One evening as Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras, a thief with a sharp sword entered the room, demanding either money or his life. Shichiri told him: "Do not disturb me. You can find the money in that drawer." Then he resumed his recitation. A little while afterwards, he stopped and called: "Don't take it all. I need some to pay taxes tomorrow." The intruder gathered up most of the money and started to leave. "Thank a person when you receive a gift," Shichiri added. The man thanked him and made off. A few days afterwards, the fellow was caught and confessed, among others, the offence against Shichiri. When Shichiri was called as a witness, he said: "This man is no thief, at least as far as I am concerned. I gave him money and he thanked me for it." After he had finished his prison term, the man went to Shichiri and became his disciple.