The Long Āgama Sūtra 7.22

7.22

迦葉報曰：「諸有智者，以譬喻得解，今當為汝引喻解之。譬如盜賊，常懷姧詐，犯王禁法，伺察所得，將詣王所，白言：『此人為賊，願王治之。』王即勅左右，收繫其人，遍令街巷，然後載之，出城付刑人者；時，左右人即將彼賊，付刑人者，彼賊以柔輭言，語守衛者：『汝可放我，見諸親里，言語辭別，然後當還。』云何，婆羅門！彼守衛者寧肯放不？」

Kāśyapa responded, “Those who are wise explain things with parables. Now, I’ll explain this for you with a story. Once, there was a thief who was constantly making schemes and breaking the king’s laws. He was hunted down, and an officer brought him to the king. ‘This man is a thief. Please let the king judge him.’

“The king ordered his men, ‘Tie that man up and announce his crime throughout the city. After that, carry him out of the city and execute him.’

“The thief spoke to his guards in a gentle voice, ‘You could let me go see my relatives and bid them farewell. I’ll return after I’m done.’ How would it be, priest? Would those guards let him go?”