The Story of Two Pick-pockets.

Never underestimate anyone in their ability in learning the Dhamma and attaining ariyahood even he is a thief or a murderer.

On one occasion, two pick-pockets joined a group of lay-disciples going to the Jetavana monastery, where the Buddha was giving a discourse.

One of them listened attentively to the discourse and soon attained Sotapatti Fruition.

However, the second thief did not attend to the discourse as he was bent on stealing only; and he managed to snatch a small sum of money from one of the lay-disciples.

After the discourse they went back and cooked their meal at the house of the second thief, the one who managed to get some money.

The wife of the second thief taunted the first thief, "You are so wise, and you don't even have anything to cook at your house."

Hearing this remark, the first thief thought to himself, "This one is so foolish that she thinks she is being very smart."

Then, together with some relatives, he went to the Buddha and related the matter to him.

To the man, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

"The fool who knows that he is a fool can, for that reason, be a wise man; but the fool who thinks that he is wise is,indeed, called a fool.

At the end of the discourse, all the relatives of the man attained Sotapatti Fruition.

(The Dhammapada 63 Verses and Stories  Translated by Daw Mya Tin,M.A.)