Buddha was well known for his ability to respond to evil with good.
And there was a man that knew about this reputation and he traveled miles and miles to test Buddha.
When he got in Buddha’s presence he verbally abused him, he insulted and offended him.
Buddha was unmoved.
He simply turned to the man and said: ‘ May I ask you a question?’
The man agreed and said: ‘ Well what?’
Buddha: ‘ When someone offers you a gift and you decline to accept it, to whom then does it belong?’
Man: ‘ Well then it belongs to the person who offered it.’
Buddha smiled: ‘That is correct.’
Buddha: So if I decline to accept your abuse, does it not then still belong to you?
The man was speechless and left.