Upp Pj 2Theft

Exposition of the Adinnādāna Discourse (Theft)

Background

The Adinnādāna discourse is found in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, in the accessory section of the Pātimokkha, the basic code of practice for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. This is one of the scriptures governing discipline in the Theravāda Buddha-Dharma tradition.

Adinnādāna is translated as "theft" or "taking what has not been given." This matter is classified by the Buddha as one of the Five Precepts (Pañcasīla) that all who study the Buddha-Dharma must preserve. In the context of the early monastery, the Buddha laid down detailed regulations concerning taking property without the owner's permission, in order to protect the moral character of the Sangha community.

Main Content

In the Pātimokkha, the offense of Adinnādāna, taking what has not been given, is clearly defined: a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī who takes an object not given by the owner (adinnā), with the intention to possess it (cetanā), and completes the act, commits a Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa offense depending on the degree and value of the property.

The discourse defines an object as "not given" when the owner has not donated it, rented it, lent it, or formally transferred it. Whether it is a small needle or valuable property, if it has not been given, taking it is a violation.

The Vinaya Piṭaka also distinguishes specific situations: taking objects from the living or the dead, from animals, from public or private places. Each case has different regulations, in order to ensure fairness and respect for the ownership rights of all. This rule protects not only material property but also the spiritual ethics of the practitioner.

Practical Meaning

Adinnādāna is not merely an administrative rule but reflects a basic principle: respect for the rights of others. In the Theravāda tradition, keeping this rule is regarded as the foundation of ethics (sīla), the first step on the path to liberation.