Chan Master Liangkuan lived in a humble hut at the hill foot, with the main mission of preaching the Dharma. One night, coming back after preaching, he caught a thief in his hut. See him, the thief was at a loss what to do.

Master Liangkuan said kindly to the empty-handed thief, "Nothing to steal, right? How about taking my garment? Then you will not come in vain."

The thief grabbed the garment and ran away. Seeing the thief's back in the moonlight, the naked master signed, "It is a pity that I can't give him the beautiful moon."

 "Beautiful moon" symbolizes our self-nature. Everyone has unlimited treasure in our self-nature. If one can grasp his/her own treasure, there is no need to steal from others. Master Liangkuan's sign that he can't give the beautiful moon to others is telling the sentient being that everyone of us has the invaluable treasure of Buddhist nature, why shall we be thieves?