Threefold Purification of the Precepts (Sīla) #2: Not Stealing (Protecting What Belongs to Others) — Veḷudvāreyya Sutta (SN 55.7)

3. Adinnādāna — Abstaining from Taking What Is Not Given

3.1 Puna caparaṃ, gahapatayo, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:

Furthermore, householders, the noble disciple reflects in this way:

• The noble disciple continues the same practice of wise reflection (paṭisañcikkhati), now applying it to taking what has not been given.

3.2 Yo kho me adinnaṃ theyyasaṅkhātaṃ ādiyeyya, na metaṃ assa piyaṃ manāpaṃ.

If someone were to take from me what has not been given, what is regarded as theft, that would not be pleasing or agreeable to me.

• The disciple begins with his own experience. He recognizes that having something taken without permission is unpleasant.

3.3 Ahañceva kho pana parassa adinnaṃ theyyasaṅkhātaṃ ādiyeyyaṃ, parassapi taṃ assa appiyaṃ amanāpaṃ.

And if I were to take from another what has not been given, what is regarded as theft, that would likewise be unpleasant and disagreeable to that person.

• He then applies the same reflection to another person: just as I dislike having my property taken, another person dislikes having theirs taken.

3.4 Yo kho myāyaṃ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, parassa peso dhammo appiyo amanāpo.

Whatever is unpleasant and disagreeable to me is likewise unpleasant and disagreeable to another.

• This expresses the principle of ethical reciprocity: what I do not want done to me, I should recognize that another person does not want done to them either.

3.5 Yo kho myāyaṃ dhammo appiyo amanāpo, kathāhaṃ paraṃ tena saṃyojeyyan’ti.

Whatever is unpleasant and disagreeable to me, how could I inflict that same thing upon another?

• The reflection now becomes a direct ethical question: if I would dislike this happening to me, how could I do it to someone else?

3.6 So iti paṭisaṅkhāya attanā ca adinnādānā paṭivirato hoti, parañca adinnādānā veramaṇiyā samādapeti, adinnādānā veramaṇiyā ca vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati.

Having reflected in this way, he himself abstains from taking what has not been given, encourages others to abstain from taking what has not been given, and speaks in praise of abstaining from taking what has not been given.

• The reflection leads to three forms of ethical conduct:

1. Personal restraint — he/she does not take what is not given.
2. Encouraging others — he/she encourages others to abstain from stealing.
3. Praising the virtue — he/she speaks in praise of abstaining from taking what is not given.

Thus, the practice goes beyond merely not stealing; it involves supporting and appreciating the ethical principle.

3.7 Evamassāyaṃ kāyasamācāro tikoṭiparisuddho hoti.

In this way, his bodily conduct becomes purified in three respects.

• His bodily conduct is threefold pure (tikoṭiparisuddho). The ethical training is comprehensive: he personally avoids taking what is not given, does not encourage such conduct in others, and praises the practice of respecting what belongs to others.

Further Notes

1. I personally abstain from stealing

• Do not take someone's physical property — never take money, belongings, food, or other possessions without permission.

• Respect intellectual property — do not copy books, articles, software, photographs, or creative work and present them as your own. 

• Do not pirate digital content — avoid illegally downloading movies, music, courses, software, or paid materials.

• Be honest with money — do not manipulate expenses, receipts, refunds, taxes, or financial records for personal gain.

• Respect workplace resources — do not take office supplies, use company money for personal purposes, or misuse organizational resources.

• Do not steal people's time or opportunities — do not deliberately take credit for someone's work, ideas, recognition, or opportunity.

2. I encourage others to abstain from stealing

• Teach children to ask before taking — encourage them to respect other people's belongings from an early age.

• Discourage piracy — explain to friends and students why downloading someone's work without paying is a form of taking.

• Encourage academic honesty — teach students not to plagiarize, cheat, or submit another person's work as their own.

• Promote honesty in the workplace — encourage colleagues to handle company money and resources responsibly.

• Speak up when appropriate — gently discourage friends or colleagues when they justify dishonest practices.

• Lead by example — demonstrate that it is possible to be successful without taking advantage of others.

3. I praise and promote the value of non-stealing

• Praise honest people publicly — recognize employees, students, children, or friends who demonstrate exceptional honesty.

• Share stories of integrity — tell inspiring stories about people who chose honesty even when dishonesty would have benefited them.

• Promote ethical business practices — support and recommend businesses that treat customers, employees, and creators fairly.

• Teach the value of intellectual honesty — promote proper citation, attribution, copyright respect, and acknowledgement of others' contributions.

• Create an atmosphere where honesty is respected — make it clear that integrity is more admirable than gaining wealth through deception.

• Use social media to promote integrity — share messages, examples, and discussions showing why respecting others' property, work, money, and opportunities makes society better.

4. Habits of Stealing

• Taking without asking — assuming that something can be taken simply because it is available.

• Entitlement — thinking, “I deserve this,” even though it belongs to someone else.

• Rationalizing — telling oneself, “They have plenty,” “They won't notice,” or “It isn't really stealing.”

• Taking advantage of trust — using another person's confidence or generosity for one's own benefit.

• Keeping what was accidentally received — for example, receiving too much change and deliberately keeping it.

• Using another person's property without permission — including money, possessions, accounts, intellectual property, or resources.

• Not returning what was borrowed — gradually treating borrowed property as one's own.

• Concealing the act — hiding the taking because one knows it was not authorized.

• Repeatedly crossing small boundaries — beginning with seemingly insignificant things and becoming accustomed to taking what is not given.

• Encouraging others to take — approving, assisting, or normalizing another person's taking.

• Taking advantage of mistakes — knowingly benefiting when someone makes an error in your favour.

• Keeping what does not belong to you — finding something that belongs to another person and deciding to keep it rather than return it.

• Using shared resources excessively — taking more than one's fair share because others are unlikely to object.

• Taking credit for another person's work — presenting someone else's effort, idea, or contribution as one's own.

• Using something entrusted to you for personal benefit — treating property or money given for a specific purpose as though it were yours.

• Borrowing with little intention of returning — asking to borrow something while already assuming that it will effectively become one's own.

• Manipulating others into giving — using pressure, deception, guilt, or emotional manipulation to obtain something that would not otherwise be given.

• Ignoring ownership boundaries — thinking, “It's only a small thing,” or “It's communal, so it doesn't really belong to anyone.”

• Taking secretly when permission would likely be refused — deliberately avoiding asking because one already knows the answer may be “no.”

• Normalizing dishonest taking — becoming comfortable with statements such as “Everyone does it,” “It's not a big deal,” or “That's just how things work.”

• Taking someone's time for granted — assuming that another person should always be available whenever you need them.

• Expecting attention without reciprocity — wanting someone's care, listening, or emotional support while giving little in return.

• Taking advantage of someone's kindness — repeatedly asking for favours because you know the person finds it difficult to say no.

• Using people as stepping stones — developing or maintaining relationships primarily because they provide access to status, money, opportunities, influence, or connections.

5. Types of Stealing 

• Material Stealing
• Financial Stealing
• Time Stealing
• Labor Stealing
• Intellectual Stealing
• Creative Stealing
• Opportunity Stealing
• Credit Stealing
• Knowledge Stealing
• Relationship Stealing
• Trust Stealing
• Attention Stealing
• Emotional Stealing
• Privacy Stealing
• Identity Stealing
•  Freedom or Choice Stealing
• Dignity Stealing
• Spiritual Stealing
• Merit or Goodwill Stealing

We could say that stealing operates on three levels:

1. Taking things
money, property, possessions

2. Taking benefits
time, labor, opportunities, credit, knowledge, attention

3. Taking what cannot legitimately be appropriated
 trust, privacy, freedom, dignity, relationships, spiritual authority

6. Consequences of Stealing

For the stealer

• Weakening of conscience
• Strengthening of greed
• Fear of discovery
• Guilt and remorse
• Loss of trust
• Damage to reputation
• Dependence on deception
• Increasing entitlement
• Legal or material consequences
• Unwholesome karmic consequences

For the victim

• Material loss
• Emotional distress
• Loss of security
• Loss of trust
• Relationship damage
• Financial hardship
• Loss of opportunity
• Sense of violation
• Additional costs
• Psychological burden

Overall consequences

• Erosion of trust
• More suspicion
• Social conflict
• Greater security costs
• Economic inefficiency
• Breakdown of cooperation
• Normalization of dishonesty
• Greater inequality and vulnerability
• Institutional consequences
• Loss of social harmony

7. More Advanced Forms of Stealing

Also, I would like you to read about māyā (hiding one's akusala qualities/deception) and sāṭheyya (fraud/deceitfulness), the two forms of adinnādāna (stealing) identified by the Buddha in the Vatthūpama Sutta (MN 7) as two of the sixteen upakkilesas (mental impurities).

(I). Māyā — deceit, deceptiveness

deceitfulness; deceptive behaviour; concealing one's true state

Māyā is the tendency to make oneself appear different from what one really is, especially in order to gain an advantage, respect, trust, or praise.

For example:

• pretending to possess knowledge that one does not have;
• hiding one's wrongdoing while presenting oneself as virtuous;
• pretending to have spiritual qualities that one has not developed;
• creating a false impression about one's abilities, wealth, status, or character;
• behaving differently in public in order to receive admiration.

The central problem is misrepresentation: “I want you to see me as something I am not.”

(II). Sāṭheyya — treachery, fraudulent self-presentation

treachery, fraudulence, cunning, crookedness, or deceptive self-presentation

Sāṭheyya is somewhat more calculated and manipulative than māyā. It involves using deception or cunning to obtain something—especially honour, recognition, gain, or advantage.

For example:

• deliberately cultivating an image of being more virtuous than one really is;
• using one's religious status to obtain material benefits;
• manipulating another person's perception in order to gain something;
• strategically displaying humility while actually seeking praise;
• concealing one's real intention while pursuing an advantage.

The central tendency is:

“I will make myself appear a certain way because it benefits me.”