1997 during the Asian financial crisis, which had a significant impact on South Korea's economy. At that time, he had stolen 30,000 won from the Jajangam Hermitage at Tongdosa Temple in the Gyeongsang province.
The man did not disclosed his name but revealed that he attempted another theft a few days later but was caught by a monk. Instead of punishing him, the monk placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head in silence, which he claimed changed his life forever.
The man said since then he has worked hard to live a good life.
"“I was thoughtless as a child. I remember taking a donation box from Jajangam 27 years ago, climbing up the mountain and stealing about 30,000 won (approximately Rs 1800) from it. A few days later, I went back to steal money again, but a monk caught me by the shoulder, closed his eyes and silently shook his head. Nothing happened that day, and I went home. Since that day, I have never desired anything that wasn’t mine,” the letter read, as per The Korea Times.
The man who recently made the donation did so to settle his debt and express regret for his past misdeeds. He clarified that his decision to apologise stemmed from the anticipation of becoming a father and desiring to be a role model his child.
The monk, Venerable Hyeonmun, who apprehended the young thief many years ago, still resides at the temple. Although he cannot recall the boy's face, he remembers that the man was either in elementary or middle school at the time of the incident.
During the period of the Asian financial crisis, a large crowd often surrounded the donation box at the temple. In a gesture of kindness, the monk occasionally left the box open, permitting individuals to take money without causing any damage.
The monk conveyed his blessings to the soon-to-be father, believing that he would serve as a source of inspiration for his son in the years to come.
