Lzh Sarv Bu Pm Pj 2Theft
Pāli / Sanskrit:Adinnādāna
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THE SUTTA ON TAKING WHAT HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN (ADINNĀDĀNA)
Background
The sutta on Adinnādāna, taking what has not been given, commonly translated as theft, is an important part of the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection regulating the precepts and communal discipline of Buddhist monastics, recorded in Pāli, the ancient language of Theravāda Buddhism.
Adinnādāna, or “taking what has not been given,” is classified among actions of violation within the foundational code called the Pāṭimokkhā, the recitation of self-discipline. This sutta arose from specific situations in the ancient community of monks and nuns, when monks or nuns accidentally or intentionally took things that did not belong to them without the owner’s permission. The Buddha established clear rules to protect integrity, build public trust, and nurture a pure mind in practitioners.
Main Content
In the Adinnādāna sutta, the Buddha clearly defines which actions are considered “taking what has not been given.” Not only material objects, but anything owned by another person and not permitted by the owner is to be considered. This includes daily-use items, money, property, and even seemingly minor things.
The Buddha emphasizes the difference between intention and action. An act is considered a violation of Adinnādāna only when five specific factors are present: (1) the object belongs to another person; (2) one knows clearly that the object belongs to another; (3) the intention to take what has not been given; (4) an effort to carry out that act; and (5) actually obtaining the object.
The sutta is not limited to the act of taking directly. It also includes indirect methods, such as telling someone else to take something on one’s behalf, or exploiting circumstances to appropriate property that does not belong to oneself. This shows subtlety in ethical consideration: Buddhism is concerned with both intention and action, with the way of thinking of the one who violates the rule.
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