Chapter Twelve: Exemplary Acts 39

The Founding Master always scolded faithful and conscientious disciples even for their minor faults, but he would ignore the major faults of disciples with little faith or little goodness and instead compliment them profusely even for their minor good deeds. A disciple asked why, and the Founding Master replied, “For a person who does ten things well but one thing poorly, I try to correct his one fault in order to make him into pure gold and flawless jade. For a person who does ten things poorly but one thing well, I try to nurture even that single sprout of goodness.”