¹Sangjenim had his father perform all labor himself.²Sangjenim would say to him, “Please recall each of your wrongdoings and seek to be absolved of them.”³Also, Sangjenim forbade his disciples to offer his father money or gifts.

⁴Once, a disciple saddened by Sangjenim’s parents’ house cramped and meager bought them a larger one.⁵Upon learning of this, Sangjenim sternly censured the disciple, “Do you wish to make my father a thief?⁶Anyone who does not understand me might believe me an undutiful son, but I am actually preparing a new destiny for my father.⁷I always have an exact plan for my father. But if this plan goes awry, it will come to naught.⁸If you feel pity for my father’s indigence and truly wish to help him, first ask me, and I shall consider changing my plans for him.”

⁹One day when Sangjenim arrived at Gaengmang-ri Village from Taein County, he said to his father, “There is no place in my work for any personal favoritism, so please commit no sins.”