Lzh Mu Bu Pm Pj 2Theft
Pāli / Sanskrit:Adinnādāna
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Sutta on Taking What Is Not Given (Adinnādāna)
Background
The Sutta on Taking What Is Not Given (Adinnādāna) is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda tradition, where regulations on conduct for the community of monks and nuns are recorded. The term “adinnādāna” literally means “taking what has not been given,” the act of possessing or using another person’s property without permission. It is one of the five basic precepts (Pañcasīla) that all lay Buddhists must observe, but in the Vinaya Piṭaka it is developed into detailed regulations for renunciants.
The discourse was composed to guide monks and nuns to understand clearly the boundary between taking what is permitted, offerings given to the Sangha, and taking what is not permitted. This background reflects the educational purpose of the Buddha-Dharma: to build a noble community of practice where trust and purity are the foundation.
Main Content
Adinnādāna is defined not only as crude theft, but includes any way of taking or using another person’s property without explicit permission. The discourse distinguishes degrees of violation depending on the value of the object, the intention, and the means used.
For monks and nuns, the discourse details specific situations: taking the practice requisites of a fellow practitioner without asking permission, using monastery property for personal purposes, or even exploiting trust to take possession. Each case has its stated disciplinary consequence, from a minor offense (dukkaṭa) to a major offense (saṅghādisesa) or a prohibition leading to defeat (pārājika).
The important point is that the Buddha-Dharma does not only prohibit the action but also educates the motivation: why taking what is not given is wrong. It is because it violates the principle of “non-harming” (ahiṁsā), breaks trust in the community, and nourishes craving (lobha), one of the three unwholesome roots of the mind (akusala-mūla).
Meaning for Practice
The teaching on Adinnādāna concerns not only monks and nuns, but has deep value for all who practice.
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