Lzh Mu Bi Vb Pj 2Theft
Pāli / Sanskrit:Adinnādāna
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Interpretation of the Adinnādāna Sutta (Taking What Is Not Given)
Background
The Adinnādāna Sutta (taking what is not given) belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon and is one of the most fundamental rules in the discipline for monks and nuns. The word "adinnā" means "not permitted" or "not one's own," while "dāna" means "given"; thus adinnādāna means "taking something that has not been given."
The content of this text is recorded among the Pārājika rules (rules leading to expulsion from the community) or the Pācittiya rules (offenses requiring confession). According to the Theravāda tradition, taking what is not given is regarded as one of the most serious violations in the practice of discipline. This rule reflects carefulness and respect for the property of others, a foundational principle in the renunciant life.
Main Content
The text stipulates that a bhikkhu, bhikkhunī, or practitioner must not take anything that has not been permitted by its owner, regardless of its value. This includes money, jewelry, clothing, daily necessities, or any property belonging to another. The act of "taking" is clearly defined: there must be the intention to take something that is not one's own, one must know that it is not one's own, and one must carry out the act of appropriation.
The text emphasizes that even when finding a lost object, a practitioner must make an effort to find the owner and return it, not keep it. If the owner cannot be found, it must be placed in the common fund of the monastery or returned to the community. The wrongful nature of the act does not depend on the reason: whether from hunger or necessity, taking what is not given still violates the discipline.
The differences among degrees of violation are recorded specifically. If this rule is violated knowingly and without confession, it is a grave moral loss. The Pācittiya section of the Vinaya Piṭaka prescribes forms of confession and cultivation to restore the spirit of practice.
Practical Meaning
The rule of Adinnādāna is not merely a prohibition, but an expression of deep respect for the ownership and trust of others.
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