Consider the humble water beetle who, seeing the lotus leaf float, made its own vessel. Did it steal the lotus's secret, or did it honor the flower's teaching by carrying new life across still waters? The merchants of the Western shores cry "Thief!" while the Eastern kingdoms celebrate innovation.

As the ancient text reminds us: "The river does not apologize to the cloud for borrowing its water, if it returns it to the sky with interest." Thus the wise one knows: When the student surpasses the master's technique, adding his own brush strokes to make the painting greater, is this theft or tribute? The answer lies not in the taking, but in what new gifts are returned to the world.