SPOKANE, Wash. — All are welcome inside Spokane's Buddhist Institute of Universal Compassion.
It's a compassion central to the teachings here, says Malia Ethredge.
"I think Buddhism in a nutshell is being kind to others, all beings. Whether it be a person, an animal, a mosquito or an enemy," Ethredge, the temple's communication coordinator, said. "It's about being wisely kind."
However, the temple is going through a tough lesson after an organized group hit this weekend. It happened Sunday after services.
"Two women came and knocked on the door of the on-site residence," Ethredge detailed.
The entire thing was captured on security cameras around the institute. At first, the women offered money to the guru inside the residence.
"I want to make a donation," one accented woman said over the surveillance video posted online.
The guru and two women go inside the temple. Once inside, the women had another request.
"Prayers, please. Prayers for us," the woman said.
"Meanwhile, another person, another woman was behind the residence trying to get in," Ethredge said.
That woman was captured on video hiding behind the residence, peeking around a corner and appearing to be on the phone. Ethredge believes this was a stakeout that may have started the day before, as it appears the same group of women came to the residence and looked under mats and pots, likely for keys.
The women left, but returned about 15 minutes later, video shows, after the guru left on a walk. The two successfully broke into a window and were in and out of the home quickly, along with about $6,000.
"Donations," Ethredge said. "The donations that were being saved for a new heating/cooling system for the temple."
Unfortunately, it's not the first time this temple has been hit the same way. It's why the cameras that captured this crime are there in the first place.
"You got it," Ethredge laughed.
A similar theft, same distraction techniques and all, cost the temple its first attempt to fundraise for much-needed air conditioning.
In that instance, Ethredge says, the residence door was unlocked.
"They took cash, coins, gold, silver, $38,000 worth," she said.
Ethredge says practicing wise kindness doesn't mean being passive in learning from life lessons. It's why there are other signs posted outside the temple: Beware of Dog.
"There's a beautiful Tibetan mastiff, his name is Sengei. We're hoping to bring Sengei back home into the temple yard," she said. "I believe that would help."
The institute hopes to recoup some of its losses during a yard sale this Friday and Saturday.
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com.